# Forgejo 17.0.1 Remote Access Issues with StartOS 0.4.0.4 **URL:** \ **Category:** Services Support\ **Created:** [October 28, 2026, 3:59am UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/forgejo-17-0-1-remote-access-issues-with-startos-0-4-0-4/5900 "2026-10-28T03:59:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tcb](https://community.start9.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tcb](https://community.start9.com/u/tcb)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 3:59am UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/forgejo-17-0-1-remote-access-issues-with-startos-0-4-0-4/5900/1 "2026-10-28T03:59:50Z")
I wish to provide access to two remote users via either SSH or HTTPS to my self-hosted instance of Forgejo. I’ve done the port forwarding for both SSH and HTTPS per the Interface settings for StartOS’s Forgejo service panel. I’ve attached a screenshot of a warning one of my remote users got which suggests I set REMOTE\_URL in Forgejo’s app.ini file. I’m not sure how/where I access this file in StartOS’s container-based version of Forgejo and AI agents suggest caution as changes could get overwritten. The agents also suggest that setting this to a fixed IP might mean I couldn’t access Forgejo on my LAN using it’s .local address. Anyone have any suggestions on how I can provide consistent access to forgejo from my LAN and from remote users without warning messages? ![Screenshot 2026-10-27 at 8.35.19 PM](https://community.start9.com/uploads/default/original/2X/a/a6f5c6823828e788a5bce2ddb537e2903ccf60cc.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![h0mer](https://community.start9.com/user_avatar/community.start9.com/h0mer/32/20_2.png) [@h0mer](https://community.start9.com/u/h0mer)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 3:19pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/forgejo-17-0-1-remote-access-issues-with-startos-0-4-0-4/5900/2 "2026-10-28T15:19:55Z")
Hi tcb You don’t need to touch app.ini at all. The setting that warning is about is ROOT\_URL (the one “official” address Forgejo uses for clone links, emails and redirects), and the StartOS Forgejo package manages it for you with an action. You were also told right that editing app.ini by hand won’t stick. The package rebuilds Forgejo’s settings every time the service starts, so manual edits get overwritten. Here’s the fix: 1. In StartOS, open Forgejo \> Actions \> Set Primary URL. 2. From the dropdown, pick the public address your remote users use (your domain, like [https://git.yourdomain.com](https://git.yourdomain.com)). Don’t pick an IP address. 3. Save. Forgejo restarts and uses that address for ROOT\_URL. It also sets the SSH domain and port for you, so the clone links shown in Forgejo (both HTTPS and SSH) become correct for remote users. That should get you going. Let us know. ---
**Author:** ![tcb](https://community.start9.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tcb](https://community.start9.com/u/tcb)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2026, 6:19pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/forgejo-17-0-1-remote-access-issues-with-startos-0-4-0-4/5900/3 "2026-10-28T18:19:31Z")
I wish to avoid using a domain name for remote access and prefer to port-forward my router’s static public-facing IP to StartOS’s Forgejo instance. Is it a hard-requirement that PRIMARY URL for remote access must be a regular domain instead of an IP address? Initial testing with an IP by remote user succeeded but came with a warning I’d like to try and remove - at least for remote users. AI Agents said I could use the same IP address instead of .local address if my router support loopback which would be acceptable because both local and remote users would then access the Forgejo server with same IP/Port combination. Now after setting PRIMARY URL to: [https://208.79.111.143:54667](https://208.79.111.143:54667) per public forgejo https interface and from the available drop-down options I’m getting the warning for local access. If PRIMARY URL absolutely, positively has to be a real domain, can it be a sub-domain like: [forge.myserver.net](http://forge.myserver.net) ? It seems odd that a service on a privacy-centric server should require the expense and publicly visible ‘surface’ of a registered domain name. Is there any way for local and remote users to access forgejo without a domain name and without warning messages? See attached screenshots. ![Screenshot 2026-10-28 at 10.57.25 AM](https://community.start9.com/uploads/default/original/2X/5/5922bb0025b862a386adb7db6fe366f2c64f12c3.png) ![Screenshot 2026-10-28 at 10.56.05 AM](https://community.start9.com/uploads/default/original/2X/b/bbdd229ff140eefd1f3f280996b688bd21b14101.png) ---
**Author:** ![h0mer](https://community.start9.com/user_avatar/community.start9.com/h0mer/32/20_2.png) [@h0mer](https://community.start9.com/u/h0mer)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 12:37pm UTC](https://community.start9.com/t/forgejo-17-0-1-remote-access-issues-with-startos-0-4-0-4/5900/4 "2026-10-29T12:37:37Z")
A domain isn’t required, but for a few friends I’d step back from port forwarding altogether. StartOS gives you three ways in from outside: Port forwarding (what you have now, by IP or domain): free, but Forgejo is open to the whole internet and everyone who connects sees your home IP. With an IP you’ll also always get certificate warnings unless each user installs your server’s Root CA. Tor: free and private, nothing exposed, but slow and every user needs Tor set up for git. VPN: your friends connect privately and Forgejo is not public at all. A WireGuard server on your router is free but exposes your home IP and usually gives them your whole home network. StartTunnel (a small VPS, around $5-10/month) hides your home IP, works behind CGNAT, and gives each friend their own config that only reaches the server. For remote access for a few friends, I’d recommend StartTunnel: not public, home IP hidden, and you can revoke each friend separately. Set Primary URL to the address they use over the tunnel. They’ll still need to install your Root CA once, and you’ll see the cosmetic banner when you browse via .local at home. Docs: [StartTunnel Documentation - StartTunnel](https://docs.start9.com/start-tunnel/1.0.x/)