Accessing your Amazon EC2 Linux instances from a Windows environment requires using PuTTY, a free and open-source SSH and telnet client. Here’s a step-by-step guide to get you connected quickly and securely.
Step 1: Downloading the .PPK Key File
First, download the .ppk key file directly from the AWS Management Console.
Generate Key Pair: When creating your EC2 instance, choose “Create a new key pair” and select “PPK” as the file format.
Download the .PPK File: Save the .ppk key file securely on your local machine.
Step 2: Opening PuTTY and Enter Your Instance’s Public DNS
Launch PuTTY: Open PuTTY from your Start menu.
Enter Public DNS: In the “Host Name (or IP address)” field, enter the public DNS of your EC2 instance.
Step 3: Configure SSH Authentication
Navigate to SSH Auth Settings: Go to “Connection” > “SSH” > “Auth” in the left-side menu.
Browse for PPK File: Click “Browse” and select the .ppk file you downloaded in Step 1.
Step 4: Start the SSH Session
Open the Session: Click “Open” at the bottom of the PuTTY window to start the session.
Add Screenshot: Include a screenshot of the PuTTY session window after connection.
Login as ec2-user: When prompted, enter ec2-user as the login name.