lantun is a networking tool that makes it possible to expose local ports over a secure tunnel to the internet. lantun is not a reverse proxy, so both the host and client need to run the lantun client.
A host can expose a port over the internet by creating a HostTunnel, which is identified
by a 64 character long ID. Everyone who knows this ID can create a ClientTunnel to connect to the host.
A HostTunnel can be bound to a specific IP address and port like 127.0.0.1:8080/tcp.
The ClientTunnel can expose the tunneled connection on a IP address and port on the client network like 127.0.0.1:5000/tcp.
This would establish a tunneled connection between client and host.
Host: 127.0.0.1:8080/tcp <-> Client: 127.0.0.1:5000/tcp
So the client can now essentially access the hosts service on port 8080 over their own local port 5000.
Lets say the Host wants to expose a minecraft server running on port 25565.
On the host side run:
$ lantun add-host 127.0.0.1:25565 tcp mc-server
Tunnel "mc-server" with local addr 127.0.0.1:25565/tcp created.
The public secret is "e929b2f2cc170c71ec7b3e71cc78b041c29545095ee0c1d74baba545c5091b02"
To add a client tunnel on the client side, use:
lantun add-client e929b2f2cc170c71ec7b3e71cc78b041c29545095ee0c1d74baba545c5091b02 127.0.0.1:25565 tcp <name>
On the client side run:
$ lantun add-client e929b2f2cc170c71ec7b3e71cc78b041c29545095ee0c1d74baba545c5091b02 127.0.0.1:25565 tcp <name>
Now start the lantun program on both sides and keep it running to tunnel the connection:
$ lantun
The client can now join the host's server by connecting to 127.0.0.1:25565.
Note
If configured properly other devices on the client network can also join the host's server by connecting to the local IP address of the client (which is running lantun).
see lantun --help for more options.
Under the hood lantun uses iroh to establish peer-to-peer connections. If a direct connection is not possible a relay server will be used. Tunnel traffic is encrypted using the private and public keys of the tunnel.
Location of the lantun config file:
- Linux:
~/.config/lantun/config.toml - Windows:
%APPDATA%/lantun/config.toml - MacOS:
~/Library/Application Support/lantun/config.toml