Using Tunneling to connect Calbre Server over the internet

bmp · 09-06-2021, 11:52 AM

I'm a curator at a museum, and we have a pretty large pool of researchers who use our digital collections when they need it. I'm the one in charge of building an actual library anyone could use no matter where they are. Right now we have a local server where everything is stashed that can't be accessed off site and it honestly horrible to search through.
I have been using Calibre for years on my own elibrary, so I started importing our digital collections to Calibre, added metadata, etc.
Now I've been trying to make this library available to our researchers. I initially thought I could put everything on Google Drive, but we don't have enough space on the cloud.
So I'm trying "sharing over the net" using Calibre version 5.25.0, but I'm not very tech savvy.
I now have a web browser that is only accessible on my computer. Cool, but not what I'm looking for.
I think what I need to do is use something like boringtunnel to allow other people to access my local server over the internet, but boy am I confused on how to do it.

Any advice?

theducks · 09-06-2021, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmp

I
<snip>
So I'm trying "sharing over the net" using Calibre version 5.25.0, but I'm not very tech savvy.
I now have a web browser that is only accessible on my computer. Cool, but not what I'm looking for.
I think what I need to do is use something like boringtunnel to allow other people to access my local server over the internet, but boy am I confused on how to do it.

Any advice?

If this is server is on a network with other uses, you need savvy help securing against malicious folk. The sharing part LOCALLY is easy as you found out.
Keeping the Bad Guys away when you open a port to the outside is hard. (

8080 is way too common for web SERVICES and should be avoided if opening a port). Putting the Calibre Server PC (exclusive use. Not containing sensitive or critical info) on the DMZ router connection might be away. Get a local guru to advise

zaroz · 10-06-2021, 10:24 PM

I would suggest looking into wireguard vpn. It's very easy for beginners to setup and allows you to easily control what clients have access.

Quoth · 10-12-2021, 08:52 AM

I used to deliberately use 80 and 8080 for our VPN server. There is zero extra security in using some other port. The issue is having a secure firewall and VPN server.

The logic was that some places (the local University, Libraries, Cafes & Hotels) only allow the ports for web access outgoing and had no way of knowing it wasn't a web site. Then email and other services used our home ISP and a dodgy Wifi point doing even HTTPS man-in-the-middle or evil DNS didn't matter.

Originally we used a VPN server on NT4.0 Server in the attic then on Linux, and used port forwarding on an OpenWRT based router/firewall. Then we used a VPN server on the OpenWRT.

The amount of traffic dictates what sort of HW solution is used and expertise is needed to secure the server.

The port used is irrelevant to security.

09-06-2021, 11:52 AM	#1
bmp Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2021 Device: Windows 10 Desktop	Using Tunneling to connect Calbre Server over the internet I'm a curator at a museum, and we have a pretty large pool of researchers who use our digital collections when they need it. I'm the one in charge of building an actual library anyone could use no matter where they are. Right now we have a local server where everything is stashed that can't be accessed off site and it honestly horrible to search through. I have been using Calibre for years on my own elibrary, so I started importing our digital collections to Calibre, added metadata, etc. Now I've been trying to make this library available to our researchers. I initially thought I could put everything on Google Drive, but we don't have enough space on the cloud. So I'm trying "sharing over the net" using Calibre version 5.25.0, but I'm not very tech savvy. I now have a web browser that is only accessible on my computer. Cool, but not what I'm looking for. I think what I need to do is use something like boringtunnel to allow other people to access my local server over the internet, but boy am I confused on how to do it. Any advice?

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10-06-2021, 10:24 PM	#3
zaroz Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2020 Device: Samsung Galaxy Tab S6	I would suggest looking into wireguard vpn. It's very easy for beginners to setup and allows you to easily control what clients have access.

10-12-2021, 08:52 AM	#4
Quoth Still reading Posts: 13,590 Karma: 103381767 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	I used to deliberately use 80 and 8080 for our VPN server. There is zero extra security in using some other port. The issue is having a secure firewall and VPN server. The logic was that some places (the local University, Libraries, Cafes & Hotels) only allow the ports for web access outgoing and had no way of knowing it wasn't a web site. Then email and other services used our home ISP and a dodgy Wifi point doing even HTTPS man-in-the-middle or evil DNS didn't matter. Originally we used a VPN server on NT4.0 Server in the attic then on Linux, and used port forwarding on an OpenWRT based router/firewall. Then we used a VPN server on the OpenWRT. The amount of traffic dictates what sort of HW solution is used and expertise is needed to secure the server. The port used is irrelevant to security.

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