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_posts/2022-06-11-a-simple-method-to-play-self-hosted-music-on-android.md

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+---
+title: A simple method to play self-hosted music on Android
+tags: [tutorial, vlc, connectbot, ssh, android, music, sftp]
+updated: 2022-06-11 15:53:12
+description: My setup to be able to listen to self-hosted music using a mobile phone.
+---
+
+## Introduction
+
+Here is simple way to listen to self-hosted music on Android
+without installing specific streaming software on your server.
+
+This method relies 100% on SSH.
+
+## Table of contents
+
+<!--TOC-->
+
+- [Introduction](#introduction)
+- [Table of contents](#table-of-contents)
+- [Software needed](#software-needed)
+  - [GNU/Linux](#gnulinux)
+  - [Android](#android)
+- [Configuration](#configuration)
+  - [Introduction](#introduction-1)
+  - [New user](#new-user)
+  - [OpenSSH](#openssh)
+  - [ConnectBot](#connectbot)
+    - [Key pair generation](#key-pair-generation)
+    - [Add a new host to ConnectBot](#add-a-new-host-to-connectbot)
+    - [Test](#test)
+    - [Port forwarding](#port-forwarding)
+  - [VLC](#vlc)
+- [Final testing](#final-testing)
+- [Problems](#problems)
+
+<!--TOC-->
+
+## Software needed
+
+### GNU/Linux
+
+- [OpenSSH](https://www.openssh.com/portable.html)
+
+### Android
+
+Install these apps from [F-Droid](https://f-droid.org/)
+
+- [Connectbot](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.connectbot/)
+- [VLC](https://f-droid.org/en/packages/org.videolan.vlc/)
+
+## Configuration
+
+### Introduction
+
+At the time of writing VLC for Android does not support public key authentication with
+SFTP. To solve this problem, we will use ConnectBot to:
+
+- connect to the server
+- make a local SSH tunnel for VLC
+
+The following instructions apply to a GNU/Linux system.
+
+### New user
+
+Connect to the server.
+
+For sake of security I created a new user called `music`:
+
+```shell
+useradd -m -s /bin/bash music
+passwd music
+```
+
+I then moved all the music files in a directory called `/home/music/files`.
+
+### OpenSSH
+
+To further harden the server in terms of security we must disable TTYs and force the
+internal SFTP server for the SSH daemon. Here is what I added to `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`:
+
+```conf
+Match User music Address 127.0.0.1
+    PasswordAuthentication yes
+    IPQoS throughput
+    PermitTTY no
+    ForceCommand internal-sftp
+
+Match User music
+    X11Forwarding no
+    AllowTcpForwarding yes
+    PermitTTY no
+    ForceCommand internal-sftp
+    IPQoS throughput
+```
+
+Now, restart OpenSSH
+
+```shell
+systemctl restart ssh
+```
+
+### ConnectBot
+
+#### Key pair generation
+
+Open ConnectBot on your phone and generate a key pair:
+
+1. tap the menu icon, in the top right of the screen
+2. *Manage Pubkeys*
+3. tap the `[+]` button
+4. set these values
+   - *Nickname*: `myserver`
+   - *Type*: `RSA`
+   - *Bits*: `4096`
+   - *Password*: \<a password\>
+   - *Load key on start*: true
+
+The encryption password will be prompted unless it has not been previously unlocked,
+for example by a previous connection.
+
+Unlock the key by tapping it. Tap the key longer and select *Copy public key*.
+
+You now have to copy the public key to the server (`/home/music/.ssh/authorized_keys`).
+You can send it by email for example (it is now in Android's copy-paste buffer).
+
+#### Add a new host to ConnectBot
+
+Now we need to add an SSH host on ConnectBot. Go back to Connectbot's home screen
+and tap on the `+` button. Add the host and tap *Use pubkey authentication*.
+
+Enable these flags:
+
+- *Compression*
+- *Stay connected*
+
+Disable this flag:
+
+- *Start shell session*
+
+Set the `myserver` public key by tapping *Use pubkey authentication*.
+
+#### Test
+
+Disconnect from the server and reconnect to it. If everything works as
+expected you won't see any errors.
+
+#### Port forwarding
+
+Make a long tap on the host and select *Edit port forwards* and then
+tap the `+` button.
+
+To be able for VLC to connect to the server we need to create a port forward, like this:
+
+- *Nickname*: `vlc`
+- *Type*: `Local`
+- *Source Port*: `2222`
+- *Destination*: `127.0.0.1:22`
+
+{% include image.html file="connectbot_port_forwarding.jpg" alt="connectbot port forwarding" caption="ConnectBot port forwarding" %}
+
+### VLC
+
+Open the VLC app.
+
+Go to the *Browse* section and tap the `+` button. Select `SFTP` as protocol and
+edit the fields like this:
+
+- *Port*: `2222`
+- *Server address (domain name)*: `127.0.0.1`
+- *Username*: `music`
+- *Folder path (optional)*: `/home/music/files`
+- *Server name, for conveniency*: `MUSIC`
+
+Once you add the server tap the new directory icon you find in VLC *Browse* page.
+The first time you do this you will be prompted for the `music` user's password.
+
+You should now be able to see and play the music files.
+
+## Final testing
+
+Close ConnectBot and VLC and retry everything.
+
+## Problems
+
+- Not bandwidth efficient.
+- No transcoding is possible using this method.