How do I redirect subdomains to a different port on the same server?

In Apache, you can redirect requests from subdomains to a different port on the same server using VirtualHost configurations and mod_proxy. This allows you to redirect traffic from a subdomain to a specific port, effectively serving content from that port while using the subdomain as an access point. Here's a guide to accomplish this:

Prerequisites:

• Ensure that mod_proxy and mod_proxy_http are enabled:

   

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  sudo a2enmod proxy
  sudo a2enmod proxy_http
  sudo systemctl restart apache2
  
  

Steps to Redirect Subdomains to a Different Port:

1. Set Up Proxy Pass for the Subdomain: Edit your Apache configuration file to define a VirtualHost for the subdomain and use the ProxyPass directive to redirect requests to a different port.

    

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   <VirtualHost *:80>
       ServerName subdomain.example.com
       ProxyPass / <http://localhost:8080/>
       ProxyPassReverse / <http://localhost:8080/>
   </VirtualHost>
   
   

- Replace `subdomain.example.com` with your subdomain.
- `ProxyPass` and `ProxyPassReverse` direct requests to `localhost:8080` where the server on that port is expected to handle the traffic.

1. Update Configuration and Restart Apache: Save your changes and restart Apache for the new configuration to take effect:

    

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   sudo systemctl restart apache2
   
   

Explanation:

• The ProxyPass directive forwards the incoming requests from the specified subdomain (subdomain.example.com) to the defined address and port (http://localhost:8080/).
• ProxyPassReverse ensures that the responses from the proxied server are rewritten to match the subdomain path, adjusting URLs in the response headers.

Additional Notes:

1. Port Usage: Ensure the port you're redirecting to (8080 in the example) is open and hosting the expected content.
2. SSL Configuration: For HTTPS redirection, include SSL configurations in the VirtualHost block and use ProxyPass / <https://localhost:8080/> for secure proxying.
3. Firewall Configuration: If you have a firewall enabled, ensure that the specified port is open for incoming connections.

With this configuration, Apache acts as a reverse proxy, redirecting incoming requests from the defined subdomain to a specific port on the same server, allowing you to host different services or applications on distinct ports and access them through subdomains. Adjust the configurations as per your server setup and application requirements.

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