# Connect to host - SSH Tunnel **URL:** \ **Category:** Ansible Project\ **Created:** [December 24, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075 "2015-12-24T12:49:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fabgcruz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/fabgcruz/32/11002_2.png) [@fabgcruz](https://forum.ansible.com/u/fabgcruz)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075/1 "2015-12-24T12:49:16Z")
Hello, I currently have a host that is accessed saw ssh tunnel, I need to manage that host with ansible. How can I do that? To connect to the host I use the command: ssh -N -R 10000: localhost: 22 [user@hostX](mailto:user@hostX). I added this command on a .sh file and run: ssh -t user@otherserver “./file.sh” Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Coca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@Brian\_Coca](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Brian_Coca)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075/2 "2015-12-24T17:08:16Z")
just setup this info in your hosts file: hostx ansible\_ssh\_host=localhost:10000 then ansible will use the existing tunnel every time to get to hostx ---
**Author:** ![fabgcruz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/fabgcruz/32/11002_2.png) [@fabgcruz](https://forum.ansible.com/u/fabgcruz)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 10:07pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075/3 "2015-12-24T22:07:35Z")
Hello Thanks for your reply, my scenario is as follows: hostA — used as a bridge to access the hostX (local machine). HostC — ansible server you need to manage hostX, perform installations and upgrades using ansible. It is possible ? Thank you so much. ---
**Author:** ![Brian\_Coca](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@Brian\_Coca](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Brian_Coca)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075/4 "2015-12-24T22:19:58Z")
yes, just setup the tunnel and then use ansible as I mentioned in my previous email. you can even use ansible to setup the tunnel with a play on the hostC ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_Fletcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@Tim\_Fletcher](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Tim_Fletcher)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 12:11am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075/5 "2015-12-28T00:11:44Z")
Would using a netcat tunnel work for you? We had a similar setup were I used to work and used ssh config to automate the tunnel usage. Host targethoust HostName targethost User myuser ProxyCommand ssh proxyhost nc %h %p 2\> /dev/null [http://backdrift.org/transparent-proxy-with-ssh](http://backdrift.org/transparent-proxy-with-ssh) ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Leonhardt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ec9cab/32.png) [@Alex\_Leonhardt](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Alex_Leonhardt)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2015, 12:42pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075/6 "2015-12-28T12:42:37Z")
Never really looked into it, but if/when using netcat, does that mean that from your proxy host / bastion to the target host, the connection is in clear text? I would assume that to be the case? Alex ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_Fletcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@Tim\_Fletcher](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Tim_Fletcher)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2016, 11:53am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/connect-to-host-ssh-tunnel/20075/7 "2016-01-02T11:53:54Z")
No the tunnel is setup from the bastion to the target to carry a second ssh connection from workstation to target.