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4: Traefik - Reverse Proxy (essential)

Now that your infrastructure is ready, it's time to install Traefik - the most important service you'll set up. Traefik handles secure connections and routing for all your other applications.

What is Traefik? (Simple Explanation)

Traefik is like a smart traffic director for your server. Think of it as a receptionist at a large office building who:

  • Greets visitors (web traffic) at the front door
  • Checks their ID (verifies security certificates)
  • Directs them to the right office (routes traffic to the correct application)
  • Makes sure they use the secure elevator (forces HTTPS)

Why Traefik is essential:

  • ✅ Automatic SSL certificates - Makes your websites secure (HTTPS)
  • ✅ Domain routing - Directs traffic to the right application
  • ✅ Security - Protects your applications from direct internet access
  • ✅ Required by other apps - Most Infinity Tools applications need Traefik

Why Install Traefik First?

Traefik should be installed before any other application because:

  • Other apps depend on it - Many applications will ask if you want to use Traefik
  • SSL certificates - It handles secure connections for all your services
  • Domain management - It routes traffic based on your domain names
  • Security foundation - It provides a secure gateway to your applications

Without Traefik: You'd have to manually configure SSL certificates and routing for each application - a complex and time-consuming process.

What You'll Need

Before installing Traefik, make sure you have:

  • ✅ Docker installed (from Chapter 3)
  • ✅ Docker network set up (from Chapter 3)
  • ✅ A domain name (optional but recommended)
  • ✅ An email address (for SSL certificate notifications)

About Domain Names

What is a domain name? It's like your website's address (e.g., mywebsite.com).

Why you need one: Traefik uses your domain name to create SSL certificates and route traffic. Without one, you can still use Traefik, but you'll get security warnings in your browser.

Examples of domain names:

  • myinfinitytools.com
  • myserver.example.com
  • home.mydomain.net

Don't have a domain? That's okay! You can still install Traefik and add a domain later, or use your server's IP address directly.

Step 1: Start Infinity Tools

Make sure you're connected to your server via SSH, then start Infinity Tools:

sudo infinity-tools

Step 2: Navigate to Traefik Installation

In the Infinity Tools menu, you'll see several sections. Look for:

  • 🔐 SECURITY & NETWORKING - This is where Traefik is located

Use your arrow keys to navigate to this section and press Enter.

Using the Infinity Tools GUI

The Infinity Tools interface makes everything easy to find and use:

  • ✅ Color-coded sections - Each category has its own color
  • ✅ Clear descriptions - Hover over options to see what they do
  • ✅ Status indicators - Shows if services are running or stopped
  • ✅ Progress bars - Shows installation progress in real-time

Look for the turquoise cursor - it shows exactly what you're about to select!

Step 3: Install Traefik

In the Security & Networking menu, you'll see:

  • Install Traefik - This is what you want

Select "Install Traefik" and press Enter.

What Happens During Installation

Traefik installation will:

  • Create a configuration file
  • Set up SSL certificate management
  • Create a Docker container
  • Configure the reverse proxy
  • Start the service

This usually takes 1-2 minutes.

Step 4: Configure Traefik

During installation, you'll be asked a few questions:

Email Address for SSL Certificates

You'll see a prompt like:

Enter email address for SSL certificates:
[admin@example.com]

What to enter: Use a valid email address you check regularly. This is used for SSL certificate notifications and warnings.

Examples:

  • admin@myinfinitytools.com
  • your-email@gmail.com
  • notifications@yourdomain.com

Domain Name (Optional)

If you have a domain name, you'll be asked:

Enter your domain name (or press Enter to skip):
[myinfinitytools.com]

If you have a domain: Enter it here (e.g., myinfinitytools.com)

If you don't have a domain: Press Enter to skip - you can add this later

IPv6 Configuration

You might be asked about IPv6 support:

Do you want to enable IPv6 support?
Y) Yes - Enable both IPv4 and IPv6
N) No - IPv4 only (recommended for beginners)

For beginners: Choose "N" (No) - IPv4 only is simpler and works fine for most use cases.

Step 5: Wait for Installation

After answering the questions, Traefik will install and start. You'll see messages like:

📦 Installing Traefik...
🔧 Creating configuration...
🌐 Starting Traefik container...
✅ Traefik installed successfully!

Step 6: Verify Traefik is Working

After installation completes, let's make sure Traefik is running properly.

Check Traefik Status

In the Infinity Tools menu, go to:

  • 📊 STATUS & HEALTH → STATUS

You should see Traefik listed as "RUNNING" or "ACTIVE".

Using the Status Dashboard

The Status & Health section gives you a complete overview of your system:

  • ✅ Service Status - Shows which applications are running
  • ✅ System Health - CPU, memory, and disk usage
  • ✅ Docker Info - All your containers and their status
  • ✅ Network Status - Shows your Docker networks

Look for the green checkmarks - they indicate everything is working properly!

Check Docker Containers

You can also check by going to:

  • 📊 STATUS & HEALTH → DOCKER INFO

Look for a container named "traefik" - it should be running.

Understanding the Docker Info Screen

The Docker Info section shows you:

  • 🐳 Container Name - What the container is called
  • 📊 Status - Running, stopped, or restarting
  • 🌐 Ports - Which ports the container is using
  • 💾 Memory Usage - How much RAM it's using

Green status means everything is working! Red or yellow means there might be an issue.

Step 7: Understanding What Was Created

Traefik installation creates several important files and configurations:

Configuration Files

Traefik stores its configuration in:

  • /opt/speedbits/traefik/traefik.yml - Main configuration
  • /opt/speedbits/traefik/docker-compose.yml - Docker setup

SSL Certificates

SSL certificates are stored in:

  • /opt/speedbits/traefik/letsencrypt/ - Let's Encrypt certificates

Docker Container

Traefik runs as a Docker container that:

  • Listens on ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS)
  • Automatically redirects HTTP to HTTPS
  • Manages SSL certificates
  • Routes traffic to your applications

Step 8: Test Traefik (If You Have a Domain)

If you configured a domain name, you can test Traefik by visiting your domain in a web browser.

What You Should See

When you visit your domain, you should see:

  • A secure connection (HTTPS) - look for the lock icon in your browser
  • Either a "404 Not Found" page (normal - no apps installed yet) or a Traefik dashboard

If You Don't Have a Domain

You can still test Traefik by visiting your server's IP address:

  • Visit http://YOUR_SERVER_IP in your browser
  • It should redirect to https://YOUR_SERVER_IP
  • You'll see a security warning (normal without a domain)

What's Next?

Congratulations! You now have Traefik installed and running. This means:

  • ✅ SSL certificates are automatically managed
  • ✅ Secure connections are enforced
  • ✅ Domain routing is ready
  • ✅ Other applications can now be installed

Ready for Applications

Now you can install any of the applications in Infinity Tools:

  • WordPress - For websites and blogs
  • Vaultwarden - For password management
  • Nextcloud - For file storage and sharing
  • And many more!

When you install these applications, they'll automatically work with Traefik to provide secure, domain-based access.

Troubleshooting

Traefik Won't Start

If Traefik fails to start:

  • Check that Docker is running: sudo systemctl status docker
  • Check Docker logs: docker logs traefik
  • Verify the configuration: cat /opt/speedbits/traefik/traefik.yml
  • Try restarting: docker restart traefik

SSL Certificate Issues

If SSL certificates aren't working:

  • Make sure your domain points to your server's IP address
  • Check that ports 80 and 443 are open
  • Wait a few minutes for certificates to be issued
  • Check Traefik logs: docker logs traefik | grep -i acme

Can't Access Traefik

If you can't access Traefik:

  • Check that Traefik is running: docker ps | grep traefik
  • Verify ports are open: sudo ss -tulnp | grep :80
  • Check firewall settings
  • Try accessing via IP address instead of domain

Quick Reference

Check Traefik status:

docker ps | grep traefik

View Traefik logs:

docker logs traefik

Restart Traefik:

docker restart traefik

Check SSL certificates:

ls -la /opt/speedbits/traefik/letsencrypt/

You're Ready!

Traefik is now installed and running! This is the foundation that makes all your other applications work securely and efficiently.

What you accomplished:

  • ✅ Installed and configured Traefik
  • ✅ Set up automatic SSL certificate management
  • ✅ Created a secure gateway for your applications
  • ✅ Prepared your system for other applications

Next step: You can now install any application from the Infinity Tools menu. Each application will automatically work with Traefik to provide secure, domain-based access.

What You Learned

  • Traefik - A reverse proxy that handles SSL and routing
  • SSL Certificates - Automatic security certificates for your domains
  • Domain Routing - How traffic is directed to the right application
  • Infrastructure Foundation - The base layer that supports all other services

You now have a solid foundation for running secure, professional applications on your server!

Next: Installing Your First Application (Coming Soon)

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