FoundryVTT & DuckDNS: Troubleshooting “Connection Timed Out”
So, you’re trying to host your own FoundryVTT server using Caddy and DuckDNS, but you’re hitting a snag: the dreaded “Connection Timed Out” error. You can access the server just fine using your internal IP, but the domain name just won’t work. I’ve been there, it’s frustrating, but don’t worry, we’ll figure this out.
My FoundryVTT Setup Journey
I recently went through this process myself on my Ubuntu laptop. I followed a guide for setting up FoundryVTT with node.js, Caddy, and DuckDNS, thinking it’d be a smooth ride. Everything installed fine, no errors, but then… bam! Connection timed out when trying to use my DuckDNS domain.
I initially figured DuckDNS just needed some time to update. But a day passed, and still nothing. Here’s my setup, in case it’s helpful:
- Ubuntu 24.04.2 LTS
- 4GB RAM
- Dell OptiPlex 3010
- Intel Core i3-3240
I’m pretty sure a few things *aren’t* the problem. Port forwarding isn’t an issue because I’m using IPv6 with DuckDNS. FoundryVTT itself is running fine because I can access it locally. And the DuckDNS script seems to be working correctly. At least, the logs say “OK.”
Possible Culprits
Here’s what I suspect might be causing the issue:
- SSL Certificates: Maybe something went wrong with the SSL certificate setup within Caddy.
- Caddy Configuration: Perhaps a typo or misconfiguration in the Caddyfile is to blame.
- DuckDNS Configuration: Perhaps there’s a setting on the DuckDNS side that I overlooked.
- Firewall: I haven’t touched my firewall, but it’s possible Ubuntu’s default settings are blocking something.
Troubleshooting Steps
Here are some things you can check to resolve the connection timed out error:
- Double-check your Caddyfile: Make absolutely sure the hostname in your Caddyfile matches your DuckDNS domain *exactly*. Even a small typo can cause problems. Also, verify that the correct ports are being used.
- Test Caddy Directly: Try accessing your server using your computer’s public IP address (you can find this by Googling “what’s my IP”) but with port 443 (https). If this works, it points to a DNS issue. If not, it’s likely a Caddy configuration problem.
- Examine Caddy Logs: Look at the Caddy logs for any error messages. These logs can provide crucial clues about what’s going wrong.
- Review DuckDNS Settings: Log back into your DuckDNS account and confirm your domain is correctly configured and pointed at the correct IP address.
- Temporarily Disable Firewall: As a last resort, try temporarily disabling your firewall to see if that resolves the issue. If it does, then you know the firewall is the culprit, and you can then work on configuring it correctly.
Need More Help?
I’m still troubleshooting this myself. If you have any insights or have run into this issue before, please share your thoughts in the comments below. Let’s help each other get our FoundryVTT servers up and running!
