How to Connect to EC2 with SSH PuTTY?

Connecting to an Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (EC2) instance using SSH (Secure Shell) is a fundamental skill for anyone managing cloud-based servers. One popular tool for this task is PuTTY, a free and open-source terminal emulator that supports various network protocols, including SSH. In this guide, we'll walk you through the step-by-step process of connecting to your EC2 instance using PuTTY.

1. Prerequisites:
   Before we dive into the connection process, ensure you have the following:

   • An active AWS account with EC2 instances
   • PuTTY installed on your local machine

2. Obtaining EC2 Instance Details:

   • Log in to your AWS Management Console.
   • Navigate to the EC2 Dashboard.
   • Select your desired instance, noting the public IP address or DNS.

3. Download PuTTY and PuTTYgen:

   • Download PuTTY and PuTTYgen from the official PuTTY website.
   • PuTTY is used for SSH connections, while PuTTYgen is helpful for generating key pairs.

4. Generate SSH Key Pair:

   • Open PuTTYgen and click "Generate" to create a new SSH key pair.
   • Save the private key securely and copy the public key for later use.

5. Add Public Key to EC2 Instance:

   • In the AWS EC2 Dashboard, select your instance.
   • Click on "Actions" > "Security" > "Modify IAM Role."
   • Add the public key to the list of authorized keys.

6. Configure PuTTY:

   • Open PuTTY and enter the public IP address or DNS of your EC2 instance.
   • In the left panel, navigate to "Connection" > "SSH" > "Auth."
   • Browse and select the private key file you generated with PuTTYgen.

7. Initiate SSH Connection:

   • Go back to the "Session" category on the left panel.
   • Enter a name for your session in the "Saved Sessions" field and click "Save."
   • Click "Open" to initiate the SSH connection.

8. Login to Your EC2 Instance:

   • A terminal window will open, prompting you for the username.
   • For Amazon Linux instances, use "ec2-user"; for other distributions, consult AWS documentation.
   • Paste the previously copied public key when prompted for the password.

9. Congratulations, You're Connected!:

   • You should now have successfully connected to your EC2 instance using PuTTY.

More Examples:

• Troubleshooting Connection Issues:

  • If you encounter any issues, ensure that your security group settings allow SSH traffic (port 22).
  • Verify that your private key file is correctly loaded in PuTTY.

• Customizing PuTTY Sessions:

  • Explore PuTTY's settings to customize your sessions further.
  • Adjust font size, colors, and other preferences to enhance your user experience.

• Security Best Practices:

  • Regularly update your PuTTY installation for the latest security patches.
  • Rotate your SSH keys periodically for enhanced security.