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Cloudflare Tunnel Setup Guide for Localhost Applications

Prerequisites

Install cloudflare tunnel for your local machine.

Step 1: Create a Cloudflare Tunnel

  1. Open a terminal and run: 

    cloudflared tunnel create <tunnel-name>
    Replace <tunnel-name> with a name for your tunnel.

  2. Note the Tunnel ID from the output. You'll need this later.

Step 2: Create the Configuration File

  1. Create a new YAML file: 

    nano ~/.cloudflared/config-<app-name>.yml
    Replace <app-name> with your application name (e.g., plex, nextcloud).

  2. Add the following content to the file: 

    tunnel: <tunnel-id>
credentials-file: /home/<your-username>/.cloudflared/<tunnel-id>.json
ingress:
  - hostname: <app-subdomain>.<your-domain>.com
    service: http://localhost:<port>
  - service: http_status:404
    Replace the placeholders:

  3. <tunnel-id>: The Tunnel ID from step 1
  4. <your-username>: Your system username
  5. <app-subdomain>: The subdomain for your app (e.g., plex, nextcloud)
  6. <your-domain>: Your actual domain name

  7. <port>: The local port your application uses (e.g., 32400 for Plex)

  8. Save and exit the editor (Ctrl+X, then Y, then Enter in nano).

Step 3: Configure DNS

  1. Log in to your Cloudflare dashboard.
  2. Go to the DNS settings for your domain.
  3. Add a CNAME record:
  4. Type: CNAME
  5. Name: <app-subdomain> (e.g., plex, nextcloud)
  6. Target: <tunnel-id>.cfargotunnel.com
  7. Proxy status: Proxied (orange cloud icon)

Step 4: Start the Tunnel

  1. Run the tunnel: 
    cloudflared tunnel --config ~/.cloudflared/config-<app-name>.yml run

Step 5: Configure Your Application (if necessary)

For some applications, you may need to update their settings:

  1. Open your application's settings.
  2. Look for options like "Custom URLs", "Remote Access", or "Trusted Proxies".
  3. Add your Cloudflare Tunnel URL: https://<app-subdomain>.<your-domain>.com

Step 6: Access Your Application

  1. Open a web browser.
  2. Go to https://<app-subdomain>.<your-domain>.com

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues: 1. Ensure your application is running and accessible at http://localhost:<port> 2. Check the cloudflared logs for any error messages 3. Verify your Cloudflare DNS settings 4. Check your application's logs for any connection or proxy-related issues

Remember to replace all placeholders with your actual values when following these steps.