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To create an AWS VPC from scratch, plan a non-overlapping IP range, create the VPC and subnets, attach an internet gateway, and configure route tables to define where traffic can go. A subnet is public only when its route table sends traffic directly to an internet gateway; private-subnet internet egress, if needed, typically uses a NAT gateway. The walkthrough below follows AWS’s CLI tutorial, with example values clearly marked for replacement.
How a VPC, subnet, and route table fit together
Amazon Web Services describes a VPC as “A VPC is a virtual network that closely resembles a traditional network that you’d operate in your own data center.” A VPC provides a network boundary and address space for AWS resources, but creating one alone does not set up usable traffic paths. You configure subnets, route tables, and gateways to determine how traffic moves. AWS VPC User Guide
VPCs and subnets
A VPC has a CIDR block: the range of IP addresses available to its network. A subnet is a smaller address range inside that VPC, and each subnet resides in one Availability Zone. Plan the VPC and subnet ranges before creating anything, and ensure they do not overlap with existing networks you need to connect to. AWS’s VPC creation guide uses example values; substitute ranges appropriate to your environment.
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Route tables determine the path
A route table is a set of rules that maps a destination to a target, such as the VPC’s local network or an internet gateway. Each subnet is associated with exactly one route table at a time. If you do not explicitly associate one, the subnet uses the VPC’s main route table. One route table can serve multiple subnets. AWS subnet route tables
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Public versus private subnets
A subnet is public when its associated route table has a direct route to an internet gateway. A common IPv4 default route is 0.0.0.0/0 targeting the VPC’s attached internet gateway. A private subnet has no direct route to an internet gateway. A subnet’s name does not determine its status, and a route alone does not make every resource reachable from the internet: resource addressing and security configuration also matter. AWS VPC configuration options
For a simple learning setup, use at least one public and one private subnet. For a design intended to remain available if an Availability Zone has a problem, spread subnets across multiple Availability Zones and consider the related gateway placement and cost.
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Choose the right internet path
| Option | Traffic path and intended use | Availability and cost considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Internet gateway | Provides a direct VPC route to and from the public internet. A public subnet’s route table can send IPv4 default traffic to it; resource reachability still depends on addressing and security rules. | Attach it to the VPC and configure the route. The tutorial notes that resources it creates can incur charges; check current AWS pricing for your Region. |
| NAT gateway | Lets instances in a private subnet initiate outbound IPv4 internet connections. Internet hosts cannot initiate connections to those instances through that NAT path. | It is billable. AWS recommends a NAT gateway in each active Availability Zone for production, which adds cost in exchange for AZ-local resilience. Check current AWS pricing for your Region. |
| VPC endpoint | Provides private connectivity to supported AWS services, avoiding the need to send that service traffic through an internet gateway or NAT device. | Its scope is the supported service, not general internet access. Consult AWS’s VPC documentation for endpoint availability and applicable charges. |
A NAT gateway is not required for every private subnet. Use one when private workloads need outbound internet access; for supported AWS services, an endpoint may provide a private path instead. AWS’s AWS CLI getting-started tutorial warns that its sample setup can incur charges, particularly for NAT Gateway and EC2 resources. Rates vary by Region and can change, so inspect the AWS Pricing Calculator or current pricing before creating billable resources.
Prepare before creating resources
- Install and configure the AWS CLI, and select the Region where you intend to build the VPC.
- Use credentials with the necessary VPC permissions and verify that your IAM access allows the requested operations.
- Choose a VPC CIDR and subnet CIDRs that fit your needs and do not overlap with networks you may connect.
- Decide whether this is a learning setup in one Availability Zone or a multi-AZ design, and whether private workloads need general outbound internet access.
- Remember that IDs and CIDRs shown in the AWS tutorial are illustrative examples, not values that work in every account. The tutorial assumes basic networking knowledge.
Create a VPC from scratch with the AWS CLI
AWS’s CLI tutorial provides the procedural backbone for creating the network. Its commands and example values should be followed from the current official tutorial and adapted to your Region, account, CIDRs, and resource IDs; do not copy sample identifiers as if they were your own. The build order matters because later resources depend on earlier ones.
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- Create the VPC and subnets. Create the VPC with your planned CIDR range, then create at least one subnet in a selected Availability Zone. For a learning deployment, create a public and a private subnet; for resilience, plan subnets in multiple Availability Zones.
- Create and attach an internet gateway. Create an internet gateway and attach it to the VPC. Attachment alone does not send subnet traffic to the internet; the route table must also contain the appropriate route.
- Set up the public route table. Create or choose a route table, ensure its local VPC route is present, and add an IPv4 default route (
0.0.0.0/0) targeting the attached internet gateway. Associate the public subnet with this table. - Associate private subnets with a private route table. Use a route table without a direct internet-gateway route and explicitly associate each private subnet. Check associations carefully: each subnet uses one route table at a time, including when it falls back to the main table.
- Add private-subnet egress only if required. If instances need outbound IPv4 internet access, create a NAT gateway in a public subnet, wait until it is available, then add a private-subnet default route targeting it. The tutorial’s resources can incur costs. In production, consider a NAT gateway in each active Availability Zone rather than relying on one gateway across zones.
- Configure security and launch a test workload. Permit only the traffic the workload needs using security groups, then follow the tutorial’s EC2 deployment steps to validate the intended path.
- Verify and clean up. Check route-table associations and test the intended connectivity. Remove tutorial resources when finished if you no longer need them; leaving billable resources in place can continue to incur charges.
How to diagnose a connectivity problem
Trace a failed connection in order rather than assuming that a subnet label or one route proves end-to-end reachability.
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- Check the subnet association. Confirm which route table the subnet actually uses, including any implicit association with the main route table.
- Check the destination route and target. For public IPv4 internet routing, verify the default route points to an internet gateway attached to the same VPC. For private IPv4 egress through NAT, verify the route points to an available NAT gateway placed in a public subnet.
- Check addressing and security. Even with an internet-gateway route, a resource’s addressing and security configuration affect whether it can be reached. Review the workload’s address assignment and security-group rules against the traffic you expect.
- Check whether the destination needs internet access at all. For supported AWS services, a VPC endpoint may offer the intended private route instead of general internet egress.
Single-AZ or multi-AZ?
| Layout | Resilience and complexity | Cost trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Single-AZ subnets and one NAT gateway, if needed | Simpler for learning and small experiments, but it does not provide the same availability across Availability Zones as a multi-AZ design. | Fewer NAT gateways can reduce gateway-related expense, but resources may incur charges even in a small setup. |
| Subnets and NAT gateways across active Availability Zones | More resilient AZ-local design; requires more subnet, route, and gateway planning. | A NAT gateway in each active AZ adds cost. Check live regional pricing before deployment. |
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