I am totally new with FreedomBox. Because of Matrix I started with FreedomBox and I am really impressed how everything works. I used and old mITX computer and I must say it is running fine but there are some problems and I need some help from experts.
I was not happy with the performance so I flashed the image to a Samsung 500G SSD and it is running in a little computer with the following specs:
I started an account on matrix.org but sending messages from the little homeserver is failing.
Something I really would like to activate is the possibility to get the server accepting an e-mailadres while setting up a new account. The configuration file what probably needs an adjustment I did not find yet.
I know how to work in terminal but have to get used to the nano editor.
I noticed your message in the Matrix/IRC room but didn’t have a chance to respond until now. It’s great that you’ve also posted here for more visibility.
After revisiting your post, I find myself needing a bit more clarity on a couple of points to provide the best advice.
It sounds like there might be some confusion regarding where your Matrix account is hosted. If the account was created on matrix.org, it wouldn’t be hosted on your FreedomBox’s Matrix Synapse server. For integrating Matrix Synapse on your FreedomBox, have you consulted the Matrix Synapse section in the FreedomBox manual?
The manual indicates that creating a user on your FreedomBox automatically grants them a Matrix ID on your self-hosted Matrix Synapse server, as detailed here:
All the registered users of your FreedomBox will have their Matrix IDs as @username:domain. Public registration, if enabled, allows new users to register an account using their preferred client.
To better understand and assist, could you provide more information on the steps you’ve taken and your end goal? This additional context will enable forum users to offer more specific guidance.
Looking forward to your update, and I hope we can help resolve your issues soon!
The FreedomBox is installed on a 500G Samsung SSD and installed in a mITX computer with an Intel D425KT MB. 1,8Ghz and a Total memory of 4 G. FreedomBox is really running fine.
In router LAN IP from box in DMZ. My internet service provider only gives me a dynamic IP Address and I already was using an DDNS for my Dahua camera server I really did not know how to configure this.
So I decided using the service from Pagekite and that works fine.
All the software is up to date and I have no errors.
Today I did some more testing with the Pagekite domain and Matrix. Everything works perfect with accounts registered on the server. For myself I activated an account with Matrix for testing. The Matrix server is finding my username but sending messages from and to is failing.
I am so new with Matrix so maybe this has nothing to do with the FreedomBox/Matrix setup.
With the Matrix registration on my homeserver I would like the option (not mandatory) to sign up with an E-mail Address but that is not possible. Investigating this I find that I have to change settings in the file homeserver.yaml but searching for this file through the terminal in Cockpit I can not find it.
I also was talking about the Gobby connection problems and maybe that is a little confusing. Gobby should really simple but it wil not connect over the LAN. With Gobby I think there is a certificate problem but I did not figure out how to resolve this.
I also installed Syncthing and with that app no problem at all.
Ok. So this is new information. You can check this post that I’ve found in the forum. It might help your case. It seems that if you want other servers to find yours, you are going to need to forward a supported port instead. The post author used 8080. They also had to modify a file to tell other servers that they should use 8080 instead of the default port.
I see you’ve mentioned placing your FreedomBox in the DMZ and also forwarding ports. Typically, it’s best to choose one approach to avoid potential configuration conflicts. If your Dahua camera server is on the same network as your FreedomBox, there’s a workaround that allows both devices to efficiently coexist:
If both the FreedomBox and the Dahua server require access through port 443, you could configure your router to forward an alternative port (for example, port 4443) to the Dahua server’s port 443. This way, you can reach your Dahua server at yourdomain.name:4443, while access to your FreedomBox’s web interface remains available directly through yourdomain.name without specifying a port.
This setup enables you to maintain clear access routes to both servers without having to compromise on the accessibility or functionality of either device.
Just checked quickly for the Dahua I had to set up years ago with NO-IP a domainname because my ISP provides me with an dynamic IP-Address. The Dahua is using port 8080. I have to check if the Dahua is using other ports to but I think only 8080.
Given that your Dahua device uses port 8080 and assuming it’s the only port required, here’s a clearer breakdown of the next steps for the port forwarding setup you might consider:
Choose a Unique Port Number (n): Select a port number (n) that isn’t currently being used by other services on your network or by your FreedomBox. This port will be what external requests use to access the Dahua camera.
Configure Port Forwarding: On your router, set up port forwarding so that traffic coming to port n from the internet is directed to port 8080 on your Dahua device. This essentially tells your router: “Any internet request I get on port n, please send it to the Dahua camera on port 8080.”
This setup ensures that your Dahua device remains accessible via a custom port without interfering with the services hosted on your FreedomBox. Just double-check to ensure that the chosen port n is not required by your FreedomBox for any existing or future services you might want to use.
Within the FreedomBox it is really easy to work with GnuDIP and because of the connection problems with Gobby and Matrix over the WAN via Pagekite I think I have to go the DDNS way.
For the Dahua server I use now for many years the DDNS service from NO-IP.
Do you think that it is possible to use the GnuDIP service next to NO-IP service?
I understand you’re facing several challenges, and I appreciate your patience as we navigate through them. To address your concerns more effectively, I’ve revisited our previous exchanges and would like to summarize and clarify some points:
Regarding Pagekite as a Potential Bottleneck:
You mentioned considering a switch to NO-IP or GnuDIP due to issues with Pagekite. This aligns with the suggestions I provided in these posts:
Configuring Matrix to Accept Email Addresses During Registration:
My guess is that the file your are looking for, homeserver.yml, will probably be located at /etc/matrix-synapse/.
Regarding your question about configuring FreedomBox/Matrix for email-based registration:
To my knowledge, there’s no direct method to configure email-based registration within FreedomBox’s Matrix Synapse. The standard practice for Matrix IDs involves @username:yourdomain.name, which doesn’t necessitate an email address for account creation. However, users can add their email addresses in their Matrix profile for recovery or notifications. Is this what you intend? To additionally ask for an e-mail during registration? If so, look at the Matrix Synapse docs:
If you’re successfully using NO-IP’s DDNS service, especially for your Dahua server, incorporating GnuDIP may not be necessary. You can continue utilizing NO-IP, ensuring your domain points to your current dynamic IP. For the Dahua server, simply port forward an alternate port (n) from your router to port 8080 on the Dahua server, allowing both services to run smoothly without interference.
I hope this response helps clarify your options and streamline your setup. If you have further questions or need additional clarification, please let me know.
Thanks I will try to set it up.
Sounds good, it should work fine with the correct forwardings.
Keep you informed and probably if I not use Pagekite anymore the connection problems are also resolved.