How to get socket.io example working with nginx reverse proxy and https

Question

I set up the first socket.io example "Using with Node HTTP server" from http://socket.io/#how-to-use behind a nginx reverse proxy. This works as expected as long is I keep it to http. If I rewrite http to https (terminating at the nginx) by introducing an nginx rewrite rule, I cannot get to it work properly.

The client console.log shows me:

SecurityError: The operation is insecure.                 socket.io.js (line 2371)
this.websocket = new Socket(this.prepareUrl() + query);

TypeError: this.websocket is undefined                    socket.io.js (line 2438)
this.websocket.close();

I'm rather new to nodejs and also nginx, so I could well be making some basic mistake, but after hours of experimenting and googling I still can't get it completely working.

Nginx (v1.4.1) configuration file:

upstream dev {
    server 127.0.0.1:8001;
}
server {
    # Listen on 80 and 443
    listen 80;
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name _;

    ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/ssl-cert-snakeoil.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/ssl-cert-snakeoil.key;

    access_log /var/log/nginx/access.log;
    error_log /var/log/nginx/error.log;

    location /dev/ {
            if ($ssl_protocol = "") {
                    rewrite ^ https://$host$request_uri? permanent;
            }
            proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
            proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $proxy_add_x_forwarded_for;
            proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-Proto $scheme;
            proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
            proxy_set_header X-NginX-Proxy true;

            proxy_pass http://dev/;
            proxy_redirect off;
            proxy_http_version 1.1;
            proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
            proxy_set_header Connection "upgrade";
    }
}

index.html:

<script src="./socket.io/socket.io.js"></script>
<script>

  var socket = io.connect('http://'+window.location.host+':8001');

  socket.on('news', function (data) {
    console.log(data);
    socket.emit('my other event', { my: 'data' });
  });
</script>

server.js:

var app = require('http').createServer(handler)
  , io = require('socket.io').listen(app)
  , fs = require('fs')

app.listen(8001);

function handler (req, res) {
  fs.readFile(__dirname + '/index.html',
  function (err, data) {
    if (err) {
      res.writeHead(500);
      return res.end('Error loading index.html');
    }

    res.writeHead(200);
    res.end(data);
  });
}

io.sockets.on('connection', function (socket) {
  socket.emit('news', { hello: 'world' });
  socket.on('my other event', function (data) {
    console.log(data);
  });
});

jmingov · Accepted Answer · 2013-10-08 00:45:03Z

1

you are sending unsafe content via https. try these:

index.html

var socket = io.connect('https://'+window.location.host+':8001'); //added https...

server.js:

var app = require('https').createServer(handler)
  , io = require('socket.io').listen(app)
  , fs = require('fs');

var options = {
  key: fs.readFileSync('crts/ssl.key'), //the route to your certs.
  cert: fs.readFileSync('crts/ssl.cert'),
  ca: fs.readFileSync('crts/ssl.ca')
};

https.createServer(options, app).listen(8001); //https server

function handler (req, res) {
  fs.readFile(__dirname + '/index.html',
  function (err, data) {
    if (err) {
      res.writeHead(500);
      return res.end('Error loading index.html');
    }

    res.writeHead(200);
    res.end(data);
  });
}

io.sockets.on('connection', function (socket) {
  socket.emit('news', { hello: 'world' });
  socket.on('my other event', function (data) {
    console.log(data);
  });
});

answered Oct 8, 2013 at 0:45

jmingov

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2 Comments

FZ896 Over a year ago

Thank you for answering. But your code doesn't work for me. I get "Missing PFX or certificate + private key". The ssl files are definitely available in the subdirectory. Also, does your answer mean to suggest I cannot terminate https at nginx and forward only http requests to nodejs ?

Surender Thakran Over a year ago

@3boll kindly take a look at this stackoverflow.com/questions/23103241/… ?

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