# Meshcentral in docker
###### guide-by-example
# Purpose & Overview
Powerful remote desktop toolset.
* [Official site](https://www.meshcommander.com/meshcentral2)
* [Github](https://github.com/Ylianst/MeshCentral)
* [unofficial DockerHub](https://hub.docker.com/r/typhonragewind/meshcentral)
Web based, can be a replacement for TeamViewer or Anydesk.
The server is written in javascript, running in node.js runtime.
The client application is written mostly in C runnig Duktape javascript engine.
The architecture is relatively simple.
* a server is running online, with ports 80/443 open
* clients can visit the servers web and from it install Mesh Agent
which allows full control of the device straight from servers webpage
For database the server uses a build in neDB, which should be enough for
less than 100 clients deployments. Or MongoDB can be deployed for better
performance and robustness but added complexity.
---
# Files and directory structure
```
/home/
└── ~/
└── docker/
└── meshcentral/
├── data/
├── meshcentral/
├── .env
└── docker-compose.yml
```
* `data/` - persistent data for the MongoDB database
* `meshcentral/` - web app persistent data
* `.env` - a file containing environment variables for docker compose
* `docker-compose.yml` - a docker compose file, telling docker how to run the containers
You only need to provide the two files.
The directories are created by docker compose on the first run.
# docker-compose
There is no official docker image.
So [This one is used.](https://github.com/Typhonragewind/meshcentral-docker)
Going with the more robust MongoDB version.
`docker-compose.yml`
```yml
services:
meshcentral_db:
image: mongo:latest
container_name: meshcentral_db
hostname: meshcentral_db
restart: unless-stopped
expose:
- 27017
volumes:
- ./meshcentral_db:/data/db
meshcentral:
image: typhonragewind/meshcentral:mongodb
container_name: meshcentral
hostname: meshcentral
restart: unless-stopped
env_file: .env
depends_on:
- meshcentral_db
volumes:
- ./meshcentral/data:/opt/meshcentral/meshcentral-data
- ./meshcentral/user_files:/opt/meshcentral/meshcentral-files
networks:
default:
name: $DOCKER_MY_NETWORK
external: true
```
`.env`
```bash
# GENERAL
MY_DOMAIN=example.com
DOCKER_MY_NETWORK=caddy_net
TZ=Europe/Bratislava
# RUSTDESK
HOSTNAME=mesh.example.com
REVERSE_PROXY=10 #set to your reverse proxy IP
REVERSE_PROXY_TLS_PORT=443
IFRAME=false #set to true if you wish to enable iframe support
ALLOW_NEW_ACCOUNTS=false
WEBRTC=false #set to true to enable WebRTC - per documentation it is not officially released with meshcentral, but is solid enough to work with. Use with caution
NODE_ENV=production
```
# Port forwarding
as can be seen in the compose
* **21115 - 21119** TCP need to be forwarded to docker host
* **21116** is TCP and UDP
21115 is used for the NAT type test,
21116/UDP is used for the ID registration and heartbeat service,
21116/TCP is used for TCP hole punching and connection service,
21117 is used for the Relay services,
and 21118 and 21119 are used to support web clients.
[source](https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/install/)
---
# The usage on clients
* download and install the client apps from [the official site](https://rustdesk.com/)
* three dots near ID > ID/Relay Server > ID Server: rust.example.com > OK
* the green dot at the bottom should stay green saying "ready"
* done
* in the docker server logs you should see machines public IP and ID code it was given
# Encrypted use
For encrypted communication and to prevent undesirables access to the server
* the encryption public key is on the docker host:
`~/docker/rustdesk/data/id_ed25519.pub`
* you can manually add it to any client application
three dots near ID > ID/Relay Server > Key: 3AVva64bn1ea2vsDuOuQH3i8+2M=
* to only allow clients with the key on server:
in the env_file set `ENCRYPTED_ONLY=1` and down/up the compose.
[On windows](https://rustdesk.com/docs/en/self-host/install/#put-config-in-rustdeskexe-file-name-windows-only)
one can deploy client with these settings pre-set by renaming
the installation file to: `rustdesk-host=,key=.exe`
example: `rustdesk-host=rust.example.com,key=3AVva64bn1ea2vsDuOuQH3i8+2M=.exe`
If by chance the public key contains symbols not usable in windows filenames,
down the container, delete the files `id_ed25519` and `id_ed25519.pub`,
up the container
# Trouble shooting
From what I read, most client side issues come from two differently set rustdesk
client applications running on the same machine.
Uninstall/remove all, plus delete:
* `C:\Windows\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData\Roaming\RustDesk`
* `%AppData%\RustDesk`
restart and do fresh client install
# Update
Manual image update:
- `docker-compose pull`
- `docker-compose up -d`
- `docker image prune`
# Backup and restore
#### Backup
Using [borg](https://github.com/DoTheEvo/selfhosted-apps-docker/tree/master/borg_backup)
that makes daily snapshot of the entire directory.
#### Restore
* down the bookstack containers `docker-compose down`
* delete the entire bookstack directory
* from the backup copy back the bookstack directory
* start the containers `docker-compose up -d`