|
| 1 | +# Manual RPC Connection Guide |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +Connect VerusIDX to a Verus daemon running on another computer. |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +--- |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +## Quick Start |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +### 1. Find Your Daemon's Information |
| 10 | + |
| 11 | +**On the computer running Verus daemon:** |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +#### macOS |
| 14 | +```bash |
| 15 | +# Get IP address |
| 16 | +ifconfig | grep "inet " | grep -v 127.0.0.1 |
| 17 | +``` |
| 18 | +Look for IP starting with `192.168.` or `10.0.` |
| 19 | + |
| 20 | +**Config location:** `~/Library/Application Support/Komodo/vrsctest/vrsctest.conf` |
| 21 | + |
| 22 | +#### Windows |
| 23 | +1. Settings → Network & Internet → Properties |
| 24 | +2. Find **IPv4 Address** (e.g., `192.168.1.105`) |
| 25 | + |
| 26 | +**Config location:** `C:\Users\YourUsername\AppData\Roaming\Komodo\vrsctest\vrsctest.conf` |
| 27 | + |
| 28 | +#### Linux |
| 29 | +```bash |
| 30 | +# Get IP address |
| 31 | +ip addr show | grep "inet " |
| 32 | +``` |
| 33 | +Look for IP starting with `192.168.` or `10.0.` |
| 34 | + |
| 35 | +**Config location:** `~/.komodo/vrsctest/vrsctest.conf` |
| 36 | + |
| 37 | +--- |
| 38 | + |
| 39 | +### 2. Configure Daemon for Remote Access |
| 40 | + |
| 41 | +**Edit the config file** (vrsctest.conf or VRSC.conf): |
| 42 | + |
| 43 | +``` |
| 44 | +rpchost=0.0.0.0 |
| 45 | +rpcallowip=0.0.0.0/0 |
| 46 | +rpcuser=your_username |
| 47 | +rpcpassword=your_password |
| 48 | +rpcport=18843 |
| 49 | +``` |
| 50 | + |
| 51 | +**Restart the daemon** after saving changes. |
| 52 | + |
| 53 | +--- |
| 54 | + |
| 55 | +### 3. Open Firewall Port |
| 56 | + |
| 57 | +#### macOS |
| 58 | +System Settings → Network → Firewall → Options → Add port 18843 |
| 59 | + |
| 60 | +#### Windows |
| 61 | +1. Start → "Windows Defender Firewall" → Advanced Settings |
| 62 | +2. Inbound Rules → New Rule → Port |
| 63 | +3. TCP, port `18843` → Allow the connection |
| 64 | +4. Check: Domain, Private, Public → Name: "Verus RPC" |
| 65 | + |
| 66 | +**Network profile:** Settings → Network → Set to **Private** (not Public) |
| 67 | + |
| 68 | +#### Linux (Ubuntu/Debian) |
| 69 | +```bash |
| 70 | +sudo ufw allow 18843/tcp |
| 71 | +``` |
| 72 | + |
| 73 | +--- |
| 74 | + |
| 75 | +### 4. Connect in VerusIDX |
| 76 | + |
| 77 | +On the computer running VerusIDX: |
| 78 | + |
| 79 | +1. Launch app → Show manual connection |
| 80 | +2. Enter: |
| 81 | + - **Host:** Daemon computer's IP (e.g., `192.168.1.105`) |
| 82 | + - **Port:** `18843` (testnet) or `27486` (mainnet) |
| 83 | + - **Username:** Value after `rpcuser=` in config |
| 84 | + - **Password:** Value after `rpcpassword=` in config |
| 85 | +3. Click "Connect Remotely" |
| 86 | + |
| 87 | +--- |
| 88 | + |
| 89 | +## Security Considerations |
| 90 | + |
| 91 | +### ⚠️ Important Security Notes |
| 92 | + |
| 93 | +**Unencrypted Connection:** |
| 94 | +- Manual RPC uses HTTP (not HTTPS) |
| 95 | +- Credentials and data sent in **plain text** |
| 96 | +- Anyone on the same network can intercept traffic |
| 97 | + |
| 98 | +**Safe Use Cases:** |
| 99 | +- ✅ Same trusted home network |
| 100 | +- ✅ Through SSH tunnel (see below) |
| 101 | +- ✅ Through VPN |
| 102 | +- ❌ Public Wi-Fi / untrusted networks |
| 103 | + |
| 104 | +### Remote Warning |
| 105 | + |
| 106 | +When connecting to a non-localhost daemon, the app will show a security warning. Only proceed if: |
| 107 | +- You own both computers |
| 108 | +- You're on a trusted private network |
| 109 | +- You're using an SSH tunnel or VPN |
| 110 | + |
| 111 | +--- |
| 112 | + |
| 113 | +## Advanced: SSH Tunnel (Encrypted) |
| 114 | + |
| 115 | +For maximum security, use an SSH tunnel to encrypt all RPC traffic. |
| 116 | + |
| 117 | +### Setup |
| 118 | + |
| 119 | +#### 1. Enable SSH Server (Daemon Computer) |
| 120 | + |
| 121 | +**macOS:** |
| 122 | +System Settings → Sharing → Enable "Remote Login" |
| 123 | + |
| 124 | +**Windows:** |
| 125 | +Settings → Apps → Optional Features → Add "OpenSSH Server" |
| 126 | +Services → Start "OpenSSH SSH Server" |
| 127 | + |
| 128 | +**Linux:** |
| 129 | +```bash |
| 130 | +sudo apt install openssh-server |
| 131 | +sudo systemctl start ssh |
| 132 | +``` |
| 133 | + |
| 134 | +#### 2. Create Tunnel (VerusIDX Computer) |
| 135 | + |
| 136 | +**macOS/Linux:** |
| 137 | +```bash |
| 138 | +ssh -L 18843:localhost:18843 username@daemon-ip-address |
| 139 | +``` |
| 140 | + |
| 141 | +**Windows PowerShell:** |
| 142 | +```powershell |
| 143 | +ssh -L 18843:localhost:18843 username@daemon-ip-address |
| 144 | +``` |
| 145 | + |
| 146 | +Replace: |
| 147 | +- `username` = Your account name on daemon computer |
| 148 | +- `daemon-ip-address` = Daemon's IP (e.g., `192.168.1.105`) |
| 149 | + |
| 150 | +**Keep terminal window open while using VerusIDX** |
| 151 | + |
| 152 | +#### 3. Connect in App |
| 153 | + |
| 154 | +- **Host:** `127.0.0.1` (localhost - traffic goes through encrypted tunnel) |
| 155 | +- **Port:** `18843` |
| 156 | +- **Username/Password:** From Verus config |
| 157 | + |
| 158 | +--- |
| 159 | + |
| 160 | +## Troubleshooting |
| 161 | + |
| 162 | +### "Connection test failed" |
| 163 | + |
| 164 | +**Check daemon is running:** |
| 165 | +```bash |
| 166 | +# macOS/Linux |
| 167 | +ps aux | grep verus |
| 168 | + |
| 169 | +# Windows PowerShell |
| 170 | +Get-Process | Select-String verus |
| 171 | +``` |
| 172 | + |
| 173 | +**Test RPC manually:** |
| 174 | +```bash |
| 175 | +curl -u username:password --data-binary '{"jsonrpc":"1.0","method":"getinfo","params":[]}' http://daemon-ip:18843 |
| 176 | +``` |
| 177 | + |
| 178 | +**Common issues:** |
| 179 | +- Firewall blocking port 18843 |
| 180 | +- `rpchost` still set to `127.0.0.1` (change to `0.0.0.0`) |
| 181 | +- Wrong IP address (use `ipconfig`/`ifconfig` to verify) |
| 182 | +- Daemon not restarted after config changes |
| 183 | + |
| 184 | +### "Daemon offline or unreachable" |
| 185 | + |
| 186 | +**Verify port is open:** |
| 187 | +```bash |
| 188 | +# macOS/Linux |
| 189 | +nc -zv daemon-ip 18843 |
| 190 | + |
| 191 | +# Windows PowerShell |
| 192 | +Test-NetConnection -ComputerName daemon-ip -Port 18843 |
| 193 | +``` |
| 194 | + |
| 195 | +If this fails, firewall is blocking the connection. |
| 196 | + |
| 197 | +--- |
| 198 | + |
| 199 | +## Best Practices |
| 200 | + |
| 201 | +1. **Use strong passwords** in RPC config |
| 202 | +2. **Don't remember credentials** for remote connections unless it's your own server |
| 203 | +3. **Use SSH tunnel** when connecting over internet or untrusted networks |
| 204 | +4. **Set network to Private** on Windows (not Public) |
| 205 | +5. **Restart daemon** after any config changes |
| 206 | +6. **Close port 18843** in firewall when not in use for added security |
| 207 | + |
| 208 | +--- |
| 209 | + |
| 210 | +## FAQ |
| 211 | + |
| 212 | +**Q: Can I connect over the internet?** |
| 213 | +A: Yes, but you **must** use an SSH tunnel or VPN. Never expose RPC directly to the internet. |
| 214 | + |
| 215 | +**Q: What's the difference between localhost and remote?** |
| 216 | +A: Localhost (`127.0.0.1`) connects to daemon on same computer. Remote connects to different computer using its IP address. |
| 217 | + |
| 218 | +**Q: Do I need to open ports for localhost connections?** |
| 219 | +A: No, firewall rules only apply to remote connections. |
| 220 | + |
| 221 | +**Q: Can multiple VerusIDX instances connect to one daemon?** |
| 222 | +A: Yes, one daemon can handle multiple RPC connections simultaneously. |
| 223 | + |
| 224 | +**Q: Why does the app say "Connect Remotely" even for localhost?** |
| 225 | +A: The manual connection form handles both local and remote connections. Button text is simplified for clarity. |
| 226 | + |
| 227 | +--- |
| 228 | + |
| 229 | +## Support |
| 230 | + |
| 231 | +For issues or questions: |
| 232 | +- GitHub: https://github.com/VerusCoin/verusidx/issues |
| 233 | +- Discord: Verus Community |
| 234 | + |
| 235 | +**Remember:** Manual connection with proper security (SSH tunnel or trusted private network) enables powerful remote access to your Verus daemon! |
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