SSH Troubleshooting: A Beginner's Guide

Having trouble connecting to your EC2 instance via SSH? Let's troubleshoot together!

Common Issues and Solutions

1. Connection Timeout:

   • Check Security Groups: Ensure your security group allows inbound SSH traffic (port 22).

   • Firewall Interference: If the issue persists, check if a corporate or personal firewall is blocking the connection.

2. SSH Not Working on Windows:

   • Use Putty: Download and install Putty for Windows-based SSH connections.

3. Connection Refused:

   • Instance Status: Verify that your EC2 instance is running.

   • Restart or Recreate: If necessary, restart or recreate the instance using a supported operating system like Ubuntu, Amazon Linux 2, or another preferred distribution.

4. Permission Denied (publickey, gssapi-keyex, gssapi-with-mic):

   • Correct Key: Ensure you're using the correct security key associated with your instance.

   • Correct User: Use the ec2-user when connecting to an Amazon Linux 2 instance.

5. Nothing seems to be working 🤬 :

   • Try EC2 Instance Connect: This feature provides a secure connection to your instance without requiring SSH configuration.

6. IP Address Changes:

   • Update Configuration: If your instance has been stopped and restarted, update the public IP address in your SSH command or Putty configuration.

Remember: If you're still facing difficulties, don't hesitate to consult the AWS documentation or seek assistance from the AWS community forums.