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How to set up a remote Airsonic music server

Discover how to configure a music server using Airsonic on Windows, macOS, and Linux and access it remotely over Meshnet.

Introduction

In today's digital landscape, cloud-based audio services have become the go-to choice for many individuals seeking convenient access to their music. However, these solutions often fall short when it comes to providing access to personal audio files stored on separate devices. This limitation emphasizes the importance of finding a solution that grants users full control over their audio streaming experience, leading many to explore the option of setting up their own music servers.
​Airsonic is a self-hosted, free, and open-source application that enables you to easily configure a personal music server. This tool is optimized for various audio formats and large music collections. While self-hosting a server can be an exciting learning experience, setting up secure remote access may be the opposite.
Tinkering with port forwarding or looking for available domain names can be tedious work. With Meshnet, you can allow remote connections to your server without any difficult networking configurations. In addition, you do not have to expose any ports on your server.
This guide contains instructions on how you can set up your own Airsonic music server on Windows, macOS, and Linux devices using Docker, and access the server remotely using Meshnet.

Prerequisites

To follow this guide, you must have Docker and Docker Compose installed on your device. Instructions on how to download and install these tools can be found on the Docker website:
Note
Docker Compose comes pre-installed with Docker Desktop.

Deploy Airsonic using Docker

With Docker and Docker Compose installed, you can begin setting up your Airsonic music server. Running the Airsonic server as a Docker container requires fewer resources than a standalone installation. Besides, you can easily make changes to the server’s configuration by adjusting the Docker Compose file and restarting the container.

Creating a Docker Compose file

First, you need to create a Docker Compose file that contains the deployment instructions for the Airsonic Docker container.
Windows
macOS and Linux
To create a Docker Compose file for Airsonic on Windows:
  1. 1.
    Open PowerShell.
  2. 2.
    Run the following command to create a new airsonic folder with a data subfolder, and then navigate to the airsonic folder:
    mkdir airsonic/data; cd airsonic
    PowerShell output after creating the required directories and navigating to the 'airsonic' folder.
    ​
  3. 3.
    Create a docker-compose.yml file and open it using Notepad with the following command:
    notepad docker-compose.yml
    When prompted to create the file, click Yes.
    Confirming to create a new file in the Notepad dialog.
    ​
  4. 4.
    In the Notepad window, paste the following information containing instructions for the Airsonic-advanced Docker container:
    version: "3"
    services:
    airsonic-advanced:
    container_name: airsonic-advanced
    image: airsonicadvanced/airsonic-advanced:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
    - 4040:4040
    - 4041:4041
    environment:
    TZ: <YourTimezone>
    volumes:
    - <\path\to\music>:/var/music
    - <\path\to\playlists>:/var/playlists
    - <\path\to\podcasts>:/var/podcasts
    - ./data:/var/airsonic
  5. 5.
    Replace the placeholders with the values appropriate for your setup:
    • Instead of <TimeZone>, enter your time zone.
    • Instead of <\path\to\music>, enter the path to your music folder.
    • Instead of <\path\to\playlists>, enter the path to your playlists folder.
    • Instead of <\path\to\podcasts>, enter the path to your podcasts folder. Example
      Example Docker Compose file for Airsonic on Windows.
      ​
  6. 6.
    Press Ctrl + S to save changes.
  7. 7.
    Exit Notepad.
To create a Docker Compose file for Airsonic on macOS and Linux:
  1. 1.
    Open Terminal.
  2. 2.
    Run the id command to find the uid and gid values for your user account.
    UID and GID values underlined in the terminal output.
    ​
  3. 3.
    Run the following command to create a new airsonic folder with a data subfolder, and then navigate to the airsonic folder:
    mkdir -p airsonic/data && cd airsonic
  4. 4.
    Create a docker-compose.yml file and open it using the Nano text editor with the following command:
    nano docker-compose.yml
  5. 5.
    In the terminal window, paste the following information containing instructions for the Airsonic-advanced Docker container:
    version: "3"
    services:
    airsonic-advanced:
    container_name: airsonic-advanced
    image: airsonicadvanced/airsonic-advanced:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
    - 4040:4040
    - 4041:4041
    user: <UID>:<GID>
    environment:
    TZ: <YourTimezone>
    volumes:
    - </path/to/music>:/var/music
    - </path/to/playlists>:/var/playlists
    - </path/to/podcasts>:/var/podcasts
    - ./data:/var/airsonic
  6. 6.
    Replace the placeholders with the values appropriate for your setup:
    • Instead of <UID> and <GID>, enter your user account’s values from Step 2.
    • Instead of <TimeZone>, enter your time zone.
    • Instead of </path/to/music>, enter the path to your music folder.
    • Instead of </path/to/playlists>, enter the path to your playlists folder.
    • Instead of </path/to/podcasts>, enter the path to your podcasts folder.
      Example
      Example Docker Compose file for Airsonic on Linux.
      ​
  7. 7.
    Press Ctrl + X, Y, and Enter to save changes and exit.

Starting the Airsonic container

With the Compose file created, while in the airsonic directory, execute the following command in the command line to create your Airsonic instance:
docker-compose up -d
Docker will pull the Airsonic-advanced image from Docker Hub and create the container.
You can run the docker ps command to check if your Airsonic container is up and healthy.
Output of the 'docker ps' command showing that the Airsonic container is active.

Access the Airsonic web interface

Now that the server is active, you can control all of its settings using the Airsonic web interface. To access the web interface:
  1. 1.
    Open your internet browser.
  2. 2.
    Navigate to the following URL: localhost:4040/login
  3. 3.
    In the Username and Password fields, enter admin and click Log in.
    Logging in to the Airsonic web interface using the default credentials.
Upon logging in, you will be redirected to the Airsonic “Getting started” page. You can disable this page by clicking Don’t show this again.

Updating the administrator account credentials

It is essential to secure administrator access to your Airsonic instance with strong credentials. To update the login details for the administrator account:
  1. 1.
    In the upper-right corner, click admin and select Credentials.
  2. 2.
    Click Add credentials.
  3. 3.
    Enter your new password twice, select its expiry date, and click Create.
    Filling in the required information in the 'Add credentials' dialog.
    ​
  4. 4.
    In the Credentials table, next to the initial entry, select the Delete checkbox and click Save.
    Deleting the default administrator login credentials.
The old default credentials are now removed and administrator access to your Airsonic instance is secured with the newly created password.

Creating new user accounts

Using an administrator account for standard access is not recommended, especially if you plan to share the server with your peers. Airsonic allows you to create new accounts with specific permissions. This way, you can be sure that no accidental changes to the server will be done.
To create a new user:
  1. 1.
    Go to Airsonic Settings and select Users.
  2. 2.
    Make sure that New user is chosen next to Select user.
  3. 3.
    Select the appropriate permissions and access to media folders for the new user.
  4. 4.
    Enter the username, email address, and password of the new user.
  5. 5.
    Click Save.
    Clicking 'Save' on the filled in new user creation screen.
The new user account is now created.

Connect to Airsonic over Meshnet

With your Airsonic server fully set up, you can use it remotely over Meshnet.

Method 1: Using an internet browser

The easiest method to access your audio files stored on the Airsonic server is using an internet browser.
  1. 1.
    Copy the Nord name of your Airsonic server from the NordVPN application.
  2. 2.
    Open your internet browser.
  3. 3.
    In the URL field, paste the copied Nord name followed by :4040/ and press Enter.
    Example secret.meerkat-everest.nord:4040/
  4. 4.
    Log in to your Airsonic account.
    Logging in to the Airsonic web interface using the newly created user account.
Now you should have full access to your Airsonic music library while being away from home.

Method 2: Using mobile apps

You can also use Airsonic-compatible apps to conveniently access and listen to your audio library. A list of compatible apps is available on the Airsonic applications documentation page.
Android
iOS
To connect to your Airsonic server using the Ultrasonic app for Android:
  1. 1.
    Install Ultrasonic from the Google Play Store and launch it.
  2. 2.
    In the Welcome to Ultrasonic! pop-up window, tap Take me to the settings.
    Tapping 'Take me to the settings'.
    ​
  3. 3.
    In the lower-right corner, tap the plus (+) button.
  4. 4.
    In the Add server screen, fill in the following information:
    • In the Name field, enter a custom name for your server.
    • In the Server address field, append the Nord name of your Airsonic server followed by :4040.
    • In the Username and Password fields, enter the user credentials for your Airsonic server account. Example
      Filled in details for the Meshnet Airsonic server.
      ​
  5. 5.
    Enable the Force plain password authentication toggle.
    Enabling the 'Force plain password authentication' toggle.
    ​
  6. 6.
    Tap Test connection to ensure that you can reach your server and tap Save.
  7. 7.
    From the Configured servers list, select your newly added server.
    Selecting the Meshnet Airsonic server.
Now you can navigate your music library and play selected recordings directly from the Ultrasonic app.
To connect to your Airsonic server using the iSub app for iOS:
  1. 1.
    Install iSub from the Apple App Store and launch it.
  2. 2.
    In the first field, enter http://<NordName>:4040, replacing the Nord name with your Airsonic server’s Nord name. Example http://secret.meerkat-everest.nord:4040
  3. 3.
    In the username and password fields, enter authentication credentials for your Airsonic server account.
  4. 4.
    Tap Save.
  5. 5.
    Tap App settings and switch to the Settings tab.
  6. 6.
    Under General, turn on the Enable basic authentication toggle.
    Turning on the 'Enable basic authentication' toggle in the iSub settings.
Now you can navigate your music library and play selected recordings directly from the iSub app.
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