Creating A Web Proxy

DNS SERVER IN NETWORK + SETTING UP A PROXY SERVER

What is a Web Proxy?

A web proxy is a server that acts as an intermediary between your device and another server. It helps to forward requests from clients (e.g., your browser) to a backend server. This is helpful in many scenarios, like:

• Redirecting Traffic: Forwarding requests made to one domain or IP to another server.

• Simplifying Access: Allowing users to use a friendly hostname without specifying ports or multiple addresses.

• Load Balancing: Distributing traffic among different backend servers.

• Security: Hiding internal servers from the outside world.

Simple Scenario for Setting Up a Reverse Proxy

Let’s say you have a NAS server running a web interface on port 8080, and you want to access it with a simple address like http://nas.local instead of http://nas.local:8080.

To do this, you can set up a reverse proxy using a tool like NGINX. A reverse proxy forwards requests from a client to a backend server, making it look like the proxy itself is providing the service.

Setting Up a Web Proxy Using NGINX

Here’s how to set up an NGINX web proxy on a local server to access your NAS easily.

Step 1: Install NGINX

If you haven’t already installed NGINX on a computer in your network, you can do so:

• On Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install nginx

• On CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install epel-release

sudo yum install nginx

• On Windows, you can use the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to install Linux and follow similar steps.

Step 2: Configure NGINX as a Reverse Proxy

Once installed, you need to modify the NGINX configuration file to add a new server block that will act as a reverse proxy.

1. Open the NGINX configuration file:

• Typically, the main configuration file is located at /etc/nginx/nginx.conf, but you should add a new configuration file in /etc/nginx/sites-available/ for best practice.

2. Create a new configuration file for your NAS reverse proxy:

• You can name it something like nas_proxy.conf and open it in a text editor:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/nas_proxy.conf

3. Add the following configuration to set up a reverse proxy:

server {

listen 80;

server_name nas.local;

location / {

proxy_pass http://192.168.1.100:8080; # Replace with your NAS IP and port

proxy_set_header Host $host;

proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;

}

}

• Explanation:

• listen 80; tells NGINX to listen on port 80 (the default HTTP port).

• server_name nas.local; sets the hostname that will trigger this configuration.

• proxy_pass http://192.168.1.100:8080; forwards all requests to your NAS’s IP address and port.

4. Enable the configuration:

• Create a symbolic link in the sites-enabled directory to enable this configuration:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/nas_proxy.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

5. Test and Restart NGINX:

• Test the configuration to ensure there are no syntax errors:

sudo nginx -t

• If everything is okay, restart NGINX:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

Step 3: Access the NAS via the Proxy

• Now, when you type http://nas.local in your browser, NGINX will forward the request to http://192.168.1.100:8080.

• If you set up your router or local DNS to recognize nas.local, this URL will resolve to your local NGINX server, which will then act as a proxy to your NAS.

Benefits of Using a Reverse Proxy for Your NAS

• Friendly Access: You can use a simple URL like http://nas.local without specifying the port.

• Security: Hide the actual port of your NAS from the outside.

• SSL Termination: You could also set up SSL on NGINX, making the connection secure without needing to configure SSL on your NAS.

Summary

A web proxy or reverse proxy like NGINX allows you to forward requests from a user-friendly URL to a backend server, hiding ports and making access simpler and more secure. Setting it up involves installing NGINX, configuring a server block to forward requests, and enabling that configuration. This is particularly useful for accessing services on your NAS that run on non-standard ports.

Here are the steps for setting up a proxy server on your ROC:

Step 1: Choose the Proxy Server Software

You have a few options for proxy server software:

1. Squid: A widely used caching proxy for web clients.

2. Nginx: Can be used as a reverse proxy.

3. Privoxy: Useful for filtering and privacy.

For simplicity, let’s use Squid, which is easy to set up and has good caching capabilities.

Step 2: Install Squid Proxy

1. Update Packages:

sudo apt update

2. Install Squid:

sudo apt install squid

Step 3: Configure Squid

1. Backup the Default Configuration:

sudo cp /etc/squid/squid.conf /etc/squid/squid.conf.bak

2. Edit Configuration:

• Open the configuration file using your preferred editor (e.g., nano or vim):

sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf

• To allow access from your local network, add the following lines near the top:

acl localnet src 192.168.1.0/24 # Adjust this based on your local network

http_access allow localnet

• Make any other desired changes, like specifying the port Squid will listen on (by default, it’s 3128):

http_port 3128

3. Restart Squid:

sudo systemctl restart squid

4. Enable Squid to Start on Boot:

sudo systemctl enable squid

Step 4: Test the Proxy

• Set up your web browser or device to use the IP address of the ROC as the proxy server, using port 3128.

• Verify that the traffic is going through the proxy server.

Optional: Set Up Authentication

If you want to add an extra layer of security by requiring a username and password to use the proxy:

1. Create a Password File:

sudo touch /etc/squid/passwd

sudo chmod o+r /etc/squid/passwd

2. Add a User:

Install the apache2-utils package to use htpasswd:

sudo apt install apache2-utils

Then create a user:

sudo htpasswd /etc/squid/passwd username

3. Update Squid Configuration to require authentication:

sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf

Add the following lines:

auth_param basic program /usr/lib/squid/basic_ncsa_auth /etc/squid/passwd

auth_param basic children 5

auth_param basic realm Proxy

auth_param basic credentialsttl 2 hours

acl authenticated proxy_auth REQUIRED

http_access allow authenticated

Save and restart Squid:

sudo systemctl restart squid

Nginx and Squid are both popular choices, but they serve slightly different use cases. Since you’re interested in what’s often used in production environments, I’ll explain both and help you choose based on your needs:

Nginx as a Proxy

• Versatility: Nginx is a very versatile tool often used as a reverse proxy, load balancer, and even as a web server. It’s common in production environments for directing client requests to different servers or services.

• Use Cases: Ideal for reverse proxying, load balancing, handling HTTPS, and managing connections to backend servers.

• Caching: It also has caching capabilities, though not as extensive or configurable as Squid’s.

• Complexity: Configuration is more complex compared to Squid but allows for highly flexible setups.

Squid Proxy

• Purpose-Built Caching Proxy: Squid is purpose-built for caching and can significantly speed up response times for repeated requests. It is often used in network caching scenarios to reduce bandwidth usage.

• Use Cases: It’s ideal for forward proxying (e.g., providing internet access to internal clients) and content caching to speed up repeated content requests.

• Compact & Easy to Setup: Easier to set up if your focus is simply providing access to the internet for a network.

When to Use Each:

• Nginx:

• Use it if you need to reverse proxy traffic to backend services (e.g., load balancing, service access).

• Ideal for web applications or microservices architecture.

• Good if you need SSL termination, meaning handling HTTPS at a gateway.

• Squid:

• Use it if you primarily want to cache web traffic to speed up internet access for a network.

• Often used in LANs or offices where multiple clients access the same websites, and caching is beneficial.

• Simpler setup for just providing a basic proxy for internet access.

In Production Environments:

• For most web applications or services that need load balancing or SSL termination, Nginx is more common.

• In corporate environments where internet caching is important for optimizing bandwidth, Squid is popular.

Since You Want Nginx:

You can use Nginx as a proxy, which might better match the production-grade needs. Here’s how to set up Nginx as a reverse proxy:

Step 1: Install Nginx

1. Update Packages:

sudo apt update

2. Install Nginx:

sudo apt install nginx

Step 2: Configure Nginx as a Proxy

1. Edit the Default Nginx Configuration File:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/default

2. Configure Reverse Proxy:

Replace or modify the server block to include the following lines:

server {

listen 80;

server_name brains.spiffynasty.com;

location / {

proxy_pass http://spiffynasty.com:7777/portal;

proxy_set_header Host $host;

proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;

}

}

server {

listen 80;

server_name nextcloud.spiffynasty.com;

location / {

proxy_pass http://spiffynasty.com:32680;

proxy_set_header Host $host;

proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;

}

}

3. Check Configuration:

Test the configuration file for syntax errors:

sudo nginx -t

4. Restart Nginx:

sudo systemctl restart nginx

ROUTER CONFIG

SSL

    server {
    listen 80;
    server_name spiffberrypi.space;

    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;  # Redirect all HTTP to HTTPS
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name spiffberrypi.space;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem;  # Path to SSL cert
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem;  # Path to SSL key
    include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf;  # SSL options
    ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem;  # SSL DH param

    location / {
        proxy_pass http://192.168.1.50:8123;  # Forward to internal IP and port
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name brains.spiffynasty.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;  # Redirect all HTTP to HTTPS
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name brains.spiffynasty.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem;
    include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf;
    ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem;

     location / {
        proxy_pass https://spiffynasty.com:7777/portal;  # You can keep it http internally
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name nextcloud.spiffynasty.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;  # Redirect all HTTP to HTTPS
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name brains.spiffynasty.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem;
    include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf;
    ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem;

     location / {
     proxy_pass https://www.spiffynasty.com:32680;
     proxy_set_header Host $host;
     proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
     proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    } 
  }

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name spiffberrypi.space;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;  # Redirect all HTTP to HTTPS
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name spiffberrypi.space;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem;
    include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf;
    ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem;

    location / {
    proxy_pass https://spiffberrypi.space:8123;
    proxy_set_header Host $host;
    proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
    proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme; 
    }
  }
  

# HTTP to HTTPS redirect
server {
    listen 80;
    server_name spiffynasty.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;
}

# HTTPS server block
server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name spiffynasty.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem;
    include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf;
    ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem;

    root /var/www/html;

    index index.html index.htm index.php index.nginx-debian.html;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem;

Optional: Enable SSL (Highly Recommended in Production)

1. Install Certbot:

sudo apt install certbot python3-certbot-nginx

2. Generate SSL Certificates:

sudo certbot –nginx -d brains.spiffynasty.com -d nextcloud.spiffynasty.com

Follow the prompts to set up SSL automatically.

check out certs

The `/etc/letsencrypt/live` directory is protected by default, which is why you’re getting an "access denied" message. It’s a security measure to prevent unauthorized access to your SSL certificate files, which contain sensitive information.

However, to confirm that the certificates were created for each domain, you can:

### View Certificate Information with `sudo`
You can use `sudo` to view the contents of the folder. Here’s how:

```sh
sudo ls -l /etc/letsencrypt/live/
```

This will list all the subdirectories within `/etc/letsencrypt/live`. Each subdirectory should correspond to a domain for which a certificate was issued. For example, you should see:

- `brains.spiffynasty.com`
- `nextcloud.spiffynasty.com`
- `spiffberrypi.space`
  
If you want to view the specific certificate files:

```sh
sudo ls -l /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/
```

### Check the Certbot Log Files
Another way to confirm that certificates were created is to check the Certbot log files:

```sh
sudo less /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log
```

This log will show detailed information about the certificates that Certbot attempted to create, including any errors.

### Updating NGINX Configuration
Once you confirm that the certificates for each domain exist, you can then proceed to update your NGINX configuration files accordingly, making sure each server block points to the correct certificate path for the associated domain.

Summary:

• Nginx is versatile and used extensively in production for reverse proxying, load balancing, and handling SSL.

• Squid is simpler and great for caching and basic forward proxying.

Since your goal is to create a production-grade proxy, and if you are dealing with multiple backend services or need SSL, Nginx is the recommended choice. Let me know if you need help setting this up or understanding any configuration details!

reconfigure reverse proxies for ssl

To ensure your setup works properly, you should have both configurations—one for port 80 (HTTP) to handle redirects to HTTPS and another for port 443 (HTTPS) to manage secure traffic. Here's how to properly configure both:

1. Keep the Port 80 Configuration: This allows any HTTP requests (insecure traffic) to be redirected to HTTPS. Typically, you'll want to add a redirect to ensure everything goes through SSL.

   
   server {
       listen 80;
       server_name spiffberrypi.space;
   
       return 301 https://$host$request_uri;  # Redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS
   }
   

2. Add the Port 443 Configuration: This is the secure configuration for handling HTTPS traffic.

   
   server {
       listen 443 ssl;
       server_name spiffberrypi.space;
   
       ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/spiffberrypi.space/fullchain.pem;  # Path to your SSL certificate
       ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/spiffberrypi.space/privkey.pem;  # Path to your SSL certificate key
   
       location / {
           proxy_pass http://spiffberrypi.space:8123;  # You can keep it http internally
           proxy_set_header Host $host;
           proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
           proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
           proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
       }
   }
   

Correct Proxy w/ SSL Setup Steps

1. Separate Server Blocks for Each Domain:

   • Each domain (brains.spiffynasty.com, nextcloud.spiffynasty.com, spiffberrypi.space, etc.) should have its own server block with the appropriate SSL certificate configuration.
   • Modify each server block so that it points to the correct certificate paths for that specific domain.

2. Adjust Certificate Paths for Each Server Block:

   • For each domain, ensure the ssl_certificate and ssl_certificate_key directives point to the correct certificate files issued by Let's Encrypt for that specific domain.

Here’s how to adjust the configuration for each domain:

Example Configuration for brains.spiffynasty.com:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name brains.spiffynasty.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;  # Redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name brains.spiffynasty.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem; # managed by Certbot
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem; # managed by Certbot
    include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf; # managed by Certbot
    ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem; # managed by Certbot

    root /var/www/html;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Download:/volume1/Docker/Nextcloud/config – config file location

Example Configuration for nextcloud.spiffynasty.com:

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name nextcloud.spiffynasty.com;
    return 301 https://$host$request_uri;  # Redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS
}

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name nextcloud.spiffynasty.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/nextcloud.spiffynasty.com/fullchain.pem; # managed by Certbot
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/nextcloud.spiffynasty.com/privkey.pem; # managed by Certbot
    include /etc/letsencrypt/options-ssl-nginx.conf; # managed by Certbot
    ssl_dhparam /etc/letsencrypt/ssl-dhparams.pem; # managed by Certbot

    root /var/www/nextcloud;

    location / {
        try_files $uri $uri/ =404;
    }
}

Remove Duplicates and Adjust Listen Directives

• Remove Duplicate Entries: Make sure each server block is only defined once for each domain. Each server should have its own unique listen 443 block and SSL certificate paths.
• Adjust listen Directives: Ensure that listen statements are not duplicated and are configured appropriately for IPv4 and IPv6.

Steps to Clean Up

1. Backup Your Config: Before making any changes, back up your /etc/nginx/sites-available/default or any other configuration file you are modifying.

2. Remove Incorrect SSL Paths: Go through each server block and ensure that only the correct SSL certificate paths are present.

3. Test the Configuration: Once you have made these changes, use the command sudo nginx -t to test the configuration for syntax errors.

4. Reload NGINX: If there are no errors, reload NGINX to apply the changes:

   
   sudo systemctl reload nginx
   

This way, each domain (brains.spiffynasty.com, nextcloud.spiffynasty.com, spiffberrypi.space, etc.) will use its appropriate SSL certificate, avoiding the issue where all URLs are using the certificate for brains.spiffynasty.com.

You said:

we know it DID make them? I get access denied when I try to see into the /etc/letsencryt/live folder?

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

The /etc/letsencrypt/live directory is protected by default, which is why you’re getting an "access denied" message. It’s a security measure to prevent unauthorized access to your SSL certificate files, which contain sensitive information.

However, to confirm that the certificates were created for each domain, you can:

View Certificate Information with sudo

You can use sudo to view the contents of the folder. Here’s how:

sudo ls -l /etc/letsencrypt/live/

This will list all the subdirectories within /etc/letsencrypt/live. Each subdirectory should correspond to a domain for which a certificate was issued. For example, you should see:

• brains.spiffynasty.com
• nextcloud.spiffynasty.com
• spiffberrypi.space

If you want to view the specific certificate files:

sudo ls -l /etc/letsencrypt/live/brains.spiffynasty.com/

Check the Certbot Log Files

Another way to confirm that certificates were created is to check the Certbot log files:

sudo less /var/log/letsencrypt/letsencrypt.log

This log will show detailed information about the certificates that Certbot attempted to create, including any errors.

Updating NGINX Configuration

Once you confirm that the certificates for each domain exist, you can then proceed to update your NGINX configuration files accordingly, making sure each server block points to the correct certificate path for the associated domain.

Summary

• Keep port 80: This listens for HTTP traffic and redirects it to HTTPS, ensuring that all traffic is encrypted.
• Add port 443: This listens for HTTPS traffic and uses the SSL certificate to secure the connection.

With these two blocks, you'll ensure that all requests are securely routed through HTTPS, enhancing both security and user experience.

Reverse Proxy

Nextcloud can be run through a reverse proxy, which can cache static assets such as images, CSS or JS files, move the load of handling HTTPS to a different server or load balance between multiple servers.

Defining trusted proxies

For security, you must explicitly define the proxy servers that Nextcloud is to trust. Connections from trusted proxies will be specially treated to get the real client information, for use in access control and logging. Parameters are configured in config/config.php

Set the trusted_proxies parameter as an array of:

• IPv4 addresses
• IPv4 ranges in CIDR notation
• IPv6 addresses
• IPv6 ranges in CIDR notation

to define the servers Nextcloud should trust as proxies. This parameter provides protection against client spoofing, and you should secure those servers as you would your Nextcloud server.

A reverse proxy can define HTTP headers with the original client IP address, and Nextcloud can use those headers to retrieve that IP address. Nextcloud uses the de-facto standard header ‘X-Forwarded-For’ by default, but this can be configured with the forwarded_for_headers parameter. This parameter is an array of PHP lookup strings, for example ‘X-Forwarded-For’ becomes ‘HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR’. Incorrectly setting this parameter may allow clients to spoof their IP address as visible to Nextcloud, even when going through the trusted proxy! The correct value for this parameter is dependent on your proxy software.

Overwrite parameters

The automatic hostname, protocol or webroot detection of Nextcloud can fail in certain reverse proxy situations. This configuration allows the automatic detection to be manually overridden. If Nextcloud fails to automatically detect the hostname, protocol or webroot you can use the overwrite parameters inside the config/config.php.

• overwritehost set the hostname of the proxy. You can also specify a port.
• overwriteprotocol set the protocol of the proxy. You can choose between the two options http and https.
• overwritewebroot set the absolute web path of the proxy to the Nextcloud folder.
• overwritecondaddr overwrite the values dependent on the remote address. The value must be a regular expression of the IP addresses of the proxy. This is useful when you use a reverse SSL proxy only for https access and you want to use the automatic detection for http access.
• overwrite.cli.url the base URL for any URLs which are generated within Nextcloud using any kind of command line tools. For example, the value set here will be used by the notifications area.

Leave the value empty or omit the parameter to keep the automatic detection.

Service Discovery

The redirects for CalDAV or CardDAV does not work if Nextcloud is running behind a reverse proxy. The recommended solution is that your reverse proxy does the redirects.

Apache2

RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^/\.well-known/carddav https://%{SERVER_NAME}/remote.php/dav/ [R=301,L]
RewriteRule ^/\.well-known/caldav https://%{SERVER_NAME}/remote.php/dav/ [R=301,L]

Thanks to @ffried for apache2 example.

Traefik 1

Using Docker labels:

traefik.frontend.redirect.permanent: 'true'
traefik.frontend.redirect.regex: 'https://(.*)/.well-known/(?:card|cal)dav'
traefik.frontend.redirect.replacement: 'https://$$1/remote.php/dav'

Using traefik.toml:

[frontends.frontend1.redirect]
  regex = "https://(.*)/.well-known/(?:card|cal)dav"
  replacement = "https://$1/remote.php/dav
  permanent = true

Thanks to @pauvos and @mrtumnus for traefik examples.

Traefik 2

Using Docker labels:

- "traefik.http.routers.nextcloud.middlewares=nextcloud_redirectregex@docker"
- "traefik.http.middlewares.nextcloud_redirectregex.redirectregex.permanent=true"
- "traefik.http.middlewares.nextcloud_redirectregex.redirectregex.regex=https://(.*)/.well-known/(?:card|cal)dav"
- "traefik.http.middlewares.nextcloud_redirectregex.redirectregex.replacement=https://$${1}/remote.php/dav"

Using a TOML file:

[http.middlewares]
  [http.middlewares.nextcloud-redirectregex.redirectRegex]
    permanent = true
    regex = "https://(.*)/.well-known/(?:card|cal)dav"
    replacement = "https://${1}/remote.php/dav"

HAProxy

acl url_discovery path /.well-known/caldav /.well-known/carddav
http-request redirect location /remote.php/dav/ code 301 if url_discovery

NGINX

location /.well-known/carddav {
    return 301 $scheme://$host/remote.php/dav;
}

location /.well-known/caldav {
    return 301 $scheme://$host/remote.php/dav;
}

or

rewrite ^/\.well-known/carddav https://$server_name/remote.php/dav/ redirect;
rewrite ^/\.well-known/caldav https://$server_name/remote.php/dav/ redirect;

Caddy

subdomain.example.com {
    redir /.well-known/carddav /remote.php/dav/ 301
    redir /.well-known/caldav /remote.php/dav/ 301

    reverse_proxy {$NEXTCLOUD_HOST:localhost}
}

Example

Multiple domains reverse SSL proxy

If you want to access your Nextcloud installation http://domain.tld/nextcloud via a multiple domains reverse SSL proxy https://ssl-proxy.tld/domain.tld/nextcloud with the IP address 10.0.0.1 you can set the following parameters inside the config/config.php.

<?php
$CONFIG = array (
  'trusted_proxies'   => ['10.0.0.1'],
  'overwritehost'     => 'ssl-proxy.tld',
  'overwriteprotocol' => 'https',
  'overwritewebroot'  => '/domain.tld/nextcloud',
  'overwritecondaddr' => '^10\.0\.0\.1$',
  'overwrite.cli.url' => 'https://domain.tld/,
);

Note

If you want to use the SSL proxy during installation you have to create the config/config.php otherwise you have to extend the existing $CONFIG array.

PreviousNext

Key Configurations for Nextcloud with SSL

1. Strong SSL Configuration (SSL Settings)

Make sure your SSL configuration follows strong security practices, including modern SSL protocols, strong ciphers, and other best practices.

Here's an example of a strong SSL configuration for NGINX:

server {
    listen 443 ssl http2;
    server_name nextcloud.example.com;

    ssl_certificate /etc/letsencrypt/live/nextcloud.example.com/fullchain.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/letsencrypt/live/nextcloud.example.com/privkey.pem;

    ssl_session_timeout 1d;
    ssl_session_cache shared:SSL:10m;
    ssl_session_tickets off;

    ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
    ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
    ssl_ciphers 'ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384';

    add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=15768000; includeSubDomains; preload; always";

    # Nextcloud specific settings
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8080;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
        proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
    }
}

2. WebDAV Configuration

Nextcloud uses WebDAV for file syncing, which requires proper configuration in the NGINX or Apache server block to avoid issues. Ensure the following lines are in your server block to support WebDAV:

location = /robots.txt {
    allow all;
    log_not_found off;
    access_log off;
}

# Make sure that WebDAV methods work properly
location = /.well-known/carddav {
    return 301 $scheme://$host/remote.php/dav;
}
location = /.well-known/caldav {
    return 301 $scheme://$host/remote.php/dav;
}

This ensures that your server redirects WebDAV requests to the proper Nextcloud endpoints.

3. Security Headers for Nextcloud

You need some additional security headers to ensure that the installation is secure. Here’s an example of headers to include:

add_header Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=15768000; includeSubDomains; preload; always";
add_header X-Content-Type-Options nosniff;
add_header X-Frame-Options "SAMEORIGIN";
add_header X-XSS-Protection "1; mode=block";
add_header X-Robots-Tag none;
add_header X-Download-Options noopen;
add_header X-Permitted-Cross-Domain-Policies none;

4. Data Directory Permissions

Ensure that the Nextcloud data directory and all its files have proper permissions set. You typically want to set permissions so that only the Nextcloud user can access the data:

bash


Copy code
chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/nextcloud/
chmod -R 750 /var/www/nextcloud/

This ensures that the Nextcloud files and directories are not publicly accessible but can be accessed by the web server.

5. Trusted Domains Configuration

You need to configure the trusted domains in Nextcloud's configuration file (config.php). This is important when using SSL so that Nextcloud recognizes your SSL domain as trusted:

php


Copy code
'trusted_domains' => 
array (
  0 => 'nextcloud.example.com',
),

You can add multiple trusted domains if necessary.

6. Cron Job Setup for Background Tasks

Ensure Nextcloud’s background jobs are configured. You can add a cron job for Nextcloud using the following command:

bash


Copy code
crontab -u www-data -e

Add this line:

bash


Copy code
*/5  *  *  *  * php -f /var/www/nextcloud/cron.php

This makes sure background tasks are executed every 5 minutes.

7. Database Optimization

Optimize your database by enabling the utf8mb4 character set. Add this to your Nextcloud configuration if it is not already done:

php


Copy code
'mysql.utf8mb4' => true,

Summary

To successfully configure Nextcloud with SSL, ensure you:

1. Set up strong SSL protocols and ciphers.
2. Configure WebDAV redirections for file syncing.
3. Add the appropriate security headers.
4. Set correct permissions on the Nextcloud data directory.
5. Add your domain to the trusted domains array in config.php.
6. Configure cron jobs for background tasks.
7. Ensure your database is optimized for performance.

Once these configurations are set, Nextcloud should be secure and ready to handle traffic over SSL.

If you need help with any specific part of the configuration, feel free to ask!

You said:

nextcloud runs off an Asustor Nas – so setrtting cvonfigs is alwasy odd –

ChatGPT said:

ChatGPT

Memory updated

Running Nextcloud on an Asustor NAS does indeed introduce some unique configuration challenges due to the limited customization options and sometimes non-standard directory structures on NAS devices. However, there are still ways to ensure proper SSL and security settings while working within the NAS environment.

Key Considerations for Nextcloud on Asustor NAS:

1. Web Server Configuration: Asustor NAS typically uses Apache or NGINX to serve web applications, but the ability to customize configurations may be restricted depending on the NAS model and setup.
2. SSL Configuration: You may need to adjust SSL settings via the NAS’s interface or configuration files. If you’re using Let’s Encrypt for SSL, some NAS devices have built-in support for certificate renewal and management, but if not, you may need to manually set up these certificates.
3. Nextcloud Data Directory Permissions: NAS devices often manage permissions in a more restricted way. Make sure the www-data or equivalent user has the correct ownership and permissions for the Nextcloud data directory.
4. Trusted Domains: This should still be configured within the Nextcloud config.php file, which you may need to access via SSH or through the file management interface on the NAS.
5. Security Headers and WebDAV: These headers or configurations may be trickier to add depending on the level of access you have to the web server configuration. If you don’t have full access to the Apache/NGINX configuration, you might need to add them via .htaccess (for Apache) or work with what’s available through the NAS’s web server settings.

How to Approach Configuration on Asustor NAS:

1. Check for a Web Management Interface:

   • Some NAS devices allow you to manage the web server and SSL through a GUI. Look for SSL settings or a reverse proxy option to configure proper HTTPS handling.

2. Access Configuration Files:

   • Use SSH to access the file system if GUI options are limited. You can typically modify the necessary configuration files for Nextcloud or the web server (like httpd.conf for Apache or nginx.conf for NGINX).

3. Let’s Encrypt via NAS:

   • Asustor NAS may have built-in support for Let’s Encrypt certificates via the App Central or Control Panel. Make sure SSL certificates are applied to the Nextcloud domain properly.

4. .htaccess for Apache:

   • If Apache is in use, you can try to add security headers and redirects via .htaccess in the Nextcloud directory. This will allow you to adjust settings without full access to httpd.conf.

5. Use Custom Port Forwarding:

   • Ensure proper port forwarding for both HTTP (80) and HTTPS (443) through your router, directing traffic to the NAS’s internal IP for Nextcloud.

If You Need Specific Help:

If you can share the exact configuration interface or file system structure of the Asustor NAS, I can help with more detailed instructions on where to find or modify these files. Each NAS can vary slightly in how it handles server management.

1. • certificates from Let’s Encrypt or another provider.

2. Configure Nextcloud for Trusted Proxies: You need to let Nextcloud know it's behind a reverse proxy and to trust the proxy. Edit the config.php file in Nextcloud's installation directory:

   php
   
   
   Copy code
   'trusted_proxies' => 
   array (
       0 => '192.168.1.100',  // IP of the reverse proxy server
   ),
   'overwritehost' => 'nextcloud.example.com',
   'overwriteprotocol' => 'https',
   'overwritewebroot' => '/',
   'overwritecondaddr' => '^192\.168\.1\.100$',
   

   • trusted_proxies: Add the IP address of the reverse proxy server (e.g., 192.168.1.100).
   • overwritehost: Set this to the domain that points to your Nextcloud instance (e.g., nextcloud.example.com).
   • overwriteprotocol: Set this to https to make sure Nextcloud knows it's being accessed securely.
   • overwritecondaddr: Specify the IP address of the reverse proxy server.

3. Port Forwarding and Firewall Rules: Ensure that port forwarding is correctly set up in your router:

   • Forward external traffic on port 443 (HTTPS) to your reverse proxy server (e.g., 192.168.1.100).
   • Make sure that the reverse proxy can communicate with the NAS (port 8080 or whatever port Nextcloud is running on internally).

4. Test the Setup: Once everything is configured:

   • Visit your Nextcloud instance via the reverse proxy URL (e.g., https://nextcloud.example.com).
   • Ensure that it loads with a valid SSL certificate and that everything works as expected.

5. Additional NGINX Configuration for WebDAV: Since Nextcloud uses WebDAV for file syncing, ensure you handle .well-known redirects properly:

   
   location = /.well-known/carddav {
       return 301 $scheme://$host/remote.php/dav;
   }
   location = /.well-known/caldav {
       return 301 $scheme://$host/remote.php/dav;
   }
   

6. Harden SSL Configuration: You can further harden your SSL configuration by enforcing strong ciphers, disabling older protocols (like TLS 1.0 and 1.1), and enabling HTTP/2:

   
   ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
   ssl_prefer_server_ciphers off;
   ssl_ciphers 'ECDHE-ECDSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384:ECDHE-RSA-AES256-GCM-SHA384';
   

Benefits of Using a Reverse Proxy:

• Simplified SSL Management: SSL certificates are handled by the reverse proxy server, meaning you don’t need to manage them on the NAS itself.
• Improved Security: The reverse proxy can handle security-related headers and enforce HTTPS.
• Centralized Access: You can route multiple services (e.g., Nextcloud, other web apps) through the same proxy.

Next Steps:

• Ensure that SSL is properly configured on the reverse proxy.
• Verify that port forwarding and firewall rules allow traffic between the reverse proxy and your NAS.
• Keep Nextcloud and your reverse proxy server updated for security.

SCREW YOU NAS!!

Absolutely! There are several ways to set up a reverse proxy without using the NAS directly, including leveraging your router, using an external Raspberry Pi, or using other devices on your network as the reverse proxy server. Here are some of the alternatives:

Option 1: Using the Router as a Reverse Proxy (Port Forwarding)

Many modern routers have advanced features, including reverse proxy-like capabilities. However, if your router doesn’t directly support reverse proxy, it likely supports port forwarding, which is a simpler way to achieve a similar outcome.

1. Port Forwarding to the NAS:

• Log into Your Router: Access your router’s web interface by typing its IP address into your browser (commonly 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).

• Find the Port Forwarding Section: This is often found under “Advanced,” “NAT,” or “Firewall” settings.

• Forward Port 80 (HTTP) or Port 443 (HTTPS) to the NAS’s internal IP address on the desired port (e.g., 192.168.1.100:8080).

• Access Using Router’s Public IP or Domain: You can then access the NAS using your router’s public IP address or set up a domain to point to it.

Limitation:

• Port forwarding is simple but doesn’t provide URL rewriting or other benefits of a reverse proxy, such as combining multiple services on different ports into one domain.

Option 2: Using a Raspberry Pi or Another Device as a Reverse Proxy

If you have a spare Raspberry Pi or another small computer, you can use it to run NGINX or Apache as a reverse proxy for your entire network.

1. Set Up Raspberry Pi with NGINX:

• Install NGINX:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install nginx

• Configure NGINX as a reverse proxy:

• Open the configuration file for NGINX:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/nas_proxy

• Add the following:

server {

listen 80;

server_name nas.local;

location / {

proxy_pass http://192.168.1.100:8080; # Replace with NAS IP and port

proxy_set_header Host $host;

proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;

}

}

• Enable and Restart NGINX:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/nas_proxy /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

sudo nginx -t

sudo systemctl restart nginx

• Set up DNS or edit your hosts file so nas.local points to the Raspberry Pi IP.

2. Advantages of Raspberry Pi as a Proxy:

• It’s lightweight, cost-effective, and doesn’t put additional load on your NAS.

• You can run multiple reverse proxies to route traffic to different services, all managed by a single device.

Option 3: Using Docker on Any Local Server/PC

If you have a server or PC running Docker, you can use a containerized reverse proxy setup.

1. Run NGINX Proxy Manager or Traefik via Docker:

• NGINX Proxy Manager: A web-based interface to manage NGINX proxy settings, making it user-friendly.

• Traefik: A dynamic reverse proxy that integrates well with Docker environments.

Example Docker Compose for NGINX Proxy Manager:

version: '3'

services:

nginx-proxy-manager:

image: jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest

restart: unless-stopped

ports:

– "80:80"

– "81:81" # For the management UI

– "443:443"

volumes:

– ./data:/data

– ./letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt

Advantages:

• Easy to deploy and configure.

• Web interface allows for managing proxy configurations without manual file edits.

Option 4: Using a Virtual Machine (VM) as a Reverse Proxy

If you have a server running VMware, VirtualBox, or another virtualization software, you can run a lightweight Linux VM and configure it as a reverse proxy.

1. Set Up the VM:

• Install a lightweight Linux distribution like Ubuntu Server or Debian.

• Install NGINX or Apache on the VM and configure it to be the reverse proxy.

2. Point DNS to the VM:

• Configure DNS so that requests to nas.local or any domain go to the IP address of this VM.

Option 5: Cloudflare Tunnel (Advanced)

If you want to make the NAS accessible externally without exposing ports directly to the internet, Cloudflare Tunnel is a good option. It uses Cloudflare’s secure tunneling service to route traffic to your NAS.

1. Set Up Cloudflare Tunnel:

• Sign up for a Cloudflare account and add your domain.

• Install the Cloudflare Tunnel client (cloudflared) on a device like a Raspberry Pi or a server.

• Run the Cloudflare Tunnel to expose your NAS service:

cloudflared tunnel –name nas –url http://192.168.1.100:8080

2. Secure and Simplify Access:

• You can set up rules in Cloudflare to restrict access or require authentication, adding a layer of security.

Summary

You have several options if you want to avoid using the NAS directly as a reverse proxy:

1. Router (Port Forwarding): Forward HTTP/HTTPS traffic directly to the NAS, but lacks the flexibility of a full proxy.

2. Raspberry Pi or Spare Device: Use a Raspberry Pi with NGINX or Apache as a dedicated reverse proxy server.

3. Docker on Local Server: Use NGINX Proxy Manager or Traefik in a Docker container.

4. Virtual Machine: Set up a VM on a server with NGINX or Apache.

5. Cloudflare Tunnel: Securely expose your NAS without opening ports directly to the internet.

The Raspberry Pi or Docker options are popular choices because they provide flexibility, are easy to set up, and don’t require relying solely on the NAS. The Cloudflare Tunnel option is more advanced but adds strong security features, especially if you plan to expose your NAS over the internet.

Since you already have a Raspberry Pi running Home Assistant and a ROC-RK3328-CC (Renegade) device available, you have a couple of great options for setting up a reverse proxy without impacting your Home Assistant setup.

Option 1: Use the ROC-RK3328-CC Device for a Reverse Proxy

The ROC-RK3328-CC device is a powerful option and can easily handle being a dedicated reverse proxy server, especially if you don’t want to interfere with your existing Home Assistant setup.

Steps to Set Up the ROC-RK3328-CC Device as a Reverse Proxy

1. Install an Operating System:

• Install a lightweight Linux distribution on the ROC-RK3328-CC, such as Armbian or Ubuntu Server for ARM devices.

• You can use software like Etcher to flash the OS onto an SD card.

2. Install NGINX or Apache:

• Once you have the OS set up, you can SSH into the device and install NGINX or Apache.

For NGINX:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install nginx

For Apache:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install apache2

3. Configure Reverse Proxy:

• Configure NGINX or Apache to act as a reverse proxy. For example, with NGINX:

• Create a new virtual host file for the reverse proxy:

sudo nano /etc/nginx/sites-available/nas_proxy

• Add the following configuration:

server {

listen 80;

server_name nas.local;

location / {

proxy_pass http://192.168.1.100:8080; # Replace with your NAS IP and port

proxy_set_header Host $host;

proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;

proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;

}

}

• Enable the Configuration:

sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/nas_proxy /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/

sudo nginx -t

sudo systemctl restart nginx

4. Point DNS or Hosts File:

• Set up a DNS entry or modify the hosts file on your local machine to point nas.local to the IP of the ROC-RK3328-CC device.

Option 2: Add a Reverse Proxy to Your Raspberry Pi (Running Home Assistant)

You could technically run the reverse proxy on the Raspberry Pi that’s already running Home Assistant, but there are some things to consider:

1. Home Assistant Add-ons:

• Home Assistant has an NGINX Proxy Manager add-on, which provides a simple web interface for managing proxy configurations.

• This is a good option if you want everything to be centrally managed, but it may put an extra load on the Raspberry Pi, depending on the number of services you want to manage.

2. Manual NGINX Installation:

• Alternatively, you can manually install NGINX on your Raspberry Pi and configure it as a reverse proxy. However, this could potentially interfere with the Home Assistant setup, especially if port conflicts arise (e.g., if Home Assistant is using ports 80 or 443).

Recommended Approach: Use the ROC-RK3328-CC Device

Since you have the ROC-RK3328-CC available, it’s a great idea to use that as a dedicated reverse proxy. This way:

• No Load on Home Assistant: The Raspberry Pi running Home Assistant won’t have any additional load, ensuring it stays stable.

• Flexibility: You can easily configure and change the reverse proxy settings without worrying about impacting your Home Assistant environment.

• Dedicated Resource: The ROC-RK3328-CC is powerful enough to handle the proxy tasks while keeping your network organized and efficient.

Summary

• Set up the ROC-RK3328-CC as a dedicated reverse proxy server.

• Install a lightweight Linux distribution, then install and configure NGINX or Apache.

• This setup keeps your Home Assistant instance isolated, stable, and free from additional loads.

Using the ROC-RK3328-CC for this purpose gives you a flexible solution without impacting your existing smart home environment on the Raspberry Pi.

Working with NAS APACHE

Setting up a DNS server for a local NAS (Network Attached Storage) can be a useful way to ensure that your network devices can access the NAS by a user-friendly hostname instead of its IP address. Below are steps to set up a DNS server for a local NAS:

Option 1: Using Your Router as a DNS Server

Most home routers support local DNS resolution, and you can configure them to assign a hostname to your NAS.

1. Access Router Settings:

• Log in to your router’s web interface (usually accessible via an address like 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).

2. DHCP Reservation:

• Assign a static IP to your NAS by using DHCP reservation to ensure it always receives the same IP address from the router.

• Look for the DHCP or LAN settings to assign a fixed IP to your NAS based on its MAC address.

3. DNS Entry:

• Go to DNS or LAN Hostnames settings (the name may vary by router manufacturer).

• Add a hostname (e.g., nas.local) and associate it with your NAS’s IP address.

4. Save Settings:

• Save changes and reboot the router if needed.

5. Access NAS by Hostname:

• You can now access your NAS using the hostname (e.g., http://nas.local).

Option 2: Setting Up a Local DNS Server on Your Network

If you need more control over DNS or want a more sophisticated setup, you can set up your own DNS server on a device in your network.

Using Pi-hole or Dnsmasq

Pi-hole and Dnsmasq are two popular lightweight DNS solutions for a local network.

1. Install Pi-hole or Dnsmasq:

• Pi-hole is primarily an ad blocker but also functions as a DNS server. It can be installed on a Raspberry Pi, NAS, or a VM.

• Dnsmasq is a DNS forwarder and DHCP server that is lightweight and easy to configure, available on Linux systems.

2. Configuration:

• After installing, configure Pi-hole or Dnsmasq to handle DNS queries for your local network.

• For Pi-hole, use the admin interface to add Local DNS Records to map the hostname to the NAS IP address.

• For Dnsmasq, add an entry to /etc/dnsmasq.conf:

address=/nas.local/192.168.1.100

• Replace nas.local with your preferred hostname and 192.168.1.100 with the IP address of your NAS.

3. Point Network Devices to the DNS Server:

• Set the IP address of your Pi-hole or Dnsmasq server as the DNS server for your router.

• Alternatively, you can set individual devices to use this DNS server.

Using Windows Server or a Linux Machine

If you have a dedicated server:

1. Linux (Bind9):

• Install Bind9 on a Linux server:

sudo apt install bind9

• Edit the zone file to add an entry for your NAS:

; Zone file for local network

$TTL 86400

@ IN SOA ns.local. admin.local. (

2023100501 ; Serial

3600 ; Refresh

1800 ; Retry

1209600 ; Expire

86400 ) ; Minimum TTL

@ IN NS ns.local.

nas IN A 192.168.1.100

• Update /etc/named.conf to include this zone file.

2. Windows Server (DNS Role):

• Install the DNS role using the Server Manager.

• Create a new Forward Lookup Zone for your local domain.

• Add an A record pointing to your NAS’s IP address (e.g., nas.local pointing to 192.168.1.100).

Option 3: Edit Hosts Files Locally

If you only need a few devices to resolve the NAS hostname and don’t need network-wide changes:

1. Windows or Linux Devices:

• On each device, edit the hosts file to add an entry for your NAS.

• Windows: Open C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts in a text editor with admin privileges.

• Linux/macOS: Edit /etc/hosts as root.

• Add an entry:

192.168.1.100 nas.local

• Save the file. Now you can access the NAS using http://nas.local.

Summary:

• Router Configuration: Quick and easy for small networks; set up DHCP reservation and DNS entry for the NAS.

• Local DNS Server: Set up Pi-hole, Dnsmasq, or a dedicated DNS server if you need network-wide hostname resolution.

• Hosts File Edit: For individual devices; manually map hostname to IP.

The right option depends on your network’s complexity and your desired level of control. For most home users, configuring the router’s DNS settings is the simplest approach.

No Port Numbers IN DNS

No, you cannot specify a port number in the hosts file. The hosts file is used solely for mapping hostnames to IP addresses, and it doesn’t support specifying ports.

For example, an entry like:

192.168.1.100 nas.local:8080

will not work, because the hosts file only handles IP addresses and hostnames, not protocols, URLs, or port numbers.

Workarounds to Access Specific Ports

If you want to access a specific port on a hostname more easily, here are a few alternatives:

1. Use Browser Bookmarks

• Simply create a bookmark in your browser that points to the desired address and port, such as http://nas.local:8080.

• This way, you can easily access the NAS without manually typing the port number each time.

2. Local Reverse Proxy with NGINX or Apache

• You can set up a local reverse proxy that forwards traffic to the desired hostname and port.

• For example, you could run NGINX or Apache on a local machine to listen on port 80 and then proxy requests to nas.local:8080.

NGINX Example:

server {

listen 80;

server_name nas.local;

location / {

proxy_pass http://192.168.1.100:8080;

}

}

This way, accessing http://nas.local will automatically forward to the desired port.

3. Custom DNS and SRV Records

• SRV (Service) records are part of DNS that can specify ports, but they are not typically supported by web browsers directly. This approach is useful for specialized services that understand SRV records, but not for accessing via standard browsers.

4. SSH Port Forwarding

• You can use SSH port forwarding to create a local port that forwards to the NAS’s IP and desired port.

Example:

ssh -L 8080:192.168.1.100:8080 user@nas.local

This command will map localhost:8080 to 192.168.1.100:8080, allowing you to access the service at http://localhost:8080.

5. Edit Application Configuration

• If you control the application that needs to access the NAS, you can directly specify the hostname and port in the application’s configuration, avoiding the need to rely on the hosts file.

Summary

• The hosts file only maps hostnames to IP addresses and does not support port numbers.

• To make accessing a port easier, consider browser bookmarks, a local reverse proxy, SSH port forwarding, or configure the application directly. A reverse proxy is often the most user-friendly way to handle port redirection without modifying the hosts file.

Web Proxy Defined

No problem! Let me explain what a web proxy is, and how to set one up using NGINX as an example.

Using Apache?

If you’re already using Apache on your Asustor NAS, you can configure it to act as a reverse proxy for other services running on different ports. Here’s how you can set up Apache as a reverse proxy to forward requests from a user-friendly URL like http://nas.local to a backend service on your NAS, for example, one running on port 8080.

Step 1: Enable Apache Proxy Modules

To use Apache as a reverse proxy, you need to enable certain modules. On an Asustor NAS, Apache is typically managed through a configuration UI or via terminal if SSH access is available.

1. Enable Required Modules:

• You need to enable the following proxy modules:

• mod_proxy

• mod_proxy_http

To do this via SSH, run the following commands (assuming you have root or sudo access):

sudo a2enmod proxy

sudo a2enmod proxy_http

After enabling the modules, restart Apache to apply the changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 2: Configure Apache for Reverse Proxy

Next, you need to configure Apache to forward requests to the correct backend service.

1. Locate or Create a Virtual Host Configuration File:

• Apache’s virtual host files are typically located in /etc/apache2/sites-available/.

• Create a new configuration file for the reverse proxy, for example:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/nas_proxy.conf

2. Add Reverse Proxy Configuration:

• Use the following configuration for your virtual host:

<VirtualHost *:80>

ServerName nas.local

# Proxy settings

ProxyRequests Off

ProxyPass / http://127.0.0.1:8080/

ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1:8080/

# Optional settings to pass headers

<Proxy *>

Order deny,allow

Allow from all

• Explanation:

• <VirtualHost *:80>: Configures Apache to listen on port 80 (HTTP).

• ServerName nas.local: The hostname users will use to access the service.

• ProxyPass and ProxyPassReverse: Forward requests from nas.local to the service running on port 8080.

• <Proxy *> block: Defines permissions for the proxy (set to allow all by default, but you can restrict it).

3. Enable the Virtual Host:

• Enable the new virtual host configuration:

sudo a2ensite nas_proxy.conf

• Then, reload or restart Apache:

sudo systemctl reload apache2

Step 3: DNS or Hosts File Configuration

To access your NAS using nas.local, you’ll need to set up local DNS or edit the hosts file on your computer to resolve nas.local to the IP address of your NAS:

• Edit Hosts File:

• On your computer, edit the hosts file:

• Windows: Edit C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts.

• Linux/macOS: Edit /etc/hosts.

• Add an entry:

192.168.1.100 nas.local

• Replace 192.168.1.100 with your NAS’s local IP address.

Step 4: Access Your NAS via the Proxy

Now, when you open a browser and type http://nas.local, Apache will act as a reverse proxy and forward the requests to the service running on port 8080 of your NAS.

Summary

1. Enable Apache Modules (mod_proxy and mod_proxy_http).

2. Create a Virtual Host configuration that uses ProxyPass to forward requests to the backend service.

3. Enable the Virtual Host and restart Apache.

4. Configure DNS or the hosts file to make nas.local resolve to your NAS’s IP.

This way, you can use a simple hostname without the need to specify port numbers, making accessing services on your NAS more user-friendly.

STUPID NAS

this is the issue with this NAS - it has it's onn OS - and does nto seem to ahve anyting - sudo: a2enmod: command not found

It sounds like the Asustor NAS has a limited version of Apache and may not include typical Linux commands like a2enmod, which is used to enable Apache modules on full Linux systems. But you can still manually modify the Apache configuration files to set up a reverse proxy. Here’s how you can adapt the setup given these constraints:

Step 1: Identify Apache Configuration Directory

• On the Asustor NAS, Apache’s configuration files may be located in a non-standard location.

• To find the configuration directory, try logging in via SSH and run the following command to locate Apache configuration files:

find / -name "httpd.conf"

This will give you an idea of where the configuration files are located (commonly /volume1/.@plugins/AppCentral/apache or another directory under /etc/ or /volume1/).

Step 2: Modify the Apache Configuration Manually

Once you have located the appropriate Apache configuration files, you can proceed by manually editing them to add reverse proxy functionality.

1. Edit httpd.conf or Create a Virtual Host Configuration:

• Open the main configuration file (httpd.conf) or a virtual host configuration file (typically in a subdirectory like sites-available or similar).

• If there’s no virtual host config file, you can add the virtual host settings directly into httpd.conf.

You can add a new configuration block to set up a reverse proxy:

<VirtualHost *:80>

ServerName nas.local

# Proxy settings

ProxyRequests Off

ProxyPass / http://127.0.0.1:8080/

ProxyPassReverse / http://127.0.0.1:8080/

# Allowing Proxy requests

<Proxy *>

Order allow,deny

Allow from all

Replace 127.0.0.1:8080 with the actual local IP and port of your NAS service.

2. Enable Proxy Modules in httpd.conf:

• Unlike a standard Linux setup, you need to make sure Apache is loading the required modules manually.

• In the httpd.conf file, add (or make sure the following lines are not commented out):

LoadModule proxy_module modules/mod_proxy.so

LoadModule proxy_http_module modules/mod_proxy_http.so

• These lines ensure that the proxy modules are loaded, allowing Apache to act as a reverse proxy.

Step 3: Restart Apache on the NAS

• The way to restart Apache on your Asustor NAS may depend on the tools or interface available. Typically, you can do it through the NAS’s web interface or via command line.

• Via Web Interface:

• Many NAS systems have a built-in web management interface where you can restart services.

• Look under App Central or Services to find an option to restart Apache.

• Via Command Line:

• If you have SSH access, you may need to use a custom command depending on the Asustor environment. For example:

apachectl restart

• Or:

/usr/sbin/httpd -k restart

• You might need to adjust the path depending on where Apache is installed.

Step 4: Add DNS Entry to Access by Hostname

• Since the Asustor NAS has its own ecosystem, you might need to add an entry in your hosts file on your local machine to access the NAS using nas.local.

• Edit Hosts File:

• Windows: Edit C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts as an administrator.

• Linux/macOS: Edit /etc/hosts with root permissions.

• Add the following line to map the NAS’s IP address to nas.local:

192.168.1.100 nas.local

Replace 192.168.1.100 with your NAS’s local IP address.

Testing the Setup

• Now, when you type http://nas.local in your browser, Apache on your Asustor NAS should act as a reverse proxy and forward your requests to 127.0.0.1:8080 (or whichever IP and port you’ve configured).

Troubleshooting Tips

1. Access Issues:

• If the setup doesn’t work, double-check if the proxy modules (mod_proxy and mod_proxy_http) are correctly loaded in the Apache configuration.

2. Error Logs:

• The error logs for Apache should provide useful information. Look for them in the usual log directories, like /var/log/apache2/ or /usr/local/apache/logs/.

3. Permission Issues:

• Make sure that you have the correct permissions to edit the configuration files and that Apache has access to restart commands.

Summary

• Since Asustor NAS runs a specialized OS, some standard Linux commands like a2enmod might not be available.

• You can manually enable the proxy modules by editing the Apache configuration files directly.

• Configure a virtual host or modify the main httpd.conf file to add reverse proxy settings.

• Restart Apache through the web interface or command line, and add a DNS entry in your local hosts file to easily access your NAS using a friendly name.

This should allow you to set up Apache as a reverse proxy, making it easier to access services on your NAS without needing to specify the port number.