Server Manager lets you host your tunnels on your own Linux server instead of a shared Localtonet server. You send the SSH details of the server, Localtonet verifies the connection and sets the server up automatically, and the server becomes selectable for your tunnels when the installation completes.
When to use it #
- You want visitors to connect to an IP address and a location that you control.
- You want a server that only your account can select for tunnels.
Tunnels on your own server are created and managed the same way as on any other server, and they are billed at the normal rate. See Plans and Balance.
Before you start #
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Balance | Adding a server requires Balance on your account. |
| Operating system | Linux. Automatic installation supports distributions with dnf (AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, RHEL, Oracle Linux 8+) or apt (Ubuntu, Debian). |
| CPU architecture | x86_64 or ARM64 (aarch64). |
| Public IPv4 address | Required. An IPv6 address is optional. |
| SSH access | The SSH port (22, or the port you enter) must be open and reachable from the internet. You sign in with an SSH password or an SSH private key. |
| SSH user | root, or a user that can use sudo without a password (NOPASSWD). |
| Dashboard | Your own account dashboard. The Server Manager menu item is not shown while you work in a team dashboard. |
You give Localtonet administrative access to the server. The installation runs with root rights over SSH. Use a server that is dedicated to this purpose, not one that holds unrelated data or services.
Send a server request #
-
Open the request form #
Open Server Manager and select Send Server Request.
-
Fill in the SSH details #
Field What to enter Required IP The public IPv4 address of the server. Yes IPv6 The IPv6 address of the server, if it has one. No SSH Port The port your SSH server listens on. Filled with 22.No SSH Username The user to sign in with. Filled with root.Yes SSH Password The password of that user. This or a private key SSH Private Key The private key of that user, pasted as text. This or a password Note A note for the support team. It is filled with a default sentence that asks for the server to be added and assigned to your user. No -
Send and wait for the check #
Select Send. While the button shows Checking your server..., Localtonet connects to the server over SSH and checks the operating system, the CPU architecture and the rights of the SSH user. If a check fails, you get one of the messages listed under Pre-check messages and the installation does not start.
-
Wait for the installation #
When the checks pass, the dashboard answers: Your server was verified and its installation has started automatically. It usually takes 15–30 minutes; … becomes selectable in Server Manager when it is ready. The message names the server ID that Localtonet assigned to your server.
A support ticket is created for the request at the same time, and its number is shown in the same message. Use that ticket under Support Tickets for any questions about the installation.
Your servers #
The list in Server Manager shows every server of your account with its Server ID and name, Status, IPv4, IPv6, CPU Usage and RAM Usage.
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Not Ready | The server is registered but cannot be selected for tunnels yet, for example while the installation is still running. |
| Active | The server is ready and selectable for tunnels. |
| Passive | The server is not active and cannot be selected. |
The Actions menu of a server offers:
| Action | What it does |
|---|---|
| Start Localtonet | Starts the Localtonet software on the server. |
| Restart Server | Reboots the server. Tunnels on it are interrupted until it is back. |
| Restart Tunnels | Restarts the tunnels that run on the server. |
To run an action on several servers, tick their checkboxes. The toolbar then shows the number of selected servers and the menus Server (Start Localtonet, Restart Server) and Tunnel (Restart Tunnels). Every action asks for confirmation first.
Use your server for a tunnel #
When the status is Active, the server appears in the Server region list of the tunnel forms, only for your account, and it is selected by default. Create the tunnel as usual, for example under My Tunnels › HTTP, and keep your server selected. Visitors of that tunnel then connect to your server, and your server forwards the traffic to the Localtonet client on your device.
Remove your server #
The Server Manager page has no delete button. To remove a server from your account, reply in the ticket that was created for the server, or open a new ticket under Support Tickets.
Pre-check messages #
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| Add balance to your account to use this feature. | Add Balance under Balance, then send the request again. |
| IPv4 and SSH username are required. | Fill in IP and SSH Username. |
| The IPv4 address is not valid. | Enter the address as four numbers, for example 203.0.113.10, without a port. |
| This IP address cannot be added. | A server with this IP address is already registered at Localtonet. Use another server, or open a ticket if it is yours. |
| Enter an SSH password or an SSH private key. | Fill in one of the two fields. |
| Could not connect to your server over SSH. Check the IP address, port and firewall. | Check that the SSH service runs and that a firewall or security group allows the connection. |
| The SSH connection timed out. Check that port 22 (or the port you entered) is open and reachable. | Open the SSH port for incoming connections from the internet. |
| The SSH port is not reachable. Check the IP address and the firewall or network settings. | Check the IP address, the port and the firewall of the server and of your hosting provider. |
| SSH authentication failed. Check the SSH username, password or private key. | Test the same credentials with an SSH client. Check that the server allows password or key sign-in for this user. |
| Your server must run Linux. | Use a Linux server. |
| User “…” cannot use sudo without a password. Use root or allow passwordless sudo (NOPASSWD) for this user. | Send the request with root, or give the user passwordless sudo. |
| This Linux distribution is not supported for automatic installation. Use a distribution with dnf (AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux, RHEL, Oracle Linux 8+) or apt (Ubuntu, Debian). | Reinstall the server with one of the listed distributions. |
| CPU architecture “…” is not supported. x86_64 and ARM64 (aarch64) servers are supported. | Use a server with one of the two architectures. |
| An error occurred while validating your server. Check your information and try again. | Check every field and send the request again. If it keeps failing, open a ticket. |
Troubleshooting #
The server stays "Not Ready" for much longer than 30 minutes
Reply in the ticket that was created for your request. Do not send a second request for the same IP address: it is refused with This IP address cannot be added.
The server is "Active" but a tunnel on it does not open
Check that the tunnel is started and that the client of its device is connected. Then check that the firewall of the server and of your hosting provider allows incoming connections to the server. Use Restart Tunnels in the Actions menu to start the tunnels of the server again.
