How can I make Logitech Media Server available without specifying a port number?

Logitech Media Server is a streaming audio server formerly by Slim Devices known as SlimServer. It streams audio to Squeezebox devices (by Logitech), and third party devices, like Raspberry Pi-based PiCorePlayer.

When installed with default options, the Logitech Media Server is available on port 9000. The default URL is .

I would like to rewrite the URL as .

From peers, I understand a reverse proxy server is required. I've attempted to use nginx for this without success. I am quite sure Apache could work for this, but have not been successful with either solution. I am eager to learn!

This article, on the SlimDevices wiki, explains the process using Apache. I followed the article, but have not been successful.

The article states to install the package libapache2-mod-proxy-html, which is not found. I understand from this article, it is no longer required. Following the instructions, it seems libapache2-mod-proxy-html is not the cause of my problem. I'm the one asking for help, so I defer to others.

The article's configuration file is:

# Slimserver Reverse Proxy Configuration
# Prepared by BV January 2008
#
# Make sure that the server cannot be abused
#
ProxyRequests Off
# The Proxy section below allows internet users
# to access the internal server
ProxyPass /slimserver/
ProxyHTMLURLMap /slimserver
<Location /slimserver/> Order allow,deny Allow from all ProxyPassReverse / SetOutputFilter proxy-html ProxyHTMLURLMap / /slimserver/ ProxyHTMLURLMap /slimserver /slimserver RequestHeader unset Accept-Encoding
</Location>

When I implement the article's solution and attempt to access the Logitech Media Server on or , I get the proper page background, but the main content only says Loading Logitech Media Server....Loading Logitech Media Server... screen imageThe URL works. I can interact with the logitech media server normally.

I would prefer to learn the way to do this in nginx, as that's what my coworkers use today and are most familiar with. If I am shown how to do this in Apache2, I could attempt to duplicate the functionality in nginx myself as a learning experience. Once shown the right way, I will go into the Apache or nginx docs and research the details of the solution. Rewriting the URL as described above is something I've wanted to do for years [insert embarrassed face emoji here] but have not been successful.

2 Answers

You can use iptables to do map requests to port 80 back to 9000:

sudo iptables -I PREROUTING -t nat -p tcp --dport 80 -j REDIRECT --to-port 9000

This will allow you to request without the port number. In order to make this persistent across reboots, you'll need to install iptables-persistent

sudo apt-get install iptables-persistent

I haven't tried it yet, but why not just set the port to 80 when slimserver.pl is started. I run it on my work machine where I only basic user permissions.
Everything runs out of my home dir.

I have a completely standalone installation, no priviledged user to start/stop etc. It's very flexible if you dig into it.

This is a guidance for the usage of the command:

Usage: ./slimserver.pl [--audiodir ] [--daemon] [--stdio] [--logfile ] [--user ] [--group ] [--httpport [--httpaddr ]] [--cliport [--cliaddr ]] [--prefsfile [--pidfile ]] [--d_various] --help => Show this usage information. --audiodir => The path to a directory of your MP3 files. --logfile => Specify a file for error logging. --daemon => Run the server in the background. This may only work on Unix-like systems. --stdio => Use standard in and out as a command line interface to the server --user => Specify the user that server should run as. Only usable if server is started as root. This may only work on Unix-like systems. --group => Specify the group that server should run as. Only usable if server is started as root. This may only work on Unix-like systems. --httpport => Activate the web interface on the specified port. Set to 0 in order disable the web server. --httpaddr => Activate the web interface on the specified IP address. --cliport => Activate the command line interface TCP/IP interface on the specified port. Set to 0 in order disable the command line interface server. --cliaddr => Activate the command line interface TCP/IP interface on the specified IP address. --prefsfile => Specify the path to the preferences file --pidfile => Specify where a process ID file should be stored --quiet => Minimize the amount of text output --playeraddr => Specify the _server's_ IP address to use to connect to players --streamaddr => Specify the _server's_ IP address to use to connect to streaming audio sources --nosetup => Disable setup via http.