What is the best way to make unraid acessable from outside my home network?

[questionbot]

I started using Unraid a few years ago simply for Plex. (Yes I know Jellyfin is aparently awesome, but I have plex working for a long time, and can not be bothered changing it!).... but as the time has gone by I am interested in some other application for unraid... mainly media hosting still... but there is an issue.

 

For example.. I want to use AudioBookShelf (kind of like plex for audiobooks and podcasts)... but unlike plex it dose not automate the discovery of your server... when you install the app on your phone you need to enter a url / ip to your home server to connect and start streaming.

 

How would I go about that with unraid?

 

: Tl;DR :

I'm want to access my server from outside of my house for streaming apps like AudioBookShelf, AirSonic or CalibreWEB... but they all need someway for the roaming apps to connect to the sevrer.. so like a working url or something... How do you go about that in unraid?

 

Thanks!

Edited March 28, 2023 by questionbot

[JonathanM]

VPN allows access just like you were on your LAN, and is the most secure method when configured correctly. Unraid includes wireguard by default, but my personal preference is a VPN server on my router, that way I have access even when Unraid isn't available. I can VPN in and manage my server with IPMI just like I was sitting in front of the screen, do updates, reboot, troubleshoot, whatever is needed.

 

For apps with a webgui, nginx reverse proxy with letsencrypt certificate (swag or npm in the appstore) is another way, it doesn't require special configuration on the client like VPN does.

 

If you have a static IP for your home internet (not common) you probably would want to buy a custom domain for the price of a few beers for the entire year, or if you have a dynamic IP you need a service to update a domain name whenever your IP changes, many options there as well.

 

All this assumes you have a public IP that accepts incoming connections. If you don't, because your ISP blocks popular ports or uses CGNAT, things get way more complicated.

 

There is no one simple answer. Hopefully my response gives you some search terms to start your education journey.

[questionbot]

19 minutes ago, JonathanM said:

VPN allows access just like you were on your LAN, and is the most secure method when configured correctly. Unraid includes wireguard by default, but my personal preference is a VPN server on my router, that way I have access even when Unraid isn't available. I can VPN in and manage my server with IPMI just like I was sitting in front of the screen, do updates, reboot, troubleshoot, whatever is needed.

 

For apps with a webgui, nginx reverse proxy with letsencrypt certificate (swag or npm in the appstore) is another way, it doesn't require special configuration on the client like VPN does.

 

If you have a static IP for your home internet (not common) you probably would want to buy a custom domain for the price of a few beers for the entire year, or if you have a dynamic IP you need a service to update a domain name whenever your IP changes, many options there as well.

 

All this assumes you have a public IP that accepts incoming connections. If you don't, because your ISP blocks popular ports or uses CGNAT, things get way more complicated.

 

There is no one simple answer. Hopefully my response gives you some search terms to start your education journey.

 

Ok... so I would need an external service to make a DNS entry to a non-static IP?

 

These things you are talking about (and remember I am a plug and play user and od not actually understand sys-admin stuff... blame unraid devs for making it so easy) .. but the things you are talking about, these vpn tunnels.. are they not for accessing my local network from outside? I'm just trying to get access to the external interface for these streaming apps.. so say in AudioBookShelf I type into the server section "myserveriscool.wow.me" or something and it will connect. I do want to setup NextCloud at some stage... but for now.. all I want is to be able to access the streaming apps I have installed.

 

I use a service called "ExpressVPN" and I route all my internet traffic through there at the moment, apart form Plex.

[EDACerton]

I'm a big fan of using Tailscale for remote access. It's basically a wrapper for Wireguard that makes it easy to connect devices without worrying about details like domains / IP addresses / etc.

 

I installed Tailscale on my Unraid server, on my laptop, on my phone... and it doesn't matter where I am, as long as I have internet access I can connect back to my server. No port forwarding, dynamic DNS, or anything else required... it's all handled by Tailscale.

[xyzeratul]

If your NAS is all for yourself, I would go with some sort of VNP like wireguard, it put your phone or laptop on the same virtual LAN.

 

If your NAS run serivces for many people, and they are not tech savvy, your best bet is running a DDNS, nginx reverse proxy your services to internet, using letsencrypt certificate to sercure your https connecting.

 

 

[thompw]

im trying to do the same thing i have messed with a domain and npm and tails scail  however all answers say install tailscail on device so how do i set this up on my mothers tv so she just clicks on jellyfin icon and it connects through tailscail to my server i like the fact that i dont need to open any ports

this seems to be what people want so why dont unraid and something that will work like plex for all its unraid dummys to use