Setting Up Nginx Proxy Manager on Docker with Easy LetsEncrypt SSL

There are many reverse proxy solutions that enable configuring SSL certificates, both in the home lab and production environments. Most have heard about Traefik reverse proxy that allows you to pull LetsEncrypt certificates for your domain name automatically. However, there is another solution that provides a really great GUI dashboard for managing your reverse proxy configuration and LetsEncrypt certificates that is built on top of the Nginx reverse proxy. Let’s look at the Nginx Proxy Manager Docker install and LetsEncrypt certificates to see how it is installed and configured.

What is Nginx Proxy Manager?

Before we get into the installation and setup of Nginx Proxy Manager, let’s look at the solution itself. What is it exactly?

Nginx Proxy Manager is a pre-built docker image designed for forwarding traffic to your websites, whether they are located at home or elsewhere. The tool is handy for users who may not have extensive knowledge about Nginx reverse proxy or Letsencrypt but need a secure, efficient way to implement forwarding with free SSL.

Benefits

GUI interface – This interface allows users to perform various tasks without knowing the ins and outs of Nginx, including easily create forwarding domains, establishing redirections, managing streams, setting up 404 hosts

SSL Certificate Management – Arguably, the best feature of the Nginx Proxy Manager is its support for free SSL through Let’s Encrypt, although you can also choose to use your own SSL certificates if you prefer. Using SSL with Let’s Encrypt helps automate your certificate renewals, making these effortless.

Access Controls and User Management – The Nginx Proxy Manager provides features like Access Lists and basic HTTP Authentication for hosts to enhance security. These features ensure that access is regulated and only authorized users can interact with the hosts.

Advanced configurations – For users who need to perform more sophisticated configurations, advanced Nginx options are available. Moreover, the tool supports comprehensive user management permissions settings, and maintains an audit log for tracking activities.

Proxy host configuration – With the click of a button, users can create forwarding domains with ease. The intuitive interface and straightforward controls make it simple for users to set up new proxy hosts, define domain names, and manage SSL certificates for each host.

Nginx Proxy Manager Docker Install and LetsEncrypt Certificates

Let’s look at the following steps to install Nginx Proxy Manager setup and also use Let’s Encrypt certificates to secure the connection.

1. Use the Quick or Full Docker Compose file

2. Login to Nginx Proxy Manager and change the default password

3. Connect another container to the same Docker network

4. Create the Proxy host

5. Configure SSL

6. Test the configuration

1. Use the Quick or Full Docker Compose file

Users can choose between a Quick Setup and a Full Setup depending on their specific needs and level of expertise. The Quick setup does not include a backend database configuration. The full setup does include a backend database for more advanced configurations.

The Quick Setup requires simply running Docker compose code without a backend database.

version: '3.8'
services:
  app:
    image: 'jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest'
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - '80:80'
      - '81:81'
      - '443:443'
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
      - ./letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt

The Full setup code adds a MySQL database backend with the following command code. Be sure to change the database credentials in the code below for security.

version: '3.8'
services:
  app:
    image: 'jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest'
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      # These ports are in format <host-port>:<container-port>
      - '80:80' # Public HTTP Port
      - '443:443' # Public HTTPS Port
      - '81:81' # Admin Web Port
      # Add any other Stream port you want to expose
      # - '21:21' # FTP

    # Uncomment the next line if you uncomment anything in the section
    # environment:
      # Uncomment this if you want to change the location of
      # the SQLite DB file within the container
      # DB_SQLITE_FILE: "/data/database.sqlite"

      # Uncomment this if IPv6 is not enabled on your host
      # DISABLE_IPV6: 'true'

    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
      - ./letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt

Copy either of these configurations to a docker-compose.yml file. Run the command:

docker-compose up -d

2. Login to Nginx Proxy Manager and change the default password

Accessing Nginx Proxy Manager is as simple as browsing in a web browser to your Docker container host where you spun up Nginx Proxy Manager on port 81, and you will login with the following default admin user credentials from the official documentation:

user: [email protected]

pass: changeme

Also, once logged in, we can change the default user as needed.

After this, you should be taken to the Nginx Proxy Manager dashboard where you can begin configuring with the proxy hosts button and the add proxy host button.

3. Connect another container to the same Docker network

For the Nginx Proxy Manager to have direct access to containers running on the same Docker container host, we need to connect our container to the same network as the Nginx Proxy Manager. If you don’t specify the network by default, it will create the nginxproxymanager_default Docker network, shown below.

You can leave it as the default or specify this in your Docker compose file.

To test the configuration, let’s pull down a Grafana container to the same Docker container host and connect the container to the same Docker network as Nginx Proxy Manager. Note in the command below, we are not exposing any ports. This is because we only want to be able to access through the Nginx Proxy Manager.

docker run -d --network=nginxproxymanager_default --name grafana grafana/grafana

4. Create the Proxy Host

Now that we have another container pulled down and connected to the same Docker network let’s create the Nginx Proxy host. You can create as many Nginx Proxy hosts as you need.

super users user management hosts advanced nginx configuration docker compose create public ip address new ssl certificate nginx free SSL add port forwarding data folder install docker apt install ca certificates

Navigate to the Proxy Hosts page. Since we connected the grafana container to the same network as the Nginx Proxy Manager, we can just put the container name in the Forward Hostname/IP field.

Here we leave the scheme as HTTP and the forward port (port forwarding) as 3000, which matches the configuration on the container for access.

Click Save.

At this point, you should be able to pull up the domain name you have configured for the grafana (or other container) and it work.

Configure SSL

Now that the proxy host is working, let’s take it a step further and add SSL. First, let’s create the Let’s Encrypt certificate. Click Add SSL Certificate. You will have the option between Lets Encrypt and Custom. Choose Let’s Encrypt.

Now we will configure the Let’s Encrypt options. Fill in the following:

• Domain names – you will fill in your domain name that needs to match the publicly accessible domain you have

• Decide if you want to use DNS challenge – Here, I am using this as I find it is the most effective and least error-prone

• Choose your DNS provider

• Provide your API token for interacting with your DNS provider

• Change the TTL value if you want

• Toggle the I Agree to the Let’s Encrypt Terms of Service.

SSL termination is a process that allows secure handling of SSL certificates, and with Nginx Proxy Manager, managing these are easy. The platform also supports automatic renewal of SSL certificates.

Once you click save, it will take a couple of moments for the Nginx Proxy Manager to generate the certificate.

After 10-15 seconds in my testing, the certificate was provisioned and successfully installed.

Now, we can go back and Edit Proxy Host that we created earlier. Select the SSL tab and under SSL Certificate, you will see the certificate you just provisioned. Select it and also flag on:

• Force SSL

• HTTP/2 Support

• HSTS Enabled

Now, on a test client, we can navigate out to an HTTPS connection for the configured hostname and we shouldn’t get a certificate error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What initiates the process of creating a new proxy host?

To initiate the creation of a new proxy host, navigate to the Proxy Hosts tab in the Nginx Proxy Manager dashboard. Here you’ll find the ‘Add Proxy Host‘ button. Clicking this button will begin the process, allowing you to set up and configure your new proxy host efficiently.

Can Nginx Proxy Manager support custom SSL certificates?

Absolutely. While Nginx Proxy Manager provides free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt, it also allows for the use of your own custom SSL certificates if you have particular preferences or requirements for secure connections.

When you navigate to the add SSL certificates button, you will be prompted to choose between Let’s Encrypt and Custom.

How do I secure the admin interface?

Change the default credentials as soon as possible. The admin interface is designed to be secure, with features and options laid out in a straightforward way.

What if I need advanced configuration options for Nginx?

For users who are more experienced or require advanced configurations, Nginx Proxy Manager offers the opportunity to engage with more sophisticated Nginx configurations.

While the project aims to keep things simple, these advanced options are available for those who need them, without complicating the experience for users who don’t.

How do I forward ports to the server hosting Nginx Proxy Manager?

Port forwarding is essential to direct traffic to the server hosting the Nginx Proxy Manager. You’ll need to log into your home router and locate the Port Forwarding section.

Then, add port forwarding rules for port 80 and port 443 to direct traffic to the server where Nginx Proxy Manager is hosted.

Is there a way to track user activities?

Yes, Nginx Proxy Manager has an audit log feature. The audit log keeps track of user activities and changes made within the platform, facilitating easier tracking and management of users and configurations.

How can I set up domain names to point to my home network?

You can configure your domain name details to point to your home network. If you don’t have a static IP address, services like DuckDNS or Amazon Route53 are good alternatives.

These services can help point your domain names to your home network, making using Nginx Proxy Manager as a gateway more effective and straightforward.

Wrapping up

Nginx Proxy Manager is an excellent solution to easily create and configure reverse proxy connections to web services running in your home lab environment or even production. It also provides an extremely easy way to have automated SSL certificates in your environment by automating Let’s Encrypt configuration for your domain names.

Once you have your certificates configured and connected to your sites, it will automatically provision new certificates as needed. Also you can bring your own certificates to the solution as well.

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