Creating SSH Tunnels¶

This comprehensive guide covers creating different types of SSH tunnels using the SSH Tunnel Manager.

Understanding Tunnel Types¶

Local Port Forwarding¶

Concept: Forward a local port to a remote destination through an SSH server.

Format: ssh -L local_port:remote_host:remote_port user@ssh_server

Use case: Access services on a remote network that aren't directly accessible.

[Your Computer] → [SSH Server] → [Target Service]
     8080       →      22       →   80 (web server)

Remote Port Forwarding¶

Concept: Allow remote users to access your local services through the SSH server.

Format: ssh -R remote_port:local_host:local_port user@ssh_server

Use case: Share a local service with remote users.

[Remote Users] → [SSH Server] → [Your Computer]
                    8080       →      3000

Dynamic Port Forwarding (SOCKS Proxy)¶

Concept: Create a SOCKS proxy that routes traffic through the SSH server.

Format: ssh -D local_port user@ssh_server

Use case: Route all application traffic through the SSH server.

[Your Apps] → [SOCKS Proxy] → [SSH Server] → [Internet]
              localhost:1080      22

Step-by-Step Tunnel Creation¶

Creating a Local Port Forward¶

Example: Accessing a Web Interface¶

Open Configuration Dialog
Click "Add Tunnel" (➕) in the toolbar
Or use menu: File → New Tunnel

Basic Information

Name: router_admin
Description: Access router admin interface

SSH Connection Settings

SSH Host: router.example.com
SSH Port: 22
SSH User: admin
SSH Key Path: C:\Users\YourName\.ssh\id_rsa

Tunnel Configuration

Tunnel Type: Local
Local Port: 8080
Remote Host: localhost
Remote Port: 80

Save and Test
Click "OK" to save
Select the tunnel and click "Start"
Access via http://localhost:8080

Example: Database Connection¶

Configuration

Name: mysql_production
Description: Production MySQL database
SSH Host: db-server.company.com
SSH Port: 22
SSH User: dbadmin
Tunnel Type: Local
Local Port: 3307
Remote Host: localhost
Remote Port: 3306

Database Client Setup

Host: localhost
Port: 3307
Username: mysql_user
Password: [mysql_password]

Creating a Remote Port Forward¶

Configuration

Name: dev_server_share
Description: Share local development server
SSH Host: public-server.example.com
SSH Port: 22
SSH User: developer
Tunnel Type: Remote
Local Port: 3000
Remote Host: localhost
Remote Port: 8080

Result
Your local port 3000 is accessible at public-server.example.com:8080
Others can visit http://public-server.example.com:8080

Creating a Dynamic Port Forward (SOCKS Proxy)¶

Example: Browsing Through SSH Server¶

Configuration

Name: company_proxy
Description: Browse through company network
SSH Host: vpn.company.com
SSH Port: 22
SSH User: employee
Tunnel Type: Dynamic
Local Port: 1080

Browser Configuration
Firefox: Settings → Network → Manual proxy
- SOCKS Host: localhost
- Port: 1080
- SOCKS v5: Enabled

Chrome: Start with proxy settings

chrome --proxy-server="socks5://localhost:1080"

Advanced Configuration Options¶

SSH Key Authentication¶

Generating SSH Keys¶

Using SSH Tunnel Manager
Click "SSH Key Setup" in toolbar
Follow the key generation wizard
Automatically deploys keys to servers

Manual Generation

# Generate ED25519 key (recommended)
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

# Generate RSA key (compatibility)
ssh-keygen -t rsa -b 4096 -C "your_email@example.com"

Key Deployment¶

# Copy public key to server
ssh-copy-id user@hostname

# Manual deployment
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub | ssh user@hostname "mkdir -p ~/.ssh && cat >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

Auto-Start Configuration¶

Enable tunnels to start automatically:

Edit tunnel configuration
Check "Auto-start on application launch"
Tunnels will start when the application opens

Multiple Hops (Jump Servers)¶

For accessing servers through intermediate hosts:

First Tunnel (to jump server)

Name: jump_server
SSH Host: jump.company.com
SSH Port: 22
SSH User: admin
Tunnel Type: Local
Local Port: 2222
Remote Host: internal-server.local
Remote Port: 22

Second Tunnel (through first tunnel)

Name: internal_service
SSH Host: localhost
SSH Port: 2222
SSH User: internal_admin
Tunnel Type: Local
Local Port: 8080
Remote Host: localhost
Remote Port: 80

RTSP Video Streaming¶

IP Camera Access¶

Tunnel Configuration

Name: security_camera_01
Description: Office security camera
SSH Host: office-router.example.com
SSH Port: 22
SSH User: admin
Tunnel Type: Local
Local Port: 8554
Remote Host: 192.168.1.50
Remote Port: 554
RTSP URL: rtsp://localhost:8554/live/0

Testing the Stream
Start the tunnel
Click "Launch RTSP" in toolbar
Or use external player: vlc rtsp://localhost:8554/live/0

Common RTSP URLs¶

The SSH Tunnel Manager automatically suggests common RTSP URL patterns:

rtsp://localhost:8554/live/0                    # Generic
rtsp://localhost:8554/stream/0                  # Alternative
rtsp://localhost:8554/cam/realmonitor?channel=1 # Dahua cameras
rtsp://localhost:8554/av0_0                     # Some HIKVISION
rtsp://localhost:8554/axis-media/media.amp      # Axis cameras

Configuration Import/Export¶

Exporting Configurations¶

Individual Export
Right-click tunnel in table
Select "Export Configuration"
Bulk Export
Menu: File → Export Configurations
Saves all tunnels to JSON file

Importing Configurations¶

From File
Menu: File → Import Configurations
Select JSON file
Choose to overwrite or skip duplicates
From Another Installation
Copy configuration files between systems
Windows: %APPDATA%\SSHTunnelManager\
Linux: ~/.config/SSHTunnelManager/

Configuration Format¶

{
  "version": "1.0",
  "tunnels": {
    "camera_rtsp": {
      "name": "camera_rtsp",
      "ssh_host": "192.168.1.1",
      "ssh_port": 22,
      "ssh_user": "admin",
      "local_port": 8554,
      "remote_host": "192.168.1.50",
      "remote_port": 554,
      "tunnel_type": "local",
      "description": "Security camera access",
      "auto_start": true,
      "ssh_key_path": "/path/to/key",
      "rtsp_url": "rtsp://localhost:8554/live/0"
    }
  }
}

Best Practices¶

Security¶

Use SSH Keys: More secure than passwords
Limit Key Access: Set proper file permissions (600)
Regular Key Rotation: Update keys periodically
Host Key Verification: Enable when security is critical

Performance¶

Connection Limits: Don't create excessive concurrent tunnels
Keep-Alive Settings: Use built-in keep-alive for stability
Local Port Selection: Use ports above 1024 to avoid privilege issues
Monitor Resources: Check system resources with many tunnels

Organization¶

Descriptive Names: Use clear, descriptive tunnel names
Grouping: Use naming conventions for related tunnels
Documentation: Add meaningful descriptions
Regular Cleanup: Remove unused configurations

Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

"Connection Refused"¶

# Check SSH service
ssh -v user@hostname

# Verify port accessibility
telnet hostname 22

# Check firewall
# Linux: sudo ufw status
# Windows: Windows Defender Firewall settings

"Port Already in Use"¶

# Find process using port
netstat -tulpn | grep :8080  # Linux
netstat -ano | findstr :8080 # Windows

# Kill process if needed
kill -9 <PID>        # Linux
taskkill /PID <PID>  # Windows

"Permission Denied (publickey)"¶

# Check key permissions
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa

# Test SSH connection
ssh -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa user@hostname

# Check authorized_keys on server
cat ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

"Tunnel Established but Service Unreachable"¶

# Test from SSH server
ssh user@hostname
telnet remote_host remote_port

# Check tunnel status
netstat -an | grep local_port

Debug Mode¶

Enable detailed logging:

GUI Application
View → Show Debug Log
Higher verbosity in settings

Command Line

ssh-tunnel-manager --debug start tunnel_name

SSH Verbose Mode
Add -v, -vv, or -vvv to SSH commands for debugging

Next Steps¶

Managing Configurations - Organize your tunnels
SSH Key Management - Advanced key handling
RTSP Streaming - Video streaming specifics
Troubleshooting - Detailed problem solving

Creating SSH Tunnels¶

Understanding Tunnel Types¶

Local Port Forwarding¶

Remote Port Forwarding¶

Dynamic Port Forwarding (SOCKS Proxy)¶

Step-by-Step Tunnel Creation¶

Creating a Local Port Forward¶

Example: Accessing a Web Interface¶

Example: Database Connection¶

Creating a Remote Port Forward¶

Example: Sharing Local Development Server¶

Creating a Dynamic Port Forward (SOCKS Proxy)¶

Example: Browsing Through SSH Server¶

Advanced Configuration Options¶

SSH Key Authentication¶

Generating SSH Keys¶

Key Deployment¶

Auto-Start Configuration¶

Multiple Hops (Jump Servers)¶

RTSP Video Streaming¶

IP Camera Access¶

Common RTSP URLs¶

Configuration Import/Export¶

Exporting Configurations¶

Importing Configurations¶

Configuration Format¶

Best Practices¶

Security¶

Performance¶

Organization¶

Troubleshooting¶

Common Issues¶

"Connection Refused"¶

"Port Already in Use"¶

"Permission Denied (publickey)"¶

"Tunnel Established but Service Unreachable"¶

Debug Mode¶

Next Steps¶