Binding calibre-server to 127.0.0.1

[dummkauf]

When running a headless server with calibre-server, how does one specify that the server only run on 127.0.0.1:8080?

I want to secure the server using basic http authentication with SSL and an apache reverse proxy. I have all this setup, however if you browse to myserverip.com:8080, Calibre loads just fine without going through the apache directory I setup on my server(the apache directory also loads and I want that to be the only way to access the library). I need to bind the calibre server to localhose only so that the only way to access it is through the apache reverse proxy.

I've seen numerous posts about preferences --> tweaks and setting server_listen_on, however that's only through the gui. How do I do this when running a headless server?

[kovidgoyal]

The tweaks are set in a simple file in the calibre config directory called tweaks.py

Copy it over from a machine where you run the GUI

Use the environment variable CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY to control where it is read from.

[chaley]

I solve this by:

• My firewall blocks all incoming connections to ports that are not explicitly opened.
• Calibre listens on a port that is not explicitly opened in the firewall, say 9199, using a command line argument.
• Apache rewrite rules handle connections to https://my_machine/library. I use the "/library" because SSL requires port 443, preventing use of port-based virtual hosts. I can't use name-based virtual hosts because I didn't buy a multi-host cert.
• The reverse proxy rewrite rules connect to calibre on 127.0.0.1:9199

Doing it this way I don't care what calibre listens on or that it uses mDNS (bonjour).

Here are the relevant apache rules, which are probably very similar to what you already have.

<VirtualHost 69.164.218.38:443>
        # Stuff to set up SSL etc elided

        # Calibre library
        <Location "/library">
                AuthType Digest
                AuthName "************"
                AuthDigestDomain /

                AuthDigestProvider file
                AuthUserFile **************
                Require valid-user
        </Location>
        RewriteEngine on
        RewriteRule ^/library/(.*) http://127.0.0.1:9199/library/$1 [proxy]
        RewriteRule ^/library http://127.0.0.1:9199 [proxy]

        SetEnv force-proxy-request-1.0 1
        SetEnv proxy-nokeepalive 1
</VirtualHost>

[dummkauf]

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

The tweaks are set in a simple file in the calibre config directory called tweaks.py

Copy it over from a machine where you run the GUI

Use the environment variable CALIBRE_CONFIG_DIRECTORY to control where it is read from.

Sounds like an excellent plan. Where is tweaks.py?

I've been looking and can't seem to find it. Server's on Debian and my laptop is running Ubuntu so I'm assuming the location would be the same on both.

[dummkauf]

Originally Posted by dummkauf

Sounds like an excellent plan. Where is tweaks.py?

I've been looking and can't seem to find it. Server's on Debian and my laptop is running Ubuntu so I'm assuming the location would be the same on both.

nevermind. Instealled under /root/.config/calibre/

Need to run my search as root

[eschwartz]

It is, naturally, in "$XDG_CONFIG_HOME/calibre".

EDIT:
Might I ask WHY you are running calibre as root?

Generally speaking, you should run as few things as possible using the root account -- just to be on the safe side.