Away from home
INFO
For help, ask in #help on our Discord or open an issue on GitHub. Please add what you tried and what the setup page or docker logs wa-classic shows.
This page is optional. At home the iPhone talks to the bridge over your Wi-Fi and needs nothing else. Only follow it if you want WA Classic on mobile data or in other Wi-Fis.
Away from home your iPhone can't see the computer with the bridge. So it needs two things: an open door in your router, and the address of your home on the internet.
DANGER
Forward only port 25567. Never forward port 8097. Port 8097 is unencrypted and only meant for your Wi-Fi.
1. Give the computer a fixed address
The router has to know which computer gets the forwarded port. In your router's device list, find the computer with the bridge and turn on something like Always assign this IP address (the name differs per router). Otherwise the forwarding can point to the wrong device after a restart.
2. Forward the port
In your router, add a port forwarding (sometimes called Port sharing, Virtual server or NAT):
- Protocol: TCP
- Port outside and inside: 25567
- Device: the computer with the bridge
Where to find it on common routers:
| Router | Menu |
|---|---|
| FRITZ!Box | Internet › Permit Access › Port Sharing |
| Most others | Advanced › NAT / Port Forwarding |
If the router only lets you pick another outside port, use that one and type it into Outside port on the setup page.
3. Get an address for your home
Your home's internet IP usually changes now and then, so a fixed name is easier:
- Many routers have it built in (FRITZ!Box: MyFRITZ!).
- Otherwise use a free DynDNS service, for example DuckDNS or No-IP.
If your provider gave you a fixed IP, you can use that instead.
4. Enter it on the setup page
Open the setup page, scroll to Away from home, type the name (like myhome.duckdns.org) and click Save. Below it you should now see Away from home the iPhone uses https://…:25567, and step 4 gets a tick.
5. Let the iPhone pick it up
Open WA Classic once while you're at home. It fetches the new address and the bridge's certificate by itself, you don't have to set it up again.
To check it, turn off Wi-Fi on the iPhone and open WA Classic on mobile data.
Good to know
- Away from home the connection is encrypted, and the iPhone only accepts your own bridge's certificate.
- The computer with the bridge has to be on and awake, also while you're away.
WARNING
Internet connections without a public IP (carrier-grade NAT, common with mobile and some cable providers) can only use WA Classic at home. If you're not sure, ask your provider for a public IPv4 address.