Is there a way to specify a password for the SSH session in config file or CLI

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1

Is it possible to specify a password for the SSH connection in Ansible (the initial connection not the one for sudo) in a non-interactive way (ie. in config file or a command)?

The configuration file in Ansible has the option ask_pass to prompt user to input the password (works ok), but I would like to hardcode the default Raspberry Pi’s password (which is “raspberry” on the original image) for the purpose of unattended configuration of new Pis.

2

You can just use the ansible_ssh_pass parameter:

  • name: some task
    shell: “echo ‘hello world’”
    ansible_ssh_pass: raspberry

http://docs.ansible.com/ansible/intro_inventory.html#list-of-behavioral-inventory-parameters

3

You mean a parameter in the playbook? Never thought it was possible, but I tried your suggestion and it did not work. I got the following (I am using 1.9.4 now):

`
ERROR: ansible_ssh_pass is not a legal parameter in an Ansible task or handler

`

The link you mentioned is however a description of the parameters for the inventory file. And it works, but I forgot to mention that I do not want to use the inventory file and provide the IP address of the destination machine as a command-line parameter (that’s why I asked this question - if the “syntax with comma” would allow passing parameters, I could do it).

Summary of my goal (initial configuration only, before I upload the ssh keys with Ansible):

  1. pass the destination IP address as a command-line parameter for ansible-playbook command
  2. hardcode user name “pi” (now in ansible.cfg)
  3. hardcode password 'raspberry" (in ansible.cfg, as a command-line parameter or elsewhere, but not in the inventory file which I do not intend to use)
4

My mistake. I thought i’d used it previously in a playbook, but when i went back and looked it was commented out.

So If i’m understanding all your requirements properly. I think this should work(and i’ve tested it this time).

ansible-playbook -i 192.168.0.1, playbook.yml --extra-vars "ansible_ssh_pass=rapsberry"

5

Thank you. That’s the solution.

But… I would like to ask if your example really did work for you?

I managed to do what I wanted, but in addition I also had to pass a variable to hosts in playbook:

ansible-playbook -i 192.168.0.1, playbook.yml --extra-vars “newpi=192.168.0.1 ansible_ssh_pass=raspberry”

and use:

- hosts: '{{ newpi }}'

in the playbook.yml

Is there a way that makes passing the newpi unnecessary?

6

Hmm, well in my test playbook, i just had

  • hosts: all

I’m guessing that’s why I didn’t need to pass the additional variable.

7

Great! I was dragging my trial-and-error results. Now its (your version) in the simplest possible form, I guess.

Thank you again.