Service vHosts-http won't start.

aaronouthier · Mar 29, 2015, 9:33 PM

I installed the vHosts package, and defined an http host on port 80 with an otherwise unused ip address. Yes, outside the dhcp range. I am trying to create a wpad host. I've created a wpad.dat file, and placed it in the correct location. The darn ghost service won't start when I click the start/play button on the services status page, despite the message at the top saying it has started. There are no new log messages created. I have not yet created the dns entry. I am just trying to open the ip address in a web browser. Cannot connect to server.

Relevant details:
LAN segment: 192.168.0.0/24; Router address: 192.168.0.1; DHCP pool: 192.168.0.100 - .0.199
vHost address: 192.168.0.2; Default LAN any to any rule is in place.

Please help me figure out what I'm doing wrong here, before I create a head-shaped hole in the nearest wall!!

If you need any more details as to my setup, let me know.

–Aaron

aaronouthier · Mar 29, 2015, 9:41 PM

Just logged into ssh server on router. Found the startup command /usr/local/etc/rc.d/vhosts-httpd.sh . running that with a 'start' parameter yields: "Cannot bind to port: 80 Address already in use".

In use by what??

Cino · Mar 30, 2015, 1:21 PM

You probably have the pfSense Web GUI blind to port 80 instead of HTTPS. Check System: Advanced: Admin Access

aaronouthier · Mar 31, 2015, 5:55 AM

Set to https and on port 4438. Has been from the get go. Not finding an lsof command either.

aaronouthier · Jun 13, 2015, 6:35 AM

/usr/local/etc/rc.d/vhosts.sh start

(network.c.415) can't bind to port: 192.168.0.2 80 Can't assign requested address

What does this mean?

Cino · Jun 14, 2015, 8:16 PM

make sure you have 'WebGUI redirect' checked 'Disable webConfigurator redirect rule'

aaronouthier · Jun 17, 2015, 6:21 AM

It is.

Or at least, it was.

I ended-up putting back the login page to http, default port, and then moving my wpad file to the main web server folder. I have removed the vHosts package, as it seems to be broken.

doktornotor · Aug 12, 2015, 11:48 PM

@aaronouthier:

I have removed the vHosts package, as it seems to be broken.

I have a sanitized (and completely untested) vHosts package here: https://github.com/pfsense/pfsense-packages/pull/998

Messing with the current one is indeed a complete waste of time. Once the above PR gets merged, perhaps people will be able to test and eventually get it working. ::)

doktornotor · Aug 16, 2015, 7:24 AM

OK, the PR has been merged. So, if you have a use for this, you can give it another try and report back.

tomekk · Sep 5, 2015, 7:37 AM

It's working fine , please start service under Status services

Pelle900 · Sep 19, 2015, 9:34 AM

For a complete newbie in pfsense, what do I have to do to make vHost work?
Is the package I download the usual way in the menu updated and should work or do I have to install something manually?

BR

Pelle

doktornotor · Sep 19, 2015, 9:47 AM

@Pelle900:

For a complete newbie in pfsense, what do I have to do to make vHost work?

Install the package and go to Services - vHosts

Pelle900 · Sep 20, 2015, 7:47 AM

That gives the same fault as the thread starter reported.

I will uninstall vHost and install again and see what happens else I wipe it all clean and begin from the beginning.

I'll be back….

doktornotor · Sep 20, 2015, 10:29 AM

Sadly, with any package using its include file referenced in the XML for install routines, you MUST reinstall it twice, or uninstall and reinstall it, otherwise the install code gets cached and the new fixes never applied. Considering the shitty state of original package, indeed wipe it all clean might be a good option if everything else fails.

Pelle900 · Sep 22, 2015, 7:53 AM

It works now after reinstalling vHost again. Thanks for the fix of the plugin!

However, I think the text for the IP address in the vHost settings is open for misinterpretation:

"Required. Make sure the IP and Port combination does not conflict with the local system. example: 192.168.0.1"

If you see in the first post the user tried to use a new "virtual" host IP 192.168.0.2 (that is not in use in the PFSense setup) and i believe the user thought that he can create virtual IP-addresses for the web-server with the vHost plugin (the name of the plugin even can lead to an misinterpretation). I was also confused about the text and had to trial and error to understand that the IP address, in fact, should conflict with an already active IP-address as it binds to it.

If I now understand how this plugin works (pfsense-newbie as I am) it binds to an already existing interface and therefore a more proper text for the IP setting box could be:

"The IP address should correspond to any of the active IP addresses that is configured on WAN/LAN/OPT interfaces and will bind to it."

Maybe also the Port text should be altered to leave the IP address statement out of it for the same reason.

doktornotor · Sep 22, 2015, 8:03 AM

I don't think the original problem is related to virtual IP in any way. The package was completely broken.

professornayr · Nov 6, 2015, 7:08 PM

I installed the vhosts package a couple of years ago and gave up trying to get it to work, so I uninstalled it. However, I still have a service listed under 'Status' -> 'Services' for vhosts-ssl-1. When I reinstall vhosts via the package section, a new service pops up, but I cannot get either to start. Anyone have any idea how I can remove this apparently orphaned service manually?

doktornotor · Nov 6, 2015, 7:55 PM

Perhaps install and uninstall the updated rewritten package and see if it helps? Other than that, editing config.xml manually.