MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Trouble configuring SSL for Calibre server on Windows

hollowpoint · 05-31-2021, 05:39 AM

I'm running Calibre 5.19 content server on Win10 x64. Goal is to configure it for internet access with devices.

Here's what is working:
1. Configured port forwarding on home network.
2. Created a friendly host name using no-ip.com.
3. Configured a clear text user name and password, log in, and access books. Tested this to confirm it works, but then disabled, as I don't want to leave a port open to my home PC with unencrypted credentials going over the wire.

Issue is I haven't been able to create a free SSL cert to use with a non-registered IP address, and configure it in the SSL fields on the Calibre web server Advanced tab. Tried a few different approaches using ZeroSSL with my no-ip friendly domain name, but nothing worked. I'm following the directions here in the Calibre docs, but having issues with the SSL details.

Questions:
1. Can you create a free SSL cert to use with just an IP address (it's not actually a registered domain name--I just want to access my books, not create a website)?

2. What's the simplest tool and process to use to generate the certificate and key file to use on Windows? I see a lot of different sites, and various tools, but not clear what to use or where to start.

3. Once the cert file and key file are created, how do I specific the path to those in the 2 settings in the Calibre Advanced tab? Do I just browse to those files where they're setting on my system to create the path in Calibre settings, or do I need to figure out the virtual path to the Calibre web server content on my system, and copy these files to THAT path?

05-31-2021, 05:39 AM	#1
hollowpoint Groupie Posts: 155 Karma: 6672188 Join Date: Apr 2019 Device: Ipad Mini, Kindle PW5, Libra 2	Trouble configuring SSL for Calibre server on Windows I'm running Calibre 5.19 content server on Win10 x64. Goal is to configure it for internet access with devices. Here's what is working: 1. Configured port forwarding on home network. 2. Created a friendly host name using no-ip.com. 3. Configured a clear text user name and password, log in, and access books. Tested this to confirm it works, but then disabled, as I don't want to leave a port open to my home PC with unencrypted credentials going over the wire. Issue is I haven't been able to create a free SSL cert to use with a non-registered IP address, and configure it in the SSL fields on the Calibre web server Advanced tab. Tried a few different approaches using ZeroSSL with my no-ip friendly domain name, but nothing worked. I'm following the directions here in the Calibre docs, but having issues with the SSL details. Questions: 1. Can you create a free SSL cert to use with just an IP address (it's not actually a registered domain name--I just want to access my books, not create a website)? 2. What's the simplest tool and process to use to generate the certificate and key file to use on Windows? I see a lot of different sites, and various tools, but not clear what to use or where to start. 3. Once the cert file and key file are created, how do I specific the path to those in the 2 settings in the Calibre Advanced tab? Do I just browse to those files where they're setting on my system to create the path in Calibre settings, or do I need to figure out the virtual path to the Calibre web server content on my system, and copy these files to THAT path? Last edited by hollowpoint; 05-31-2021 at 12:54 PM.