Hey folks! I'm trying to figure out how to access my local website through the public IP of my EC2 instance. Unfortunately, my ISP doesn't provide port forwarding options, which makes it tricky. I'm considering setting up a VPN server on an EC2 instance using OpenVPN, connecting my local VM (which is hosting the website) to this VPN server in order to access it from outside. Has anyone done something similar or have any tips on configuring this?
3 Answers
It's definitely annoying when ISPs block port forwarding! I totally get your frustration. I’ve worked with setups like this without EC2, and the key is having a good understanding of how to manage your VPN configurations. If you're new to this, don't hesitate to explore the learning resources. It might seem complex at first, but you'll get the hang of it!
It sounds like you're on the right track! Since you're using AWS, you could check out VNS3 from the AWS Marketplace. The free edition offers features like firewalling and an Overlay Network with OpenVPN—perfect for your needs. I personally use a paid version for multiple sites, but the free one should work just fine for you.
I've set up a similar configuration at home, though not on EC2. You can definitely use OpenVPN, but keep in mind you'll need to set up port forwarding from the remote server to your local endpoint. It can get tricky with IPs changing, so I recommend using reverse proxying if you're working with web services. It simplifies things and adds a layer of protection.
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