Universal HTTP Tunnel


	Network Software

Universal HTTP Tunnel client-server.

This software allows HTTP / HTTPS tunneling of any TCP communication between any client-server systems. The TCP traffic is sent from the client to the server via standard HTTP 1.1 GET requests, which allows penetrating through firewalls and proxy servers.

This software helps enabling network communications in firewall/proxy server/traffic filtering environments, where only certain traffic via HTTP protocol is allowed.

Various client-server applications such as remote desktop, streaming and application servers, use custom ports and proprietary TCP protocols for IP data exchange. These programs can function in prohibitive environments using the Universal HTTP Tunnel software.

How it works:

The client side of a tunnel is our Universal HTTP Tunnel client application. It listens on a particular TCP port for incoming requests. Once the request comes, the program creates an HTTP/S tunnel to the server and sends data through this tunnel. The server side of the tunnel is a standard Microsoft IIS web server, extended by our Universal IIS Proxy ISAPI extension. The server side simply forwards the data to the intended recipient application running on the server computer or it's LAN.

Both client and server sides support multiple tunnels and multiple connections via the same tunnel at the same time. The tunnel must be configured on the server side in order for the client to use it.

Download the free version:

Universal IIS Proxy v1.0 (234 KB).
Install it on the server side computer that runs IIS.

Universal HTTP Tunnel Client v1.0 (143 KB).
This is the client program creating HTTP tunnels to the server.
Free version limitations: Each connection to any tunnel lasts 10 minutes.
Purchase an unlimited version.

Sample Usage Document for Remote Desktop Connection.

Installation and configuration steps:

1. Install UniversalIISProxy.msi on your server side running IIS. During the installation do not change the name of the virtual folder. After the installation make sure that the IIS virtual folder UniversalIISProxy allows anonymous access. On Windows 2003 platform you also need to manually create and enable new server extension for UniversalIISProxy, and make sure that the application pool under which UniversalIISProxy runs, is configured to have 1 process.

The installation package might not run correctly with IIS that runs multiple web sites and doesn't have "Default Web Site". You will have to download UniversalIISProxy.dll and put it under your Inetpub/Wwwroot/UniversalIISProxy folder. Then use Internet Services Manager to create new virtual directory and name it UniversalIISProxy. Refer to the sample document above for completing the IIS configuration.

2. Use Regedit.exe to edit the registry on the server side to create tunnel mappings. Create String values under the following registry key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Unreal\UniversalProxy
The value name is a tunnel name. The value data is an IP adrress:Port of the recipient application. The installation package comes with a sample .reg file for Remote Desktop Connection tunnel. After editing the registry, restart the IIS web server. If your IIS server has an SSL certificate installed, you will be able to create HTTPS tunnels.

3. Install Universal HTTP Tunnel client on the client side computer. Create a new tunnel and give it the same name you have specified on the server side. Start the tunnel. Connect the client application to the local listening port of the tunnel.