# How to connect to ec2 instance using .pem file in ansible

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-connect-to-ec2-instance-using-pem-file-in-ansible/32134>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [February 4, 2020, 12:11pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-connect-to-ec2-instance-using-pem-file-in-ansible/32134 "2020-02-04T12:11:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![anilkumar\_panditi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@anilkumar\_panditi](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anilkumar_panditi)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 12:11pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-connect-to-ec2-instance-using-pem-file-in-ansible/32134/1 "2020-02-04T12:11:30Z")

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Hi ,  
I am trying to connect to ec2 instance using .pem file in ansible.  
I am getting below error.

fatal: [hdi\_master1]: UNREACHABLE! =\> {  
“changed”: false,  
“msg”: “Failed to connect to the host via ssh: Permission denied (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic).”,  
“unreachable”: true  
}

my inventory:

---

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**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 12:18pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-connect-to-ec2-instance-using-pem-file-in-ansible/32134/2 "2020-02-04T12:18:52Z")

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> Hi ,  
> I am trying to connect to ec2 instance using .pem file in ansible.  
> I am getting below error.
> 
> fatal: [hdi\_master1]: UNREACHABLE! =\> {  
> "changed": false,  
> "msg": "Failed to connect to the host via ssh: Permission denied (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic).",  
> "unreachable": true  
> }
> 
> # my inventory:
> 
> # inventory of servers
> 
> #ungrouped servers  
> hdi\_master1 ansible\_host=13.234.186.61 ansible\_connection=ssh ansible\_user=centos --private-key=/home/centos/openshift.pem
> 
> even though i am passing i am getting above error .can anyone help me please.

Your syntax in the inventory file is bogus, please try

ansible\_ssh\_private\_key\_file=/home/centos/openshift.pem

Regards  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Racke

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anilkumar\_panditi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@anilkumar\_panditi](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anilkumar_panditi)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 12:36pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-connect-to-ec2-instance-using-pem-file-in-ansible/32134/3 "2020-02-04T12:36:09Z")

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Hi Thank you for your reply,  
Now i am getting below error.

“msg”: “Failed to connect to the host via ssh: @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@\r\n@ WARNING: UNPROTECTED PRIVATE KEY FILE! @\r\n@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@\r\nPermissions 0644 for ‘/home/centos/openshift.pem’ are too open.\r\nIt is required that your private key files are NOT accessible by others.\r\nThis private key will be ignored.\r\nLoad key "/home/centos/openshift.pem": bad permissions\r\nPermission denied (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic).”,  
“unreachable”: true

My Inventory :=

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![racke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/ansible/user_avatar/forum.ansible.com/racke/32/4767_2.png) [@racke](https://forum.ansible.com/u/racke)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 12:38pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-connect-to-ec2-instance-using-pem-file-in-ansible/32134/4 "2020-02-04T12:38:19Z")

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> Hi Thank you for your reply,  
> Now i am getting below error.
> 
> ```
> &quot;msg&quot;: &quot;Failed to connect to the host via ssh: @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@\\r\\n@     
> 
> ```
> 
> WARNING: UNPROTECTED PRIVATE KEY FILE!  
> @\r\n@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@\r\nPermissions 0644 for '/home/centos/openshift.pem'  
> are too open.\r\nIt is required that your private key files are NOT accessible by others.\r\nThis private key will be  
> ignored.\r\nLoad key \"/home/centos/openshift.pem\": bad permissions\r\nPermission denied  
> (publickey,gssapi-keyex,gssapi-with-mic).",  
> "unreachable": true
> 
> # My Inventory :=
> 
> hdi\_master1 ansible\_host=13.234.186.61 ansible\_connection=ssh ansible\_user=centos  
> ansible\_ssh\_private\_key\_file=/home/centos/openshift.pem

Well, I suppose you can read that error message and fix the permissions !?

Regards  
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Racke

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anilkumar\_panditi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a8b319/32.png) [@anilkumar\_panditi](https://forum.ansible.com/u/anilkumar_panditi)\
**Post date:** [February 4, 2020, 1:29pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/how-to-connect-to-ec2-instance-using-pem-file-in-ansible/32134/5 "2020-02-04T13:29:15Z")

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Hi,  
Thank you so much , i am able to connect now to remote node after changing permissions and using correct syntax in inventory file.

Thank you once again.