How to Reverse Proxy Jellyfin with Caddy on Docker (Beginner Friendly)

[KodiUser1138]

Ok so the video I linked is what I'd want then? Use DuckDNS to get a (sort of) simple URL to give to users in lue of buying my own domain name and use Caddy to keep all the IP stuff protected?

[TheDreadPirate]

Correct.

[KodiUser1138]

OK I've used the second video tutorial, got DuckDNS set up, installed Caddy and run through powershell and I can use the URL to find the "website" that is my Jellyfin server. Now I am stuck with 2 questions.


If I close powershell the connection will fail. It seems the ports 443 and 80 will both be closed. Do I have to have powershell open at all times for this to work?

I moved to the next step, setting an auto run on start-up and got to the Enviroment settings. I can not access anything in the lower selection box where I am supposed to click on Path to bring up another box to enter more configuration.

Oh and my powershell never returns to a prompt after running Caddy.

[KodiUser1138]

Now I seem to have many repeating lines of error in powershell, though the hosting still works. Still haven't got back to the powershell prompt as well. Not sure what's going on, what to look for, but something seems not correct even if I am getting a positive result in some manner.

[TheDreadPirate]

If it works, it works? 

When you do get the command prompt to show the error message, share it with us.

FYI, I've never run Caddy in Windows.  I'm sorry if my guidance is a bit vague.

[KodiUser1138]

Well it sort of works. I can't close the powershell or it doesn't work. That isn't explained in the video. I don't have a prompt in powershell either. And I can't move to the next step of setting up auto run on start-up, as described.

[KodiUser1138]

I have gone through the set-up on the second JF server I manage and got to the same stuck point. Can't access the lower selection box in Enviroment and not able to close Powershell, but the DNS is working.

[KodiUser1138]

OK I think I figured it out. Had to Google how to edit the Enviroment variable and got that added, started NSSM and tried a reboot. Took a little bit but everything cam back up automatically and without needing to run powershell.

Now if I could just figure out why Jellyfin itself won't start automatically upon reboot.

[KodiUser1138]

And now I've got an issue on the second server. I had it running to the previous point before the Enviroment settings stumped me. Once I figured that out I folowed the steps needed, rebooted and now can't get the DNS to work at all. Not sure what caddy is doing but it doesn't seem to be starting at all? But not sure what error is being reported either.

Nevermind I figured it out. Must have mis-typed something in the NSSM service the first time. Seems to be working properly now.


Thanks for the help explaining the processes and thanks to the OP for leading me in this direction!

[motolly3]

This is why I love Caddy! You can totally forget about complicated 1networking stuff and just let Caddy/Docker handle it all with some application of dark magic.

Save yourself the headache and just lease a domain. Not sure if you can still get them for free, but it's only like $4/year to register a memorable domain. Personally I've been using Cloudflare (a bit more expensive, I think like $12/year) to manage my domain and DNS settings. The convenience as ultra-fast DNS propagation is totally worth it if you're homelab-ing.

If you're hosting a sever at home it's in your best interest to get IPv6 set up. The huge advantage is that IPv6 restores end-to-end direct connections as was originally intended with the internet.