Publish the site using “ngrok” simply

Publish the site using “ngrok” simply

There is only one local PC when you want to publish the site to the internet in developing.
Need to connect to the other system with SSL but you have not decided the network infrastructure and then need to go easy on the operation fee.
Do you encounter these problems?

In this case, we have one of the choices to use “ngrok”. So, I tried researching about it.

About ngork

It is possible to connect from the client PC to the local PC through the ngrok server with the SSH tunnel.

In other words, we can open our web service using only one local PC if I explain it simply.

The domain of the requesting URL from the clients is ngork. But it is able to move correctly.

The way of publishing

Build your web site in your local PC

My development environment is installed Linux and node.js. (It is possible to install it to Mac or Windows OS).
First, show the “Hellow world” using the node.js in Linux when you connect to the http://localhost:3000.

I omit the explanation of the way to install and start node.js at this time.

 

Install ngrok

Download the install file for Linux from the ngrok download site after clicking the “more option”.

https://ngrok.com/download
 

Implement below’s command to unzip.
sudo unzip ngrok-stable-linux-amd64.zip
 

Implement the next command that is to move it to the directory to use ngrok command.
sudo mv ngrok /usr/local/bin
 

Publish the site

Implement below’s command to confirming the starting.
ngrok http 3000
 

It is moving correctly when it has been displayed as below’s.
image-20200831123812187
And then, the web page will be shown when accessing the URL that is written to the “Forwarding” in it.

In my case, access “https://1a59dd82300c.ngrok.io/“.

image-20200831131606185

That is all explanation until publishing the web site. This is super easy.

Impression using free account

  • It is useful for the mobile and IoT app to confirm the connection with web servers in the development soon because no need the preparation of the servers.
  • It is possible to make the basic authentication only to add the command in starting it.”ngrok http -auth=”username:password” 8080″.(It is a possibility for free accounts not to use.)
  • Affect the performance of the grok.io servers are forwarding from it.
  • I don’t say clearly it is the secure connection clearly because it is through the ngrok.io servers. It relies on ngrok.
  • The flow of the connection is “User client PC” – (http/https) – “ngrok.io server” – (SSH Tunnel) -” Web server client PC” .
    The connection passes the firewall and enters the PC directory. It might be violated the security regulation of your organization and customers.
  • It is not able to publish the site with a reserved domain by free account.

The way of use by the free account

If I write the way of use as a free account, there are 3 items, I think.

  • It is better to use for your studying and technical research in your activity and in the network that is you can take responsibility.
  • It is better to fix the programs and adjust the settings for the service that is connecting with the restful API and mobile /IoT app in the limitation of the time while debugging.
  • It is better to get the reviews from the customers as temporary when there is no server in the initial stage.

Refference

ngork documentation