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Asked: 2024-09-27T07:43:21+05:30 In:

What is the best method to run Chrome with port forwarding through SSH on an Ubuntu system?

I’ve been trying to figure out how to run Chrome with port forwarding through SSH on my Ubuntu system, and it’s been a bit of a headache! So, I thought I’d reach out and see if anyone here has tackled this before.

Here’s the situation: I often need to access a web application hosted on a remote server, and I know SSH is the way to go for secure communication. But I want to use Chrome to do it because, let’s face it, I love the browser’s dev tools and extensions. The challenge is that I want to forward a specific port from my remote server to my local machine so I can easily access that web app in Chrome without messing around with configurations every single time.

I’ve done a bit of research online, and I’ve found some tutorials that explain how to set up SSH tunnels using the command line. But you know how it is—some tutorials can get a little technical, and I’m trying to avoid being submerged in a sea of command-line jargon. I mean, I’m no Linux wizard, just a regular user trying to get things done without breaking my machine!

So, my main questions are: what’s the simplest way to set this up? Are there particular SSH commands I should be using, or maybe some flags that make the whole process easier? And once that’s set up, how do I actually get Chrome to connect through that tunnel? Do I need to adjust any settings in Chrome, or will it automatically pick up the forwarded connection?

If anyone has a step-by-step guide or can share their own experiences, I would appreciate it. It would be awesome to get this sorted out without too much hassle, and I imagine others out there might also find this information useful. Let’s figure this out together!

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    2 Answers


    1. To run Chrome with port forwarding through SSH on your Ubuntu system, you’ll want to set up an SSH tunnel first. This can be done easily through the command line. The general command structure you’ll use is:
      ssh -L local_port:remote_address:remote_port username@remote_host. Replace local_port with the port number you want to use on your local machine, remote_address with the address of the web application, remote_port with the port that the web application is running on the remote server, and username@remote_host with your SSH credentials. For example, if the web app is running on port 8080 on the remote server, you can run ssh -L 8080:localhost:8080 user@remote-server.com.

      Once the SSH tunnel is established, you can simply open Chrome and navigate to http://localhost:local_port. In this case, that would be http://localhost:8080. You don’t need to adjust any settings within Chrome for it to recognize the forwarded connection; it should work seamlessly. If you find yourself using this command frequently, consider adding an alias to your bash configuration for convenience. Type alias ssh-port-forward="ssh -L local_port:remote_address:remote_port username@remote_host" in your ~/.bashrc file and run source ~/.bashrc to apply the changes. This way, you can quickly start your tunnel by simply typing the alias in your terminal.




    2. How to Run Chrome with SSH Port Forwarding


      Setting Up SSH Port Forwarding for Chrome on Ubuntu

      Okay, let’s break this down step by step. First off, you’re on the right track with SSH! It’s super handy for secure connections, and once you get the hang of it, it’s not so scary!

      1. Open Your Terminal

      Let’s start by opening the terminal on your Ubuntu system. You can find it in your applications or hit Ctrl + Alt + T on your keyboard.

      2. Set Up the SSH Tunnel

      Now, you’ll want to set up the SSH tunnel. Let’s say your web app on the remote server is running on port 8080, and your remote server’s IP address is 192.168.1.2 (replace this with your actual server IP). You can run this command:

      ssh -L 8080:localhost:8080 username@192.168.1.2

      Here’s what’s happening:

      • -L: This flag defines that you’re forwarding a local port.
      • The first 8080 is your local machine’s port.
      • localhost:8080: This is the remote server’s port where the app is running.
      • username@192.168.1.2: Replace username with your actual SSH username.

      After you run this command, it will prompt you for your password. Once you enter it, you’ll be connected to the server.

      3. Open Chrome

      Now that the tunnel is set up, open up Chrome like you normally do.

      4. Access Your Web App

      In Chrome, you can simply type http://localhost:8080 in the address bar. This should connect you to the web application on your remote server! No extra configuration needed in Chrome!

      5. Finish Up the SSH Session

      When you’re done, you can just close the terminal, or hit Ctrl + C to terminate the SSH session.

      Tips

      • If you want to forward multiple ports, just add more -L flags.
      • For a little more convenience, you can create a script or a bash alias for this command.

      And that’s it! You’re all set to browse your web app securely with Chrome. If you run into any hiccups, feel free to ask more questions! Happy browsing!


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