How to Expose a Server to the Internet ​

Manually exposing a server to the internet on a custom domain is more daunting that it sounds.

Option A: Expose to the internet ​

This option uses a reverse proxy with authentications and is generally only as secure as your password. Though you can setup 2FA as well (there are even self-hosted options!)

Checklist

• [ ] Port forwarding on router (80 for HTTP, and 443 for HTTPS)
• [ ] A reverse proxy to route traffic to your service(s)
• [ ] A DNS entry of type A that points to your ISP provided IPv4 address
• [ ] A server running your host machine

Option B: Expose to your VPN devices ​

This option only exposes your home server to devices connected over your VPN network. Tools like Tailscale are a great option for this sort of setup.

Resources ​

• Let's Encrypt, Nginx & Reverse Proxy Starter Guide