Emby - SSL Setup (PART1)

I have recently setup a secure, encrypted connection to my Emby Server. This 5 Part post will explain how I did it, demonstrate 2 ways in which it can be done using a direct connection on port 443 and using a nginx reverse proxy.

Before I begin there are 2 options here. I recommend option 2 or Part.1.A below. But it requires you to purchase a Domain Name. Option 1 is free.

Part.1 - Dynamic DNS

There are many services that offer a Dynamic DNS service and most are free. If you have a static IP from your ISP then you can skip this part but if you're like me then my ISP IP address changes every time my router restarts.

I use Namecheap for a DDNS but you can also use noip, dynDNS. For the purpose of this thread I will demonstrate using No-ip.

Goto noip.com and create an account.
Click on Dynamic DNS (Free) on the left hand side.
Click create a hostname.
Hostname = what ever you want your hostname to be called
Domain = what the part after your hostname will be.
i.e embySSLtest.ddns.net

Now you need to configure how the DDNS address will get your ISP IP address. There is software available which will run constantly on your PC and check for IP updates or some routers support a DDNS services.
On my BT router under Advanced settings > Broadband > Dynamic DNS I can enter the account details we have just setup.

Once that has been done we then need to Port Forward Emby's ports on our router. For this write up we will need to forward port 443 to the Internal IP address of your Emby Server. for example 192.168.1.100
To test your DDNS you can also temporarily forward port 8096 to your emby server. Then all you have to type in the Web address bar is http://embyssltest.ddns.net:8096 and it should take you to the web app


Part 1.A. Dynamic DNS With Custom Domain Name.

Ok, so this is an extension of Part 1. Dynamic DNS. If you used Part.1 above then got a SSL Cert for your shiny new domain name and followed all the other steps. When browsing to https://emby.embyssltest.com you will connect via HTTPS however your browser will warn you that the Cert isnt trusted as it was assigned to embyssltest.com however you are browsing to embyssltest.ddns.net because of the CNAME and URL redirecting.

To fix this we need to setup your new domain name to do the Dynamic DNS'ing. Head to PART2 to find out how!

More Youtube Video's, Xbox Streaming and COD!

Uploaded a few new videos to Youtube. The first video explains my xbox streaming setup. It also demonstrates that you can stream your xbox + record it using very little additional equipment thus keeping the cost to a minimum and making it easy to do. I have also over come an known issue with xbox streaming and that is being able to include your party chat in the stream as well as your own mic (live commentary). There are various otherways shown on youtube to overcome this limitation however they often require additional equipment whether it be splitter cables or mixing amps. Without giving too much away, please check out the video.

My second video it some gameplay footage of Call of Duty Modern Warfare Remastered on the Xbox One. It's me playing through Campaign on Veteran Difficulty. This particular video shows The Bog mission defending/rescuing the tank. Enjoy!

DIY Tank cover

Keeping cool in the summer, and I don't mean wearing your baseball cap backwards with dark shades on!

My current seashell tank has a glass condensation tray which in the winter keeps the heat in well, but in the summer it keeps too much heat in. The simple answer is to remove the glass condensation tray however this leaves the top of the tank open giving the fish the perfect opportunity for carpet surfing (fish jumping out). What I needed was a DIY mesh cover, allowing the heat to escape, keep the fish in the water and still allow enough light to penetrate the water.

• Pros 
• Lets heat out
• Condensation tray not their to get gunked up and block light entering the tank
• Cons
• More evaporation means topping up with RO more
• Could potentially cause damp above the tank, however I have an extractor fan fitted to remove this issue, plus trickle vents in the windows always open. 

My DIY skills are a bit hit and miss, so first on the shopping list was fly netting. This stuff is cheap at around £2 for 2m x 1m and easy to work with. Next I needed to make a frame to hold the netting. I scourged the garage and found some plastic L shaped stuff, almost like trunking. It was perfect size and shape to make the frame. Cutting the plastic to shape I used hot glue to glue the 4 sides together and then used sticky back Velcro which came with the netting to secure the netting making sure to pull it tight so it doesn't sag into the tank. Pictures below show the DIY mesh cover and then fitted in place. Sorry for the poor light, I put this together at around 10pm last night so the moon lights were on.