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Use Gluetun as the VPN gateway container, then place each application that must use the tunnel in Gluetun’s network namespace. The essential Compose settings are NET_ADMIN, /dev/net/tun, VPN_TYPE=openvpn, your provider’s Gluetun identifier, and that provider’s OpenVPN credentials. Publish application ports on Gluetun, not on the routed application.
This design gives dependent containers the same outbound route and Gluetun’s firewall protection. If the VPN connection disappears, the firewall blocks their traffic instead of allowing a direct connection.
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Gluetun is a VPN gateway container. It creates the OpenVPN tunnel, applies the VPN provider’s routing and DNS settings, and enforces a firewall inside its container. An application connected with network_mode: "service:gluetun" does not get an independent network namespace; it uses Gluetun’s namespace, interfaces, routes and firewall.
That shared namespace is the reason the setup protects more than Gluetun itself. The project’s Compose guide explains that when a child container shares Gluetun’s network, the kill switch protects the child too: if the VPN drops, the child’s traffic stops. The firewall permits the traffic needed to establish and maintain the VPN, while LAN or inbound traffic must be explicitly allowed when you need it.
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There are two port concepts to keep separate:
- Docker port publishing: a host-to-container mapping such as
8080:8080. Because the application shares Gluetun’s namespace, this mapping belongs on the Gluetun service. - VPN server-side port forwarding: a port opened by the VPN provider on its remote server. This is optional and is unrelated to Docker’s
ports:setting.
Before you create the stack
Provider account and OpenVPN access
You need a VPN subscription that supports OpenVPN credentials and a provider configuration supported by Gluetun. The provider name used in VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER is Gluetun’s identifier, not necessarily the marketing name shown in the provider’s desktop application. Obtain the current identifier and any required server, country, city, region, certificate or authentication variables from that provider’s Gluetun instructions.
OpenVPN credentials are not interchangeable with every other VPN credential. Do not substitute a WireGuard private key, an API token, or credentials intended only for a desktop application unless the provider explicitly documents them for OpenVPN. Some providers issue separate service credentials for manual VPN connections.
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- A working Docker Engine installation with the Docker Compose plugin.
- Permission for the Gluetun container to add network administration capabilities.
- The host’s TUN device at
/dev/net/tun. Most Linux hosts provide it; a restricted virtual machine, NAS, or containerized Docker host may require additional host configuration. - A host firewall that allows the published application ports you intend to use.
- A private way to supply credentials, such as an uncommitted
.envfile or a secret-management system.
Use the exact Gluetun provider page for provider-specific requirements. The generic Compose pattern below intentionally leaves the provider identifier and application image as values you must replace.
Build a minimal OpenVPN Compose file
Create a directory for the stack and save this as compose.yml:
services:
gluetun:
image: qmcgaw/gluetun
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN
devices:
- /dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun
ports:
- "8080:8080"
environment:
- VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER=your_provider
- VPN_TYPE=openvpn
- OPENVPN_USER=${OPENVPN_USER}
- OPENVPN_PASSWORD=${OPENVPN_PASSWORD}
app:
image: your/app
network_mode: "service:gluetun"
depends_on:
- gluetunReplace your_provider with the identifier documented by your VPN provider and replace your/app with the application image. Change 8080:8080 to the application’s listening port and add additional mappings when the application exposes more than one port.
What each Gluetun setting means
| Compose setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
image: qmcgaw/gluetun |
Runs the Gluetun VPN gateway. |
cap_add: NET_ADMIN |
Allows the container to configure routes, interfaces and firewall rules required for the tunnel. |
/dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun |
Passes the host TUN device into the container so OpenVPN can create its tunnel interface. |
VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER |
Selects Gluetun’s provider-specific configuration. |
VPN_TYPE=openvpn |
Selects OpenVPN rather than another supported tunnel type. |
OPENVPN_USER and OPENVPN_PASSWORD |
Supply the OpenVPN account credentials required by the provider. |
network_mode: "service:gluetun" |
Makes the application share Gluetun’s network namespace and VPN route. |
depends_on: gluetun |
Expresses the Compose startup dependency on the gateway service. |
ports on Gluetun |
Publishes the shared namespace’s listening ports on the Docker host. |
Put credentials in an environment file
In the same directory, create .env:
OPENVPN_USER=the_openvpn_username
OPENVPN_PASSWORD=the_openvpn_passwordUse the actual values issued for OpenVPN. Keep this file out of source control and restrict its permissions on multi-user hosts. Do not paste its contents into issue reports or shared logs. A deployment platform’s secret facility is preferable when one is available.
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Compose substitutes the variables when it reads the file. To verify that the file and Compose syntax are valid, run docker compose config locally and inspect the result privately; its rendered output can contain your credentials. Never publish that output or include it in a support ticket without removing secrets.
Route an application through Gluetun
Add the application’s service to the same Compose project with network_mode: "service:gluetun" and depends_on: [gluetun]. Do not add a second ordinary Docker network to that service unless you understand the routing and leak consequences. A second network can provide a path that bypasses the VPN firewall.
For a service with several listeners, publish every required port under Gluetun. For example:
services:
gluetun:
image: qmcgaw/gluetun
cap_add:
- NET_ADMIN
devices:
- /dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun
ports:
- "8080:8080" # web interface
- "51413:51413" # example TCP listener
- "51413:51413/udp" # example UDP listener
environment:
- VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER=your_provider
- VPN_TYPE=openvpn
- OPENVPN_USER=${OPENVPN_USER}
- OPENVPN_PASSWORD=${OPENVPN_PASSWORD}
app:
image: your/app
network_mode: "service:gluetun"
depends_on:
- gluetunThe comments identify the intent of the mappings; use the ports your application actually documents. The application still listens on its own internal port, but Docker sees that listener in Gluetun’s namespace. A ports: block on the application service is ineffective in this network mode because that service has no separate namespace for Docker to publish.
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If the container is running but its web interface is unreachable, inspect the application’s bind-address setting. An interface-specific bind may prevent access through the published port. Where the application offers a choice, bind its listener to all interfaces in the shared namespace or to the interface documented for its container image. Make this change in the application’s own configuration, then restart the service.
Start the stack and verify the tunnel
- From the directory containing
compose.ymland.env, rundocker compose up -d. - Check container state with
docker compose ps. - Read the gateway log with
docker compose logs -f gluetun. Confirm that Gluetun selected the intended provider, entered OpenVPN mode, authenticated successfully and reached a healthy tunnel state. - After the gateway is healthy, check the application log with
docker compose logs app, replacingappwith the service name. - Test outbound IP and DNS from inside the routed application container using diagnostic tools available in that image. The observed public IP should be the VPN exit address, not the Docker host’s normal address.
- Open the application through the host address and the port published on Gluetun, such as
http://host-address:8080.
Run the outbound test from the routed container, not only from Gluetun. The child shares the network namespace, but testing both services can reveal an application-specific startup or DNS issue.
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Understand the firewall and kill-switch behavior
Gluetun’s firewall is enabled inside the gateway. It allows the traffic required to connect to the VPN and blocks traffic that would otherwise leave through the host’s ordinary route. The project FAQ describes this as effectively acting as a kill switch: when the VPN connection goes down, traffic is blocked.
Because the application uses Gluetun’s namespace, this protection applies to the application as well. A temporary loss of connectivity is therefore an expected safety behavior, not proof that Docker has crashed. Wait for Gluetun to restore the tunnel and inspect its logs before changing firewall settings.
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LAN access and inbound access are separate from ordinary outbound VPN traffic. If the application must reach a local database, NAS, printer or management network, follow Gluetun’s current firewall documentation for explicitly permitted LAN traffic. Avoid broad exemptions that create an unexamined path around the VPN policy.
OpenVPN provider settings that vary
The generic variables are only the common foundation. Providers can require additional selectors or certificates, and the available server controls differ. Depending on the provider, you may need to add a country, region, city, server hostname, protocol, certificate or account option. Add only variables listed on that provider’s current Gluetun page.
Do not infer a provider identifier from a similarly named desktop application. Gluetun uses its own documented identifiers. If the log reports an unknown provider, correct VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDER before troubleshooting credentials.
Authentication failures can have several causes:
- The account uses ordinary website credentials while the provider requires separate manual-connection credentials.
- The username or password contains a character that was copied incorrectly into
.env. - The provider account has no OpenVPN access or has reached an account-device limit.
- A required provider-specific certificate, server selector or region variable is missing.
- The Compose file still contains a placeholder provider identifier.
Check the Gluetun log for the exact failure category, then compare every variable with the provider’s current instructions. Avoid repeatedly changing unrelated networking settings while authentication is still failing.
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Docker port publishing versus VPN port forwarding
Publishing 8080:8080 makes a host port reachable at the Docker host and forwards it into the shared Gluetun namespace. It does not ask the VPN provider to accept unsolicited traffic from the internet.
Server-side VPN forwarding is a provider feature. Gluetun’s advanced documentation states that native forwarding is implemented for Private Internet Access and ProtonVPN and can be enabled with:
VPN_PORT_FORWARDING=onWhen a provider assigns a forwarded port externally, Gluetun documents FIREWALL_VPN_INPUT_PORTS for allowing that port through the VPN firewall. Add the assigned value according to the provider and Gluetun instructions, then configure the same current port in the application.
The port can change when the VPN session or server changes. An application configured with yesterday’s value may appear to have stopped accepting inbound connections even though the tunnel is healthy. For inbound problems, verify all of these points:
- The provider supports forwarding for the account, plan and selected server.
- The forwarding feature is enabled in Gluetun.
- The assigned port is allowed through the Gluetun VPN firewall.
- The application is listening on that port and is configured with the latest assigned value.
- Docker publishes the application listener on Gluetun when access from the local host or LAN is required.
Forwarding is not required for ordinary outbound browsing and many client applications. Enable it only when the application benefits from unsolicited inbound connections.
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1. Validate Compose interpolation
Run docker compose config on the Docker host and inspect it privately. Confirm that VPN_TYPE is openvpn, the provider identifier is correct, and the credential variables are populated. Do not share the rendered file because it may contain secrets.
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2. Read Gluetun’s log before the application’s log
Use docker compose logs gluetun. Look for provider selection, OpenVPN startup, authentication, tunnel establishment and health. If the tunnel never becomes healthy, an application UI cannot work reliably yet.
3. Confirm the shared network mode
The routed service must contain the exact setting network_mode: "service:gluetun". A spelling error, a different service name, or an independent network attachment changes the routing behavior. Confirm that the service name after service: exactly matches the gateway service.
4. Check where ports are published
Every UI or listener needed from outside the application container must be listed under Gluetun’s ports:. Remove the expectation that a ports: block on the child service will publish it. Then verify that the host firewall permits the selected host port.
5. Check the application bind address
If the tunnel is healthy and Docker shows the port published, inspect the application’s listening address and port. A service bound only to an unexpected interface or port will not answer even when the Compose mapping is correct.
6. Test outbound traffic from the child
Run an IP and DNS check from inside the routed container with the diagnostic utilities available in that image. If outbound traffic fails while Gluetun is healthy, inspect the application’s proxy, DNS or startup configuration. If traffic works but the UI does not, focus on publishing, bind address and host firewall rules.
Inbound-only failures
When outbound access works but peers cannot connect, treat it as a forwarding problem rather than an OpenVPN login problem. Check provider support, the forwarding option, FIREWALL_VPN_INPUT_PORTS, the application’s current port and Docker’s host mapping. Remember that a VPN-assigned port can change after reconnection.
Quick Recap
Operational and security practices
- Keep the Gluetun image and provider instructions current, but review configuration changes before applying them to a production stack.
- Store OpenVPN credentials outside version control and rotate them when the provider requires it.
- Publish only the ports that need host or LAN access. Every published port increases the reachable surface of the Docker host.
- Do not disable the firewall merely to make a temporary connectivity test. Read the gateway log and correct the route, credential or port configuration instead.
- Record which application ports are published on Gluetun so future changes do not accidentally add a mapping to the child service.
- When changing providers, update the identifier, authentication variables and all provider-specific server or certificate settings together.
A complete deployment checklist
- The provider supports manual OpenVPN connections for your account.
VPN_SERVICE_PROVIDERcontains the provider identifier documented for Gluetun.VPN_TYPE=openvpnis present.OPENVPN_USERandOPENVPN_PASSWORDcontain the provider’s OpenVPN credentials.NET_ADMINis granted and/dev/net/tunis mapped.- The application uses
network_mode: "service:gluetun". - The application depends on Gluetun and has no unintended independent network path.
- All required application ports are published under Gluetun.
- The host firewall permits the host-side ports you intentionally exposed.
- Gluetun logs show a healthy OpenVPN tunnel before you judge the application.
- Outbound IP and DNS are tested from the routed application container.
- For inbound traffic, provider forwarding support, Gluetun forwarding settings, firewall input ports and the application’s current assigned port all agree.
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