10

So, I have setup an Apache server, and people tell me that I need to specify Listen :80 or put a virtual host in httpd.conf so that Apache allows traffic from my public IP.

My question is, how does it know my public IP? Apache is in my LAN within a router that performs NAT.

1
  • 10
    In short, the "people telling you" stuff have left out, or assumed some knowledge.
    – Criggie
    Apr 19, 2020 at 22:58

2 Answers 2

40

(Assuming the Apache server is not on a public IP) Apache does NOT know your public IP. The router would need to forward requests on to it and rewrite the destination.

12
  • Correct answer. In addition, a server program like Apache could get the router to forward requests to it using protocols such as UPnP, if the router is configured to listen to it. It's mostly meant for home usage, not enterprise though.
    – Jonathan
    Apr 19, 2020 at 11:47
  • 2
    @Jonathan well I live in an house not a Google datacenter so that works for me XD.
    – lpydawa
    Apr 19, 2020 at 13:47
  • @lpydawa Apache doesn't do UPnP. You will have to manually configure your router to port-forward port 80 (443 for https) to the internal ip-addres of you Apache server. And you will have to tell Apache (in its config files) to respond to your external ip-address, otherwise it will just ignore any http-request. The ip-address the browser thinks your server is located at (your external ip) is in the http request. Apache compares that to the ip-address it knows about in the config to see if it needs to respond to it. (This allows a single server to host multiple sites with different addresses.)
    – Tonny
    Apr 20, 2020 at 11:26
  • 2
    @Tonny the info you gave is not simplified, it's simply incorrect. Perhaps you're thinking of the Host header? Browsers do not send an IP address in HTTP requests, and no part of the server configuration will deal with the external IP address.
    – Jeremy
    Apr 20, 2020 at 14:34
  • 3
    @lpydawa Apache does not know or care about your external IP. The address translation performed by your router makes it irrelevant.
    – Jeremy
    Apr 20, 2020 at 16:33
3

The Apache IP has to be set in the apache config files. When information comes to your real IP addres, this information is re-routed to an internal IP addres and/ or port.

Example:

140.90.15.200 -> 192.168.1.100:80 -> Apache listens for information on this local IP address.

By default apache listens to some IP address and port 80.

You can use Apache with localhost, which means that you are using IP address 127.0.0.1:80.

You can configure Apache to listen to any IP and any port, but the default ones are already set in your config files.

Also your web browser by default uses port 80.

Here you can read more.

Additional information(20% relevance): A little bit about port pitfalls from the many years of experience repository. Different ports are accepted and treated by the OS and programs in different ways. For example a certain range of ports are accepted to be used by viruses and are blocked by the anti virus and/or operating system. If you use port 8080, it might be ok, but its good to test a range of ports in order to make sure that the problem does not come from that. Try 8080, 8081, then try with a big difference 9090, 9091.

4
  • 3
    Putting Apache on a non-standard port (80/8080) would probably require explicit forwarding from the router as well, correct?
    – Mast
    Apr 20, 2020 at 11:47
  • Port forwarding works in the following way, you can only port forward a PORT or PORT RANGE from your real IP address to the internal IP address. Example: your apache works on a predefined internal IP address and port, you need to select that all information from RealIPAddress:PORT goes to LocalIPAddress:PORT. The problem is that your browser will still be using port 80, and if something wants to connect through SiteName:PORTNot80, you will have to write in the address bar SiteName:PORTNot80. techrepublic.com/blog/diy-it-guy/…
    – CFCBazar
    Apr 21, 2020 at 18:59
  • You have to forward RealPAddress:PORT80 to LocalIPAddress:PORTNot80 youtube.com/watch?v=92b-jjBURkw
    – CFCBazar
    Apr 21, 2020 at 18:59
  • All internal IP addresses require explicit router forwarding. Meaning go to your router and set realIP:port to forward to localIP:port. If there is a request to the real IP, s port it will go to the local IP you specified.
    – CFCBazar
    Jun 6, 2023 at 5:11

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .