Using a VPN container and then routing other containers through it

VPN
1

Wonder if someone can help me with this. I think I am set, but just want to check in case something isnt right.

I have my VPN set up through a container:

services:
  gluetun:
    image: qmcgaw/gluetun
    container_name: vpn-unlimited
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    environment:
      - VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER=vpn unlimited
      - OPENVPN_USER=PASSWORD
      - OPENVPN_PASSWORD=USERNAME
      - SERVER_COUNTRIES=France
    volumes:
      - ./gluetun:/gluetun
    ports:
      - 9696:9696
      - 9091:9091
      - 51413:51413
      - 51413:51413/udp

The top port is prowlarr, the bottom 3 are transmission:

Prowlarr

services:
  prowlarr:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/prowlarr:latest
    container_name: prowlarr
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=Europe/London
    network_mode: container:vpn-unlimited
    volumes:
      - /home/pi/docker/prowlarr/data:/config
    restart: unless-stopped

Transmission

services:
  transmission:
    image: lscr.io/linuxserver/transmission:latest
    container_name: transmission
    environment:
      - PUID=1000
      - PGID=1000
      - TZ=Europe/London
      - USER=USERNAME
      - PASS=PASSWORD
    network_mode: container:vpn-unlimited
    volumes:
      - /home/pi/docker/transmission/data:/config
      - /home/pi/nas/Downloads to move:/downloads
    restart: unless-stopped

This seems to work, I can browse to the GUI for Prowlarr and Transmission, and indexers all have green ticks.

​

Just want a sanity check really, as i have cobbled this together from various resources using this as my base point https://github.com/qdm12/gluetun

Thanks in advance

2

Looks decent. Something I’ve added to mine is a require:vpn-container (can’t remember the exact syntax offhand) added to the non-vpn containers. It ensures that they won’t start up unless the vpn container is successfully running. Helps prevent leaks.

Edit: looks like it’s depends_on

3

You can also check the external IP of your container with something like this:

docker exec -it transmission curl https://ipv4.ipleak.net/json/
4

Looks good to me. If you want to check your IP from a torrent perspective, check out TorGuard. It is a magnet torrent that shows your IP. Leave it running all the time to constantly have an eye on your IP.

https://torguard.net/checkmytorrentipaddress.php

5

Run a browser with novnc or guacamole behind the VPN with the same settings and check your IP that way. Also works as a VPN always on browser if you want to log into services and keep a session active.

Something like https://hub.docker.com/r/jlesage/firefox

6

Looks good to me. Is there anything you were worried about?

7

You can always just do

docker exec -it prowlarr curl ifconfig.io
8

thanks, i did a “depends_on” hook and it didnt work, but maybe I did it wrong, i’ll have another play with that one. thanks!!

9

Yes that works like a charm, thanks

10

Great, I was thinking something like that would be a good way to check. I’ll look into it tomorrow when I’m back on the computer. So do you connect to this browser through your current browser? Sounds like a browser within a browser to break the internet!

11

Nope, just when you cobble pieces from here and there it’s easy to worry. Thanks for the reassurance and happy cake day!!

12

so I added the depends_on:

services:

prowlarr:

image: lscr.io/linuxserver/prowlarr:latest

container_name: prowlarr

environment:

- PUID=1000

- PGID=1000

- TZ=Europe/London

network_mode: container:vpn-unlimited

depends_on:

- vpn-unlimited

volumes:

- /home/pi/docker/prowlarr/data:/config

restart: unless-stopped

and get the error:

ERROR: Service ‘prowlarr’ depends on service ‘vpn-unlimited’ which is undefined.

I havent touched the vpn-unlimited compose file from the OG post

13

If your VPN gives you a static LAN IP (another reason why I love WireGuard VPNs) you can even bind transmission to that IP so it doesn’t work unless it’s active.

14

Yep! You go to the address:port and there is a “desktop” with just the browser. The best part, imo, is that it stays running so you can keep tabs open forever, accessible from other devices.

15

If you use something like portainer you can make the management of these stacks a bit easier if you’d like, just a recommendation

16

You will need to put all services in one docker-compose file.

17

Can’t remember for sure, but don’t you use the service name in the depends on?

18

done, and its behind the firewall, perfect. thanks buddy!!

19

I do have portainer running in a container. But I only use it for a bit of monitoring and restarts. I really need to get into some tutorials on it.

20

Got it, sorted and working. Thanks