<ocdtrekkie>
I kinda want to try a Pi-hole again, but hate all my current options for doing so.
<ocdtrekkie>
I won't do the Raspberry Pi
<ocdtrekkie>
thing again, it was tragic to maintain. My Windows Server could technically run Docker, but doing a Linux container on it is apparently non-trivial, and I don't want to mess up my domain controller that badly. I similarly dunno if I'd want to run anything on my Sandstorm box except Sandstorm.
<ocdtrekkie>
I am slightly bummed I don't just have something running ESXi in my house which is my happy place, but none of my NUC-format budget hardware really feels conducive to using as full VM hosts.
<anant>
Hi! I just installed Sandstorm for the first time and I have a question... Anyone willing to help ?
<ocdtrekkie>
Hi! What's your question?
<anant>
Hi, thanks! well, I'm quite new to self hosting, but here is what I did: installed Ubuntu 22.04 server on a dedicated computer. Did nothing yet but update and upgrade. And install Sandstorm. Installation went fine until the set up link, I pasted it in my browser but page won't load. I checked that Sandstorm is listening on ports 25, 443 and 80, and
<anant>
ufw status is inactive. Is there something obvious that I need to do here?
<ocdtrekkie>
So there's a couple things that can happen. First, is it safe to assume you chose to use a Sandcats subdomain?
<anant>
yes
<ocdtrekkie>
Okay, and then it sounds like you have this in your house/office?
<anant>
correct
<ocdtrekkie>
Did you set up port forwarding on your router and/or modem?
<anant>
The server is on a laptop connected through ethernet. I am connecting to it through ssh from my main computer.
<anant>
I don't know about port forwarding on router/modem.
<anant>
(my main computer is on wifi on the same router, if that matters)
<ocdtrekkie>
Then that's probably your issue. Even if you are accessing it locally, since the domain name is out through the Internet, you need to forward it through your modem and/or router.
<ocdtrekkie>
You likely only need to worry about forwarding port 443, as you won't really want to use 80, and port 25 is generally blocked by most ISPs to begin with.
<anant>
Ok, I am looking at my router right now, it's a box from my ISP, I don't see port forwarding, but I see reverse DNS
<isd>
If you can't figure it out from the UI, I would do a web search for the model to try to find instructions; I've never encountered a router that didn't support this, but each one's a bit different.
<ocdtrekkie>
Port forwarding might also be listed as virtual servers on some routers.
<anant>
Ok, thanks. I need to explore this.
<ocdtrekkie>
The biggest thing to determine is if you have to port forward once or twice. If you have both a modem and a router, you likely have a double NAT, but if you connect computers to your ISP's modem without a router in between, you only need to port forward once.
<ocdtrekkie>
Yeah it's not really a Sandstorm issue at that point, but I'm happy to try to point you in the right direction if you get stuck.
<ocdtrekkie>
So poke around your hardware, see what you can figure out, and feel free to ask. I'll also get your dev list email approved.
<isd>
Jacob Weisz: one step ahead of you there.
<ocdtrekkie>
darn. lol
<ocdtrekkie>
I have to go to a desktop to access my Google account, which is why I'm slow.
<anant>
Thank you! That was very helpful. I'm exploring the options on my router and will get back if I get stuck.
<isd>
best of luck!
<anant>
So, I found the port forwarding option (indeed, it is an ISP modem without a separate router), but I'm confused how to set it up
<anant>
There is a destination IP, I'm assuming that's the one of my server? Source IP has the option fo "all". Then protocol is either TCP or UDP
<anant>
Also for starting port, it says it has to be above 49152
<isd>
Yeah, the destination would be the sandstorm box. portocol should be TCP, and I assume "all" means "whatever your ISP has assigned to the router."
<isd>
For the port, if you're unable to set it up for 80/443, you could configure your sandstorm box to use a higher port, and then forward that.
<anant>
Well, port has starting and end for forwarding, and then the port on my server. Would they all be the same?
<anant>
Cause I can enter 443 on the last, but not on the first two
<anant>
If that makes sense (I'm translating from the French terms on the router console)
<isd>
Some residential ISPs don't allow customers to use the standard ports, so e.g. Jacob Weisz has been running his on 6080
<isd>
But yeah, they'll need to match
<anant>
Hm, would you be able to explain how to configure sandstorm to a hight port?
<anant>
Since I am stopped at the "set up URL" step of the install.
<ocdtrekkie>
Ugh, I thought I was in a minority of folks who couldn't use the standard ports.
<ocdtrekkie>
Even my new ISP removed that restriction from me.
<isd>
Edit /opt/sandstorm/sandstorm.conf on the server. Set `PORT=<desired port>`, and then add `:<desired port>` to the end of BASE_URL and WILDCARD_HOST
<ocdtrekkie>
I would amend that and say to do that with HTTPS_PORT instead of PORT
<isd>
Right.
<anant>
Ok, done.
<anant>
And I set up port forwarding for that port on the router.
<anant>
Should I restart the router or something?
<ccx>
One more thing I'd check nowadays is if the modem has a public address at all and is not behind CGN.
<ccx>
That should be somewhere under the "WAN" tab usually.
<isd>
You'll need to restart sandstorm for the config changes to take effect.
<ocdtrekkie>
Usually you shouldn't need to reboot the router.
<ccx>
Yeah, but there often is a dedicated "save configuration" button you may want to press so it's not lost next reboot.
<anant>
Yay, it worked !!
<anant>
Had to get a new admin token since a bit of time has passed
<anant>
I don't see a WAN tab
<ccx>
If it works you don't need to. :-)
<ocdtrekkie>
If it works you're fine
<anant>
Great guys, thank you so much. Going through the next steps of sandstorm set up now.
<isd>
np
<ocdtrekkie>
Always happy to help new Sandstorm setups.