# Connection Methods

Currently, there are two primary Connection Methods available to access your Instances on the Pictor Network, determined by the Operating System (OS) type of your launched instances: **SSH** and **RDP**.

1. **SSH (Secure Shell Protocol)**: This is the standard connection method when your Instance's OS type is **Linux**. It provides efficient, secure, command-line terminal access.
2. **RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol)**: This is the exclusive connection method when your Instance's OS type is **Windows**. It provides a full, interactive Graphical User Interface (GUI) desktop environment.

<table data-card-size="large" data-view="cards"><thead><tr><th align="center"></th><th align="center"></th><th data-hidden data-card-cover data-type="image">Cover image</th><th data-hidden data-card-target data-type="content-ref"></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="center"><strong>SSH  - Secure Shell Protocol</strong></td><td align="center">Instance OS: <img src="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FPdB7LglWE198HL7kuXiT%2FTux.svg.png?alt=media&#x26;token=4a40544b-fa0c-43bb-9355-635fc6973643" alt="" data-size="line"> Linux </td><td><a href="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2F7aAz1uSTFfipuApM2a2j%2FSSH.png?alt=media&#x26;token=53e6a0b4-11db-4dc5-b085-ea8874b457ce">SSH.png</a></td><td><a href="https://docs.pictor.network/docs/services/gpu-renting/connection-methods/ssh">https://docs.pictor.network/docs/services/gpu-renting/connection-methods/ssh</a></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><strong>RDP - Remote Desktop Protocol</strong></td><td align="center">Instance OS: <img src="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FPJYeeqCa2hmONL0Nqe8a%2FWindows_logo_and_wordmark_-_2021.svg.png?alt=media&#x26;token=8ac86847-f639-4403-9754-3345868e8fed" alt="" data-size="line">Windows</td><td><a href="https://1913276630-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FwPjKMG1lirj7mnKwlGT5%2Fuploads%2FhFryUK6Va583QNHEoaNT%2FRPD.png?alt=media&#x26;token=04e7e05a-a8dc-487c-95b7-83d6b8e45f4e">RPD.png</a></td><td><a href="https://docs.pictor.network/docs/services/gpu-renting/connection-methods/rdp">https://docs.pictor.network/docs/services/gpu-renting/connection-methods/rdp</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

Choose the method that corresponds to your instance type to begin working immediately.