# Step 6: Configure connection and authorize your Outposts server
<a name="install-authorize"></a>

To authorize the server, you must connect your laptop to the server with a USB cable, then use a command-based serial protocol to test the connection and authorize the server. In addition to IAM credentials, you need a USB cable, a laptop, and serial terminal software, such as PuTTY or **screen**, to complete these steps.

Consider the following information about authorizing the server:
+ To authorize the server, you or the party installing the server needs IAM credentials in the AWS account that contains the Outpost. For more information, see [Step 1: Grant permissions to install the Outposts server](install-grant.md).
+ You do not need to authenticate with the IAM credentials to test your connection. 
+ Consider testing the connection before you use the export command to set IAM credentials as environment variables.
+ To protect your account, Outpost Configuration Tool never saves your IAM credentials. 
+ To connect your laptop to the server, always plug the USB cable into your laptop first and then into the server.

**Topics**
+ [Connect your laptop](authorize-1.md)
+ [Create a serial connection](authorize-2.md)
+ [Configure and test the connection](authorize-3.md)
+ [Authorize the server](authorize-4.md)
+ [Verify the NSK LEDs](authorize-5.md)