# How-To: Set up a reverse proxy with HOOPS Communicator and IIS

**URL:** <https://forum.techsoft3d.com/t/how-to-set-up-a-reverse-proxy-with-hoops-communicator-and-iis/1338>\
**Category:** HOOPS Visualize Web\
**Tags:** learn, knowledge-base, how-to, server\
**Created:** [October 1, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://forum.techsoft3d.com/t/how-to-set-up-a-reverse-proxy-with-hoops-communicator-and-iis/1338 "2021-10-01T04:00:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![gabriel.peragine](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.techsoft3d.com/gabriel.peragine/32/1535_2.png) [@gabriel.peragine](https://forum.techsoft3d.com/u/gabriel.peragine)\
**Post date:** [October 1, 2021, 4:00am UTC](https://forum.techsoft3d.com/t/how-to-set-up-a-reverse-proxy-with-hoops-communicator-and-iis/1338/1 "2021-10-01T04:00:00Z")

</div>

## Instructions

**EC2 instance inbound rules**

If you are using an EC2 instance on AWS, it is necessary to add the following ports as inbound rules:

- 80
- 11182
- 11000 - 11031

 ![screenshot](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/142af962e0d71a96828f3efa0e4786c2b062829e.png)

> One networking port is required for each Stream Cache Server that is spawned. The port is used for WebSocket communication between the Stream Cache Server and the browser running the HOOPS Web Viewer. In the case above, we have provided 32 ports to instantiate concurrent viewing sessions on ports 11000 - 11031.

### **IIS Installation**

1. Start the server manager from the Start menu
2. Select **Dashboard** in the Server Manager and click **Add roles and features**
3. Click **Next** in the “Before you begin” page of the Add Roles and Feature Wizard
4. Select **Role-based or feature-based installation** in the Select installation type page, and click **Next**
5. Choose to **Select a server from the server pool** in the “Select destination server” page, select a server and click **Next**
6. Select **Web Server (IIS)** in the “Select server roles” page, and click **Next**
7. Click **Next** in the “Select features” page
8. Click **Next**
9. Select **WebSocket Protocol** of the **Application Development** in the “Select role service” page

 ![screenshot_1](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/52aa5f477786073fa39dd52d90c538cf02554dc8.png)

1. Click **Next**
2. Click **Install**
3. Click **Close** when the installation is completed

### **Enabling IE**

1. Select **Local Server** in the Server Manager
2. Click **On** for **IE Enhanced Security Configuration** in the **PROPERTIES**
3. Select **off** for Administrators:

 ![screenshot_2](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/636c83338a4da6da5a6fd27975a8f74504643329.png)

1. Click **OK**
2. Open the Control Panel from the Start menu
3. Click **Network and Internet**
4. Click **Internet Options**
5. Select the **Programs** tab
6. Select **Open Internet Explorer tiles on the desktop**

 ![screenshot_3](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/fdf469b3fc75e5de7219ff392d5113ed6d9170d1.png)

1. Click **OK**
2. Open [http://localhost](http://localhost/) using IE verify whether default page appears properly:

 ![screenshot_4](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/70ad2d0f061c0f67b66cd56c84e8dbba178dbf2a.png)

### **Adding WebAssembly file type (.wasm) to MIME types in IIS**

1. Open the Windows Control Panel
2. Click **System and Security**
3. Click **Administrative Tools**
4. Double-click **Internet Information Service (IIS) Manager**
5. Select **Default Web Site** in the left-hand tree:

 ![screenshot_5 (1)](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/671186ee995c160d20c6faece4a8d3e9dcce976e.png)

1. Double-click **MIME Type**
2. Click **Add…** in the right panel
3. Type “ **.wasm** ” for File name extension and “ **application/wasm** ” as MIME type, and click **OK:**

 ![screenshot_6](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/eec672beba46a68f5369247b6e12254068d3aac0.png)

### **Install a supported browser (optional)**

> If you don’t have at least IE 11 installed on your machine, you’ll need to install a supported browser to view models on your server machine. This is not a step you’ll likely do on a production server

Here is the list of [Supported Platforms for the WebViewer](https://docs.techsoft3d.com/communicator/latest/build/overview/supported-platforms.html).

### **Install HOOPS Communicator**

1. Download the latest version of HOOPS Communicator and your license key from the [Tech Soft 3D Developer Zone](https://developer.techsoft3d.com/hoops/hoops-communicator/).
2. Create a folder named “HC” in the wwwroot folder of the web server (C:\inetpub\wwwroot).
3. Run the HOOPS Communicator and install wherever you’d prefer.
4. Copy all the files from \web\_viewer\src into C:\inetpub\wwwroot\HC.
5. Launch Communicator, by navigating to \quick\_start and running start\_server.bat
6. Open [http://localhost/HC/hoops\_web\_viewer\_sample.html?wsPort=11182&instance=microengine](http://localhost/HC/hoops_web_viewer_sample.html?wsPort=11182&instance=microengine) using a supported browser to verify you have installed and configured HOOPS Communicator correctly:

 ![screenshot_7](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/57893b72b78ebf3868e50dba9e1c7fb4f5ed167c.png)

1. Stop Communicator by closing the cmd window it opened up in.

### **Add a new inbound rule**

1. Open the Windows Control Panel
2. Click **System and Security**
3. Click **Windows Firewall**
4. Click **Advanced settings**
5. Select **Inbound Rules** and click **New Rule…**
6. Select **Port** in the “Rule Type” page of the New Inbound Rule Wizard, and click **Next**
7. Add “11182, 11000-11031” to the Specific local ports:

 ![ports](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/29be1a9c770bc20f67f0273312dc974c60343852.png)

1. Click **Next**
2. Select **Allow the condition** , and click **Next**
3. Select **Public** , and click **Next**
4. Input “HC” as the rule name, and click **Finish**

### **HOOPS Communicator Configuration for external access**

1. Open the file \server\node\Config.js
2. Edit the **publicHostName** variable to point to the public IP address for your machine:
3. Run \<HOOPS Communicator install Dir\server\node\start\_server.bat
4. Open **http://\<YourPublicIPAddress/HC/hoops\_web\_viewer\_sample.html? wsPort=11182&instance=microengine** using a web browser on an external machine and verify the HOOPS Web Viewer appears properly
5. Close the cmd window where you launched start\_server.bat

### **Application Request routing (ARR) installation**

1. Go to the Microsoft Web Platform Installer website:  
[Web Platform Installer : The Official Microsoft IIS Site](https://www.microsoft.com/web/downloads/platform.aspx)
2. Click **Install this extension** and run the installer
3. Install the Web Platform Installer
4. Start Web Platform Installer after installation
5. Search for ARR and click **Add** of Application Request Routing 3.0
6. Click **Install**
7. Click **I Accept**
8. Click **Finish** when the installation is complete

**Reverse proxy URL rewriting**

1. Open the Windows Control Panel
2. Click **System and Security**
3. Click **Administrative Tools**
4. Double-click **Internet Information Service (IIS) Manager**
5. Select **Default Web Site** in the left hand tree:

 ![screenshot_5 (1)](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/671186ee995c160d20c6faece4a8d3e9dcce976e.png)

1. Double-click **URL Rewrite**
2. Click **Add Rule(s)…** in the right panel:

 ![screenshot_8](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/f15cf063c34409bcab8e22e106713cbfc952b198.png)

1. Select **Reverse Proxy** and click OK
2. Click **OK** to enable proxy functionality

 ![screenshot_9](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/323c6287e3ef7f40a5dadaf8a86167015fa13012.png)

1. Click **Cancel**
2. Open the web.config file in root folder of current web site (C:\inetpub\wwwroot) and add the following rewrite rules:

```auto
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<configuration>
<system.webServer><staticContent>
<mimeMap fileExtension=".wasm" mimeType="application/wasm" />
</staticContent>
<rewrite>
<rules>
<rule name="Rewrite to httpproxy" enabled="true">
<match url="^httpproxy/([0-9]+)/([_0-9a-z-]+)" />
<conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll" trackAllCaptures="false">
<add input="{CACHE_URL}" pattern="^(.+)://([.0-9]+)" />
</conditions>
<action type="Rewrite" url="{C:1}://172.31.27.239:{R:1}/{R:2}" />
</rule>
<rule name="Rewrite to wsproxy" enabled="true">
<match url="^wsproxy/([0-9]+)" negate="false" />
<conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll" trackAllCaptures="false">
<add input="{CACHE_URL}" pattern="^(.+)://([.0-9]+)" />
</conditions>
<action type="Rewrite" url="{C:1}://172.31.27.239:{R:1}" />
</rule>
</rules>
</rewrite>
</system.webServer>
</configuration>

```

1. Edit line 223 of \HC\js\sample.js (the root folder is usually C:\inetpub\wwwroot):

```auto
var brokerUri = window.location.protocol + "//" + window.location.hostname + ":" + brokerPort;

if (Sample._getProxy())
  brokerUri=window.location.protocol+"//"+window.location.hostname+"/httpproxy/"+brokerPort;

```

1. Run \server\node\start\_server.bat
2. Open **[http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/HC/hoops\_web\_viewer\_sample.html?broker=true&proxy=true&instance=microengine](http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/HC/hoops_web_viewer_sample.html?broker=true&proxy=true&instance=microengine)** using a web browser on an external machine and verify that the HOOPS Web Viewer is appearing as expected
3. Close the server cmd window (shutting the server down)

### **Inbound rule modification**

> The reverse proxy has now been configured, but there are still some non-standard ports  
> that are open to the internet, posing a security risk. We’ll need to close them by restricting the non-standard ports to the private environment. It’s important the user minimizes exposure to the public zone.

Here is an illustration of what the system looks like after above configuration:

 ![before](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/c912fdf591cd7a80b6495c7c5c8fc7f14ed92769.png)

And after the modification:

 ![after](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/1e3c309aba34927a8cf837b2be5c60b9d9b94b13.png)

### Configuring the private environment:

1. Open Advanced settings of Windows Firewall
2. Double-click HC from Inbound Rules
3. Click **Advanced** tab and select **Private** only in the Profiles:

 ![screenshot_10](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/657340571218bbc9b665f647d18c9c289cb8e09b.png)

1. Click OK
2. Now, HOOPS Web Viewer cannot be opened from external machine.
3. If you are using EC2 instance of AWS, it is also necessary to edit the Inbound  
rules:

 ![screenshot_11](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/techsoft3d/original/1X/ee7cad55ae536c7a6570482c19c8bca8354e9b64.png)

### **URL Rewrite rule modification**

Edit the \web.config file and replace the Rewrite rules with your private address:

```auto
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
...
<rewrite>
<rules>
<rule name="Rewrite to httpproxy" enabled="true">
<match url="^httpproxy/([0-9]+)/([_0-9a-z-]+)" />
<conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll" trackAllCaptures="false">
<add input="{CACHE_URL}" pattern="^(.+)://([.0-9]+)" />
</conditions>
<action type="Rewrite" url="{C:1}://yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy:{R:1}/{R:2}" />
</rule>
<rule name="Rewrite to wsproxy" enabled="true"><match url="^wsproxy/([0-9]+)" negate="false" />
<conditions logicalGrouping="MatchAll" trackAllCaptures="false">
<add input="{CACHE_URL}" pattern="^(.+)://([.0-9]+)" />
</conditions>
<action type="Rewrite" url="{C:1}://yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy:{R:1}" />
</rule>
</rules>
</rewrite>
...

```

yyy.yyy.yyy.yyy is your private IP address.

### **Test the HOOPS Web Viewer**

1. Launch \server\node\start\_server.bat
2. Open **[http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/HC/hoops\_web\_viewer\_sample.html?broker=true&proxy=true&instance=microengine](http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx/HC/hoops_web_viewer_sample.html?broker=true&proxy=true&instance=microengine)** using a web browser on an external machine and verify whether HOOPS Web Viewer appears properly