Access configuration-external user

Mark S

I have read

https://tvheadend.org/projects/tvheadend/wiki/Access_configuration

But I'm not able to get the external user aspect to work for me.

I can access tvheadend from home ok, but I'd like to control/check recordings when I'm away.

I've created a access:
Net prefix is 0.0.0.0/0
Login & password set

Web interface ticked

1. Is this correct?

2. How do I now access this when I'm away?

Thanks
Mark

Christopher G.

Well, what's not working? Can you access your computer running tvheadend from outside your network via port forward or a VPN connection?
If not, that's the error, if you can then something else is not working.

Mark S

Thanks Christopher

I have not tried either as I cannot find what to do next explained anywhere. I searched Access configuration in various forms and it does not seem to be explained.

Would you have any help please or a link to a clear how to posting/site.

At home it is no problem using the local ip:

192.168.1.12:9981

I tried using my router public ip, lets say it is 185.41.223.27:9981

But this does not work.

I've searched for Access configuration and cannot find any help/howto posts or sites

Searching vpn after your reply gives a few options, but I thought I should be able to use my public ip somehow

I can't find any how to explanation for this approach (even the vpn help is pretty cryptic)

Thanks for your help

Christopher G.

You need to be able to connect to your computer running tvheadend from outside of your LAN. I'm assuming you've got a normal setup where you've got a home (wireless) router which is connected to the internet in some way and all your devices (PC, additional access points) are connected to that. The router is hiding your LAN from the internet and your devices can access the internet because of your router's network address translation (NAT) capability. So, in order to speak to your 192.168.1.12:9981 from the internet by the public IP, you have to either setup your router to forward everything on port 9981 on the public IP to 192.168.1.12:9981 or you have to setup a VPN server if you don't want to forward the port.
To setup the port forwarding you have to log in to your router's configuration website. I'm assuming your router is reachable under 192.168.1.1. For further details have a look at
http://portforward.com/
. In the menu you can select "List of all Routers" and then check what you have to do for your model.
VPN is a bit more complicated to set up and has many more features. It's not necessary just for this but one could do it that way as well.

Mark S

Well that's was easy enough Christopher, thanks a million

Followed the instruction for my router to forward the port 9981 (internal - external) for 192.168.1.12

Using dnsleaktest.com double checked my router ip 185.41.223.27 (not really mine)

logged in via 185.41.223.27:9981

Just brilliant. I can check status and recording from away from home

Just a terrific aspect of this app.

Thanks
Mark

Christopher G.

No worries. Just be sure that you've got a password set up for every user capable of accessing the webinterface since everybody can potentially log in if they know your public IP. You say you didn't post your actual IP, which is good, but still.
You might want to use a dynamic DNS service as well so you can access your webinterface via tvheadend.example.com for example. Just google dynamic DNS. There are lots of free providers if you don't happen to own a domain yourself where you could set this up.