Cloudflare Tunnel

Guide to Setting Up Cloudflare Tunnel

Cloudflare Tunnel offers a secure and efficient method to expose services running on a local network to the internet. This feature is a game-changer for developers and IT professionals looking to make their services accessible globally without compromising on security. Let’s dive into how you can leverage Cloudflare Tunnel for your needs.

Prerequisites for Using Cloudflare Tunnel

Before you embark on using Cloudflare Tunnel, there are a few requirements you should be aware of:

1. Domain Registration: Ensure you have a domain added to your Cloudflare account.
2. Service Exposure:
   • For HTTP/HTTPS services, installation of the Cloudflared application on the server is sufficient. Clients can access the service without needing Cloudflared once it’s exposed.
   • TCP services require the Cloudflared application to be installed on both the server and the client.

Setting Up Your Tunnel and Exposing Services

Creating a Tunnel

1. Navigate to Zero Trust -> Networks -> Tunnels in your Cloudflare dashboard, and follow the provided instructions. It’s recommended to choose a Cloudflared connector for optimal performance.
2. After creating your tunnel, click on its name and select Configure. Here, you’ll find detailed instructions on installing and running a connector tailored to your operating system.
3. On the same page, you can assign a public hostname to your tunnel. For example, vnc.hostname.com, and specify the service you wish to expose by providing a type and a URL, such as tcp and localhost:5901.

Connecting to the Service on the Client Side

• HTTP/HTTPS Services: Simply copy the domain you specified earlier into your browser to access the service.
• TCP Services: If you’re exposing a service like VNC, follow these steps to connect to it from your client machine:

  cloudflared access tcp --hostname vnc.hostname.com --listener localhost:25565
  

  The listener address determines where on your client machine the service can be accessed. In this case, you would start a VNC client and connect using the server address localhost:25565.