How to set TERM environment variable in ssh configuration?

Question

I use this setting in ~/.ssh/config:

Host server
  Hostname 192.168.x.x
  SetEnv TERM=xterm

But when logging in to the server and doing echo $TERM, I get xterm-256color.

How to set TERM from ssh client config file?

What is curious: when connecting as TERM=xterm ssh server, echo $TERM on server gives xterm. Although this shows that the setting can be transmitted, it does not solve the problem, because I need to set it in config file. Also, putting TERM=xterm in .ssh/environment on server sets it, but it does not solve the problem either, because I cannot edit anything on server.

Answer 1

Since OpenSSH 8.7 (2021-08-20), SetEnv TERM is now supported:

allow ssh_config SetEnv to override $TERM, which is otherwise handled specially by the protocol. Useful in ~/.ssh/config to set TERM to something generic (e.g. "xterm" instead of "xterm-256color") for destinations that lack terminfo entries.

Answer 2

Adjusting the configuration to this can be used as a workaround:

Host server
  Hostname 192.168.x.x
  RemoteCommand TERM=xterm $SHELL
  RequestTTY yes

Probably worthwhile mentioning it comes with a caveat; the section will no longer work when explicitly giving a command as an argument to ssh, or with sftp, sshfs etc.

Answer 3

Only TERM must decide here - one is not supposed to configure that in ssh in any way. One way to deal with this is to use proper terminal (one that uses TERM=xterm). Another way is to create ssh wrapper and check name of desired host in it and in case of match check if TERM is xterm-compatible, and if yes, do export TERM=xterm before exec ssh "$@". One may also use the hack to set TERM=xterm in .ssh/environment on server (assuming that only xterm-compatible terminal will be used to connect to the server).

Use this command:

TERM=xterm ssh host