# Create a Layer 2 Connection

If you need a Layer 2 network connection - the [**private connect**](/welcome/cloud-networking/overview/concepts.md#private-connect), you can follow the steps as shown below.

## Prerequisites

* You have [**signed up an account**](/welcome/platform/account-management/create-an-account.md) with your email and sign in to [**zenConsole**](https://console.zenlayer.com/).
* If you need to connect to your cloud services, your public cloud provider should be one of the following: Amazon Web Service, Tencent Cloud, Google Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.\
  More public cloud providers will be supported soon.

## Procedures

On the upper left corner of zenConsole, go to **Products** > **Cloud Networking** > **Private Connect L2** > [**Create Private Connect**](https://console.zenlayer.com/sdn/network/create/ptp).\
The overall steps of creating a private connect is shown below. For detailed operations, please refer to the links of specific chapters.

<div align="left"><figure><img src="/files/QQmpkBC1nfVU12Y7hx5C" alt="" width="563"><figcaption><p>Create a Layer 2 Private Connect</p></figcaption></figure></div>

### 1. Label Your Private Connect

Click <img src="/files/shrr5MKhrwnpdaFJ5sfQ" alt="" data-size="line"> to modify the label name of your private connect. You can also click **Add Description** to give the private connect a note.

### 2. Add Access Points

Select two access points as the source end and the destination end of your private connect.\
You may have the following options:

* [**Data Center**](/welcome/cloud-networking/get-started/create-a-layer-2-connection/select-a-data-center-as-access-point.md)
* [**Public Cloud**](/welcome/cloud-networking/get-started/create-a-layer-2-connection/select-a-public-cloud-as-access-point.md)

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Note**</mark>

<mark style="color:blue;">Please note that Tencent Cloud and Google Cloud cannot be connected via Layer 2 Private Connect temporarily.</mark>
{% endhint %}

### 3. Configure Bandwidth Cap

[**Configure the bandwidth cap**](/welcome/cloud-networking/get-started/create-a-layer-2-connection/configure-network-information.md) between two access points of your Layer 2 private connect.

### 4. Confirm Order and Pay for It

## What to Do Next

More operations offline or on the public cloud console.

### For the Public Cloud Point

[**Validate your cloud connect**](/welcome/cloud-networking/get-started/validate-connection-in-public-cloud.md) on the corresponding console of your public cloud provider.

### For the Data Center Point

Contact Zenlayer Support or your data center operator to establish a cross connect offline.

## Result

After your cross connect is established offline and your cloud connect is validated on the public cloud console, the states of corresponding points will change into **Active** and you will receive a notification email.

Once the states of both ends are **Active**, your private connect state will become **Active**.

{% hint style="info" %} <mark style="color:blue;">**Note**</mark>

* <mark style="color:blue;">Billing for private connect will not start until both the source and destination end points are active, and your connection is active.</mark>
* <mark style="color:blue;">Billing for your port will start:</mark>
  * <mark style="color:blue;">when the port is active.</mark>
  * <mark style="color:blue;">15 days after you submit the order – whether or not your cross connect has been established.</mark>
* <mark style="color:blue;">Billing for your cloud connect will start:</mark>\ <mark style="color:blue;">Once you have validated your cloud connect on the public cloud console.</mark>
  {% endhint %}


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