> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://catalyst.leifiyo.dev/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# ngrok tunnels

> Expose a local Minecraft server through an ngrok TCP tunnel.

Catalyst can install and manage ngrok v3 for public TCP tunnels. This is useful when players need to connect to a server running behind a home router or private network.

## Setup

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an ngrok account">
    Get an authtoken from the ngrok dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open Catalyst settings">
    Go to **Settings** and enable ngrok integration.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the authtoken">
    Catalyst validates the token with `ngrok config add-authtoken` before saving it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Start a tunnel">
    Start the server, then enable or start its ngrok tunnel from the server detail workflow.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Card title="ngrok dashboard" icon="external-link" href="https://dashboard.ngrok.com/get-started/your-authtoken">
  Open ngrok's token page.
</Card>

## What Catalyst manages

* Downloads the ngrok binary for the current platform and architecture.
* Stores ngrok files under Catalyst's app-data directory.
* Writes a private ngrok config file.
* Starts `ngrok tcp <server-port>`.
* Polls the local ngrok API for the public `host:port`.
* Stops active tunnels when the app closes.

## Token display

Catalyst shows a censored token after configuration. The stored value can be changed or removed from Settings.

<Warning>
  Public tunnels expose your Minecraft server to the internet. Use a whitelist, backups, and server permissions before sharing the address widely.
</Warning>