Is It Possible To Make Cumulus MX Public?

[Grimers]

Hi there,

Is it possible to make the Cumulus MX local interface public? I just tried to portforward the port 8998 on my local IP address through my BT Home Hub 5 and I could not seem to access it through my public IP. Is this because it is only a local server?

Many thanks.

[steve]

It is possible, yes. This is covered in several other threads. Note that port 8002 is also required. Note that making it public means that anyone who knows about it or finds it can access your settings, including passwords, and change them. Note also that I make no guarantees about the security of the interface, so making it public may have even worse consequences than just giving access to your settings. The user interface is not intended as a web site, it just looks like one.

[Grimers]

Thanks, Steve. I understand this. I would never give out a public IP address to anyone, I was just thinking it would be a good idea for remote working.

[steve]

The trouble is that it's hard to keep your IP address secret. I know what your current IP address is, for example, as does every other site that you visit. And there are hackers out there constantly scanning for open ports. The interface really needs an option of password protection (and probably also https encryption), but that's tricky with the way it currently works (the built-in web server is very basic). Something for the future, perhaps.

[Grimers]

Yes, I can't seem to make it public which is probably a good thing. However, I'd just like to ask why when I go to http://localhost:8998 on my other PC, why I cannot access the UI? Any ideas?

I forgot to say, you've done a cracking job on Cumulus MX. It was well worth the wait.

[BigOkie]

Yes, I can't seem to make it public which is probably a good thing. However, I'd just like to ask why when I go to http://localhost:8998 on my other PC, why I cannot access the UI? Any ideas?

I forgot to say, you've done a cracking job on Cumulus MX. It was well worth the wait.

If you're port forwarding from a router, try and do what I do (if your router software allows it) and restrict access by IP. Works well enough for me for now.

[Grimers]

I don't think BT's routers will allow that, I haven't seen it anywhere. Just curious as to why localhost won't work though. That is strange.

[steve]

I'd just like to ask why when I go to http://localhost:8998 on my other PC, why I cannot access the UI? Any ideas?

If you mean you're doing that on a PC other than the one that MX is running on, then you'll need to put in the address of the MX PC rather than 'localhost', which means 'this machine'.

[Grimers]

Ah, I tried my PC IP but still no luck, however if I access it via the MX PC either via it's IP or localhost it works.

[steve]

Probably a firewall issue, the PC running MX may not be allowing external connections to MX. You should be able to add firewall rules to allow connections (ports 8998 and 8002 are required).

[Grimers]

Why didn't somebody who got an A in ICT and is doing an IT apprenticeship think of this? Thank you again.

All fixed.

[gluepack]

grimers said…

I was just thinking it would be a good idea for remote working

If it is remote access to your system(s) while you are away from home that you require, I have TeamViewer on all my systems so I can access them when I am away from home, on either my Android tablet or Windows laptop. It doesn't cost me a thing (well, apart from associated service access charges) and it's just like being there (well, apart from, in the case of the tablet, the differences between touch and mouse usage).