On the remote machine, start the IPython notebooks server:

  remote_user@remote_host$ ipython notebook --no-browser --port=8889

Usually IPython opens a browser to display the available notebooks, but we do not need that so we use the option --no-browser. We also change the port to 8889, for no other reason than to show how this is done.

On the local machine, start an SSH tunnel:

  local_user@local_host$ ssh -N -f -L localhost:8888:localhost:8889 remote_user@remote_host

The first option -N tells SSH that no remote commands will be executed, and is useful for port forwarding. The second option -f has the effect that SSH will go to background, so the local tunnel-enabling terminal remains usable. The last option -L lists the port forwarding configuration (remote port 8889 to local port 8888).

Now open your browser on the local machine and type in the address bar

  localhost:8888

which displays your remotely running IPython notebook server.

To close the SSH tunnel on the local machine, look for the process and kill it manually:

  local_user@local_host$ ps aux | grep localhost:8889
  local_user 18418  0.0  0.0  41488   684 ?        Ss   17:27   0:00 ssh -N -f -L localhost:8888:localhost:8889 remote_user@remote_host
  local_user 18424  0.0  0.0  11572   932 pts/6    S+   17:27   0:00 grep localhost:8889

  local_user@local_host$ kill -15 18418

Alternatively, you can start the tunnel without the -f option. The process will then remain in the foreground and can be killed with ctrl-c.

On the remote machine, kill the IPython server with ctrl-c ctrl-c.