How to redirect 'http://my-domain.com:8080' to 'https://my-domain.com'? using nginx

Bayzed · 17 July 2020 13:24

I have already set the domain https://my-domain.com/ up correctly, this already works with nginx. Now I am trying to get rid of the default http://my-domain.com:8080 URL by trying to redirect it to https://my-domain.com/.

Is there a way to achieve this?

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 06:51

If you have set-up nginx as a reverse proxy this should be an easy task by modifying your proxy_pass directive. Check: https://www.linode.com/docs/web-servers/nginx/use-nginx-reverse-proxy/

Bayzed · 17 July 2020 13:23

Dear Jaime.bosque,
Thanks for your response, It is not clear to me what should I modify, my site can be visible with the port. And I want to redirect http://domain.com:8080 to https://domain.com. When I simply write domain.com it redirects me to https://domain.com but when I write http://domain.com:8080 then the site can be visible at http://domain.com:8080/

I have gone through the link you provided but not served.
Would you please explain me more.

Best Wishes…

Bayzed · 17 July 2020 13:34

server {
listen 80;
server_name my-domain.com www.my-domain.com;
return 301 https://my-domain.com$request_uri;
}

#HTTPS server

server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name my-domain.com www.my-domain.com;
client_max_body_size 10M;

ssl                  on;
ssl_certificate      server.crt;
ssl_certificate_key  server.key;

ssl_session_cache    shared:SSL:20m;
ssl_session_timeout  10m;

ssl_protocols              TLSv1 TLSv1.1 TLSv1.2;
ssl_ciphers                RC4:HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers  on;

# Proxy pass to servlet container

location / {
  proxy_pass                http://my-domain.com:8080/;
  proxy_redirect            false;
  proxy_set_header          Host               $host;
  proxy_set_header          X-Real-IP          $remote_addr;
  proxy_set_header          X-Forwarded-For    $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
  proxy_set_header          X-Forwarded-Proto  https;
  proxy_buffer_size         128k;
  proxy_buffers             8 128k;
  proxy_busy_buffers_size   256k;
  proxy_cookie_path         ~*^/(.*) "/$1; SameSite=Lax";
}

}

For more clarification please… That is what I have used, but still the site can be reached at http://my-domain.com:8080/ and not redirecting it to https://my-domain.com

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 06:51

Hi @Bayzed.

Sorry, I missed the HTTPS thing. Actually what you need to do is two things (if I understood correctly your message):

Redirect from yourdomain.com:8080 to yourdomain.com (without the 8080)
Redirect your connections from a non secured connection to a secured connection, that is the HTTP -> HTTPS

You will need to forward your connections from HTTP to HTTPS, this means that when someone reaches http://yourdomain.com (by default this means using the port 80) they are redirected to https://yourdomain.com (which would be the same as typing http://yourdomain.com:443). This step can be achieved with a rewrite rule on your nginx (there are other ways, but let’s leave it there as it is the default and recommended).

For the second thing you need to have a valid SSL certificate, you can either buy one or use the free service by LetsEncrypt. For any of these you will need to have a valid domain name that is the one you will be using (here you are talking the whole time about domain.com so I assume you already have this). Then the last thing will be telling nginx to act as a reverse proxy, so it forwards the connections to the tomcat server, this is achieved via the proxy_pass.

I hope this helps. You can also check the official documentation where these steps are pretty well explained: https://docs.dhis2.org/2.34/en/dhis2_system_administration_guide/installation.html#enabling-ssl-with-nginx

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 06:54

Dear Jaime,
I have another problem after enabling ssl.
When I try to login to android tracker capture app, I have found following error:-

“error: java.security.cert.certpathvalidatorexception: trust anchor for certification path not found”

What should I do to fix this?

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 07:29

When you log in with a browser, do you see a certificate?

If yes, are you sure you are putting in the URL of the Android. https://your-domain?

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 07:58

Dear Jaime,
Yes I can see the certificate on web browser. Its working fine on browser. And I also put the url correctly to the android app.
I can access with the port no like “http://domain.com:8080/” but if i use “https://domain.com” then it gives me this error.

Thanks for your early and nice cooperation.

Regards…

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 08:09

Another information may help: I am using self signed certificate. Is it ok to use self signed certificate?

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 08:17

Sorry, just to understand:
Accessing http://domain.com:8080 works in Android and browser?
Accessing https://domain.com works only in browser?

Does it happen a redirection when you access http://domain.com:8080 towards https://domain.com?

Yes, it is ok to use self signed certificates. This shouldn’t impact in any case.

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 08:44

Thanks again for your replay:-

Yes http://domain.com:8080 works in Android and browser.
Yes https://domain.com works only in browser, android showing that error.
http://domain.com:8080 towards https://domain.com redirection not happening
For this I have used the following lines:
server {
listen 80;
rewrite ^ https://domain.com$request_uri? permanent;
}

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 09:11

Have you also modified the server.xml according to the documentation?

https://docs.dhis2.org/2.34/en/dhis2_system_administration_guide/installation.html#enabling-ssl-with-nginx

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 09:23

Yeah thanks…
I have added this two lines:
Connector address=“3.101.101.106” protocol=“HTTP/1.1”
Connector scheme=“https” proxyPort=“443”
Any other thing that I miss?

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 09:26

Uhmmmm, I am just reviewing the whole thread. I think I missed something, sorry… can you paste your current nginx.conf??

Because I think that your redirection (proxy_pass) should point to http://localhost:8080 which is your tomcat server address. Note that is localhost and not the URL.

Please, check.

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 09:31

Sure…
http {

NB: Enable caching use command just below, remove hash

proxy_cache_path /var/cache/nginx levels=1:2 keys_zone=dhis:250m inactive=1d;

gzip on; # Enables compression, incl Web API content-types
gzip_types
“application/json;charset=utf-8” application/json
“application/javascript;charset=utf-8” application/javascript text/javascript
“application/xml;charset=utf-8” application/xml text/xml
“text/css;charset=utf-8” text/css
“text/plain;charset=utf-8” text/plain;

HTTP server - rewrite to force use of SSL

server {
listen 80;
rewrite ^ https://domain.com$request_uri? permanent;
}

HTTPS server

server {
listen 443 ssl;
client_max_body_size 10M;

ssl                  on;
ssl_certificate      server.crt;
ssl_certificate_key  server.key;

ssl_session_cache    shared:SSL:20m;
ssl_session_timeout  10m;

ssl_protocols              TLSv1 TLSv1.1 TLSv1.2;
ssl_ciphers                RC4:HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;
ssl_prefer_server_ciphers  on;

# Proxy pass to servlet container

location / {
  proxy_pass                http://domain.com:8080/;
  proxy_redirect            off;
  proxy_set_header          Host               $host;
  proxy_set_header          X-Real-IP          $remote_addr;
  proxy_set_header          X-Forwarded-For    $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
  proxy_set_header          X-Forwarded-Proto  https;
  proxy_buffer_size         128k;
  proxy_buffers             8 128k;
  proxy_busy_buffers_size   256k;
  proxy_cookie_path         ~*^/(.*) "/$1; SameSite=Lax";
}

}
}

Do I need to use IP (3.101.101.106) in the place of local host?

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 09:32

No, use localhost, look at the one in the documentation.

Strictly speaking you could use the IP but doesn’t make sense.

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 09:38

So you mean if I remain or write http://localhost.com:8080/ will be ok

jaime.bosque · 22 July 2020 09:55

I believe so

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 10:05

Thanks again…
I have changed it to localhost. But still its showing same error on android.

Your suggestion please…

Bayzed · 22 July 2020 10:10

I found one post inside github, but I don’t understand what it is actually, here is the link: