Remote Access¶

Access your DataSci Homelab from anywhere using Cloudflare Tunnel.

Overview¶

Cloudflare Tunnel creates a secure connection between your homelab and Cloudflare's network, allowing you to access RStudio and JupyterLab from anywhere without:

• Opening ports on your router
• Setting up dynamic DNS
• Managing SSL certificates
• Exposing your home IP address

Prerequisites¶

• A domain name (can be free from Cloudflare)
• A Cloudflare account (free tier works)
• cloudflared CLI installed locally

Setup Guide¶

Step 1: Install cloudflared¶

brew install cloudflared

# Debian/Ubuntu
curl -L https://github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared/releases/latest/download/cloudflared-linux-amd64.deb -o cloudflared.deb
sudo dpkg -i cloudflared.deb

# Or download binary directly
curl -L https://github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared/releases/latest/download/cloudflared-linux-amd64 -o cloudflared
chmod +x cloudflared
sudo mv cloudflared /usr/local/bin/

Step 2: Authenticate with Cloudflare¶

cloudflared tunnel login

This opens a browser window. Select the domain you want to use.

Step 3: Create a Tunnel¶

cloudflared tunnel create datasci-homelab

This outputs a tunnel ID and creates a credentials file at:

~/.cloudflared/<tunnel-id>.json

Save the tunnel ID — you'll need it.

Step 4: Configure DNS¶

# Create DNS record for RStudio
cloudflared tunnel route dns datasci-homelab rstudio.yourdomain.com

# Create DNS record for Jupyter
cloudflared tunnel route dns datasci-homelab jupyter.yourdomain.com

Step 5: Create Configuration¶

Create ~/.cloudflared/config.yml:

tunnel: <your-tunnel-id>
credentials-file: /Users/yourname/.cloudflared/<tunnel-id>.json

ingress:
  - hostname: rstudio.yourdomain.com
    service: http://localhost:8787
  - hostname: jupyter.yourdomain.com
    service: http://localhost:8888
  - service: http_status:404

Step 6: Start the Tunnel¶

cloudflared tunnel run datasci-homelab

Step 7: Access Remotely¶

Open in any browser:

• https://rstudio.yourdomain.com
• https://jupyter.yourdomain.com

Running as a Service¶

macOS (launchd)¶

sudo cloudflared service install
sudo launchctl start com.cloudflare.cloudflared

Linux (systemd)¶

sudo cloudflared service install
sudo systemctl enable cloudflared
sudo systemctl start cloudflared

Now the tunnel starts automatically on boot.

Security Considerations¶

Authentication¶

Always set strong passwords:

# .env
RSTUDIO_PASSWORD=very-long-secure-password-here
JUPYTER_TOKEN=another-very-long-secure-token

Cloudflare Access (Recommended)¶

Add an extra authentication layer via Cloudflare Access:

1. Go to Cloudflare Zero Trust dashboard
2. Create an Access Application
3. Add your domain patterns:
4. rstudio.yourdomain.com
5. jupyter.yourdomain.com
6. Configure authentication:
7. Email OTP (free)
8. Google/GitHub OAuth
9. Or other identity providers

This adds a login page before users even reach RStudio/Jupyter.

IP Restrictions¶

In Cloudflare Access, you can restrict access to:

• Specific countries
• IP ranges
• Only authenticated users

Troubleshooting¶

Tunnel Not Connecting¶

# Check tunnel status
cloudflared tunnel list
cloudflared tunnel info datasci-homelab

# Test locally first
curl http://localhost:8787
curl http://localhost:8888

502 Bad Gateway¶

The service isn't running or accessible:

# Verify container is running
docker-compose ps

# Check services are listening
docker-compose exec homelab curl http://localhost:8787

Certificate Errors¶

Cloudflare handles SSL automatically. If you see cert errors:

1. Wait a few minutes for DNS propagation
2. Clear browser cache
3. Try incognito mode

DNS Not Resolving¶

# Check DNS records
dig rstudio.yourdomain.com

# Verify route exists
cloudflared tunnel route list

Alternative: SSH Tunneling¶

If you can't use Cloudflare Tunnel:

From Remote Machine¶

# Forward RStudio
ssh -L 8787:localhost:8787 user@your-server

# Forward both
ssh -L 8787:localhost:8787 -L 8888:localhost:8888 user@your-server

Then access http://localhost:8787 on your local machine.

Persistent SSH Tunnel¶

Use autossh:

autossh -M 0 -f -N -L 8787:localhost:8787 user@your-server

Alternative: Tailscale¶

Tailscale is another excellent option:

1. Install Tailscale on your server
2. Install Tailscale on your devices
3. Access via Tailscale IP: http://100.x.x.x:8787

Benefits:

• No domain required
• Zero configuration
• Works behind NAT
• Free for personal use

Mobile Access¶

Both RStudio Server and JupyterLab work on mobile browsers:

• iPad: Full functionality
• iPhone/Android: Works but cramped

For the best mobile experience:

1. Use a tablet
2. Enable authentication
3. Consider Cloudflare Access for extra security

Multi-User Access¶

If multiple people need access:

Option 1: Shared Credentials¶

Everyone uses the same username/password. Simple but no isolation.

Option 2: Multiple Containers¶

Run separate containers for each user:

# docker-compose-user1.yml
services:
  homelab-user1:
    ports:
      - "8787:8787"
      - "8888:8888"
    environment:
      - RSTUDIO_USER=user1

Option 3: RStudio Server Pro / JupyterHub¶

For true multi-user with isolation, consider:

• RStudio Server Pro (paid)
• JupyterHub (free, but more complex)

Bandwidth Considerations¶

Data science workflows can transfer significant data:

For remote access over slow connections:

• Work with sampled data remotely
• Download full results rather than streaming
• Consider running heavy jobs locally and accessing results remotely