Is it possible for me to access my media server box (unRaid 5.0 rc3) from outside my home network?

 

Say from a work network, log in, access the web GUI and unMenu do maintenance tasks etc.

I use PfSense as a router and PPTP into it, my box then shows up as a local ip on my network for my machine and then I can do anything I want..

 

Does your router support PPTP (its built into winodws etc)?

 

Myk

 

That functionality is not part of unRaid. You would need to forward ports through your router (VERY DANGEROUS) or set up a VPN on your router (may need a different router) or set up access to your network some other way.

 

The easiest method is to set up remote access to another machine inside your network using logmein (free accounts available) or gotomypc, or some other remote access software, then do your management tasks from the remotely controlled machine.

 

There are other ways to accomplish what you want to do, but a free logmein account on another running pc inside your network is the easiest and cheapest to set up, and it's pretty secure.

Thank you for the responses.

 

My router is  - ASUS RT-N56U.

 

it supports PPTP, so you can setup that, and a PPTP connection from your remote machine, and it will show up as a ip that you define in your router.  Again, this is how I do remote maint to my entire home lan.

 

using this method does not open your unraid to the internet, only the PPTP login can have access.

 

Myk

 

The Router support PPTP Passthrought but has no internal PPTP server. At least as far as i have seen it.

That would mean that you would need a PC running in your network to establish a PPTP-VPN connection.

I solved it by having an OpenVPN Server running on a Seagat Dockstar in my network, which does some other tasks besides that.

 

From my point of view you have three ways to get to your unRaid server from outside:

1. Simply do a portforward to your unRaid Server. But dont do that because it is really unsecure. unRaid was build to work in a closed environment. No telnet Auth, or Auth at the WebIf

 

The better way is the second one

2. Use a VPN! Because you have a really powerful router, you wouldn't even need another PC or Server running on your network, but you would have the ability to run the VPN Server on your router. It is only a matter of the used Firmware. A custom firmware which includes a PPTP server and the ability to use Optware (for example for OpenVPN) can be downloaded here https://code.google.com/p/rt-n56u/

 

After that you would have to ask your self what kind of VPN you would like to use. Here i have three in mind PPTP, OpenVPN or an VPN via SSH forwarding.

 

Every kind has it's pros and cons.

PPTP:

pro: integrated into Router WebIF, no additional connection client needed

cons: If the password is short (although complex) PPTP is weak in security, needs special ports which are maybe blocked at work

 

OpenVPN:

pro: strong security, works also on port 443 so minor blocking risk

cons: must be configured from terminal, additional client software needed

 

SSH:

pro: strong security

cons: must be configured from terminal, additional client software needed, port maybe blocked

 

This is just a hind after what you could been looking for, of course these technics are also great to hide your surfing from your employer.

 

By the way, of course you could also youse IPSec for the VPN, but setting this up is a really pain.

 

 

The better way is the second one

2. Use a VPN! Because you have a really powerful router, you wouldn't even need another PC or Server running on your network, but you would have the ability to run the VPN Server on your router. It is only a matter of the used Firmware. A custom firmware which includes a PPTP server and the ability to use Optware (for example for OpenVPN) can be downloaded here https://code.google.com/p/rt-n56u/

 

 

Agree the custom firmware is the way to go on your router.  See attached config screen with fw 1.1.1.8f-b6

Thank You all for all the suggestions. From what all of you said I am guessing OpenVPN is the best alternative.

 

Few questions :

 

@darkside - thank you for the detailed explanation, from the cons for OpenVPN I had a question on the configuration/client software:

 

OpenVPN:

pro: strong security, works also on port 443 so minor blocking risk

cons: must be configured from terminal, additional client software needed

 

So, once I have upgraded the firmware no the router and configured VPN access, what kind of configuration/software would I need at the system from which I plan to access the server (office computer)? I do not have admin rights to the work system that I plan to use. Would I able to log into the server and do maintenance tasks from any system connected to the internet?

 

This 3rd party firmware is reliable right, I've used DD-WRT and Tomato on my old Netgear routers in the past, first time coming across this. Hence the question, please don't mind, this won't brick the router, right? Have any of you used this?

So, once I have upgraded the firmware no the router and configured VPN access, what kind of configuration/software would I need at the system from which I plan to access the server (office computer)? I do not have admin rights to the work system that I plan to use.

That may be a show stopper. See here http://openvpn.net/index.php/open-source/faq/79-client/275-why-cant-i-run-openvpn-on-windows-from-a-non-admin-user-account.html

That could be a really showstopper for PPTP and OpenVPN.

 

OpenVPN needs Admin rights, no doubt about that.

Also i doubt that you are able to change the PPTP Settings or establish a PPTP connection on a Windows PC without Admin rights, althought i didnt tried it till now.

 

In my opinion a SSH Tunnel via a program like that http://www.9bis.net/kitty/ should work.

I mean this would let you tunnel at least your traffic to your unRaid Gui. THe only thing you would need for that is a SSH daemon with enabled forwarding option in your Homenetwork, e.g. on your Router. Think dropbear can do the job.

 

Simply search Google for: dropbear ssh tunnel

 

That is not as flexible as normal VPN's but should work without Admin rights (hopefully).