Create a tunnel (dashboard)

Follow this step-by-step guide to create your first remotely-managed tunnel.

Tip

If your server is behind a restrictive firewall, verify it can reach Cloudflare on port 7844 before proceeding. Refer to Connectivity pre-checks.

1. Create a tunnel

1. Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard and go to Networking > Tunnels.

   Go to Tunnels

2. Select Create a tunnel.

3. Enter a name for your tunnel. We suggest choosing a name that reflects the type of resources you want to connect through this tunnel (for example, enterprise-VPC-01).

4. Select Create Tunnel.

5. Choose your operating system, then copy the installation command and run it in a terminal on your origin server.

6. Wait for the tunnel to connect. Once the connection is established, select Continue.

The next steps depend on whether you want to publish an application to the Internet or connect a private network.

2a. Publish an application

Follow these steps to publish an application to the Internet. If you are looking to connect a private resource, skip to the Connect a network section.

Prerequisites

Before you publish an application through your tunnel, you must add a website to Cloudflare.

After creating your tunnel, add a published application route:

1. Go to Networking > Tunnels, then select your tunnel.

   Go to Tunnels

2. On the Routes tab, select Add route, then select Published application.

3. Enter a subdomain and select a Domain from the drop-down menu. Specify any subdomain or path information.

   Note

   If you add a multi-level subdomain (more than one level of subdomain), you must order an Advanced Certificate for the hostname.

4. In Service URL, enter the protocol and address of your application (for example, http://localhost:8000). Refer to supported protocols for available options.

5. Select Save.

Anyone on the Internet can now access the application at the specified hostname. To allow or block specific users, create an Access application.

2b. Connect a network

To connect a private network through your tunnel, add a CIDR route:

1. Go to Networking > Routes.

   Go to Routes

2. Select Create route, then choose Tunnel CIDR.

3. Select the tunnel you just created.

4. In Network, enter the private IP address or CIDR range of your service (for example, 10.0.0.1 or 10.0.0.0/24).

5. Select Create route.

cloudflared can now route traffic to these destination IPs. To configure Zero Trust policies and connect as a user, refer to Connect an IP/CIDR.

Note

If you would like to route to a private application using its hostname instead of its IP, refer to Connect a private hostname.

3. View your tunnel

After saving the tunnel, you will be redirected to the Networking > Tunnels page. Your tunnel should be listed with a Healthy status. If your tunnel status is Inactive, Down, or Degraded, refer to the troubleshooting documentation for recommended next steps.