You hit 'open connection' make sure ssh is the selected connection type , then input the i.p. address, username & password. http://trac.cyberduck.ch/wiki/help/en
It might be best for you to have your friend guide you through the does and don'ts, given you're not so familiar.
Also reading the Linode library might help you (if your host provider runs Linux): http://library.linode.com/ And although it's specific to their VPS set up and configurations, it's still a Linux machine so you can learn quite a bit.
I used this as a learning venture.... it's got about 40 users (20 to 30 hits per day). I haven't put much effort into it these days....I've lost motivation to work on it....I always seem to find other things to do :(
For the most part I've been able to hack aw's json converter to produce much of the js I require (I tend to process the data server side and just pass results into jQuery libraries for client side handling). Otherwise I just hack ugly strings together.
racket
"loud noise," 1565, said to be imitative. Meaning "dishonest activity" (1785) is perhaps from racquet, via notion of "game," reinforced by rack-rent "extortionate rent" (1591), from rack (1). Racketeer (v. and n.) first recorded 1928.
Dictionary:
rack·et [rak-it] Show IPA
–noun
1. a loud noise or clamor, esp. of a disturbing or confusing kind; din; uproar: The traffic made a terrible racket in the street below.
2. social excitement, gaiety, or dissipation.
3.an organized illegal activity, such as bootlegging or the extortion of money from legitimate business people by threat or violence.