how to connect to AWS instance from computer

[samcullin]

I am new to AWS, can someone tell me how to connect to AWS.

[Simon]

Hi Sam,

For general information about getting started on AWS the resources here are useful

• https://aws.amazon.com/getting-started/ 

Regarding connecting to your AWS instance from your computer, this depends on a couple of factors:

• Your Operating System: The process differs slightly between Windows and MacOS/Linux systems.
• Security Group Configuration: Your instance's security group needs to allow SSH access from your computer's IP address.

Here's a general breakdown of the steps involved:

1. Prerequisites:

• Public IP or DNS Name: You'll need the public IP address or DNS name of your EC2 instance. You can find this in the EC2 console on the AWS web interface.
• SSH Key Pair: You'll most likely be using SSH to connect. If you haven't already, create a key pair and download the private key file (.pem) to your computer.

2. Connecting with SSH:

• Windows: There are a few options. You can use PuTTY, a free SSH client, along with your downloaded private key file.
• MacOS/Linux: These systems typically have SSH built-in. You can use the terminal app and the ssh command.

3. Specific Steps:

The specific steps for using SSH will depend on your OS and chosen tool (PuTTY for Windows). In general, the SSH command will follow this format:

ssh -i "path/to/your/privateKey.pem" username@ipAddress

• Replace "path/to/your/privateKey.pem" with the actual location of your downloaded private key file.
• Replace "username" with the username you specified when launching the EC2 instance (often ubuntu).
• Replace "ipAddress" with the public IP address or DNS name of your instance.

Here are some resources that can help you with the specific steps:

• AWS Documentation on Connecting to EC2 Instances: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AWSEC2/latest/UserGuide/connect-linux-inst-ssh.html
• Video Tutorial on Connecting to EC2 from Windows: [YouTube connect to ec2 instance windows]

By following these steps and referencing the provided resources, you should be able to connect to your AWS instance from your computer.