How to set up remote dynamic port forwarding?

[seidnerj]

I want to share my iPhone’s VPN connection with a target device X. This cannot be done directly. What I would typically do in such scenario is connect from the iPhone to device X (they are in close vicinity and in the same network) using SSH and use remote dynamic port forwarding, e.g.

“ssh -D 1080 -R 1080:localhost:1080 user@DeviceX”

Where the remote port 1080 (on Device X) becomes a where proxy that’s actually serviced by the SSH client on your iPhone.

So:
• I open an SSH connection from iPhone → Device X.
• I tell SSH: “bind a SOCKS proxy on Device X, but send all that traffic through this SSH connection, and out via my iPhone.”
• Result: Device X gets a local SOCKS5 port that routes traffic → SSH tunnel → iPhone → iPhone’s VPN → Internet.

However, it seems WebSSH only supports Local Port Forwarding and Dynamic Port Forwarding, but not Remote Dynamic Port Forwarding (as far as I’ve seen in the docs/UI).

Did I miss this somewhere? Is remote dynamic port forwarding supported by WebSSH or not? If yes - then how can it be set up, if not - could support for it be added?

[isontheline]

Hey @seidnerj 👋

Unfortunately you are right : WebSSH doesn't support the third option (Remote Port Forwarding)

I'm sorry 😞

[seidnerj]

No worries 🙂🙏 just wanted to know if I am missing something.

[jlinkohr]

ok, that explains why I could not find the option to do X11-forwarding... using MacOS console's ssh with -X didi it, but I tought I have overseen some features. Is there no plan to implement remote port forwarding?

[jlinkohr]

seems to match with #891

[isontheline]

Hey @jlinkohr 👋

Yes should match against #891

Is there no plan to implement remote port forwarding?

Unfortunately no sorry, only Local Port Forwarding : https://webssh.net/documentation/help/networking/port-forwarding/

[seidnerj]

@isontheline out of curiosity, is the reason this is not available because it is not possible/difficult technically or just that it was never implemented for whatever other reason?

[seidnerj]

Got it, cool - thanks for the explanation!

[jlinkohr]

ok, understood. I can live with that and if I need it spawn a ssh Session in terminal with -X/Y. @isontheline Keep focusing on the main necessary features of this great tool !
What I really like is the integrated credential management. What cam just into my mind (maybe dumb idea) : If it is heavy to implement the remote port forwardind but there is something available in the "standard" that does the job - why not add a section like "shell jobs", where you can configure your secretes etc in WebSSH and then pass the secrets to a self-configured command in the shell? like in GH actions. This would enable to start in my case the remote port forwarding in a extra ssh session but will turn WebSSH into a local administration control center (you can rund restic and all the other stuff also from there :)
As said maybe a stupid idea because there are other tools that can also do the job. Maybe not, then I will raise a feature request :)

[seidnerj]

@isontheline what is the underlying library engine? If it is open source, we might be able to help by implementing support there.

[isontheline]

@seidnerj Closed source unfortunately.
I need to find time to jump on libssh2.

[seidnerj]

Ah, too bad. K, no worries!