Cloudflare Tunnel + Dynu Setup (Access Raspberry Pi from Anywhere)

2024filed under: reflections

Jio AirFiber uses shared IPs, making traditional port forwarding impossible. This guide shows how to access your Raspberry Pi from anywhere using Dynu DDNS and Cloudflare Tunnel—no port forwarding needed.

The Problem

Jio AirFiber assigns shared/CGNAT IP addresses
Can't port forward from external internet
Need secure remote access to Raspberry Pi server
Want HTTPS without managing certificates

Requirements

Raspberry Pi (or any server)
Free Dynu account (dynu.com)
Free Cloudflare account (cloudflare.com)
Domain name (optional, can use Dynu subdomain)

Part 1: Dynu DDNS Setup

Create Dynu Hostname

Sign up at dynu.com
DDNS Services → Add
Choose hostname: mypiserver.freeddns.org
Set to your current IP (Dynu will update automatically)

Install ddclient on Pi

sudo apt install ddclient -y
sudo nano /etc/ddclient.conf

Configure with Dynu credentials to keep hostname updated.

Part 2: Cloudflare Tunnel Setup

Add Domain to Cloudflare

Add site to Cloudflare account
Update nameservers at domain registrar
Or use Cloudflare's free subdomain

Install cloudflared on Pi

wget https://github.com/cloudflare/cloudflared/releases/latest/download/cloudflared-linux-arm64.deb
sudo dpkg -i cloudflared-linux-arm64.deb

Authenticate

cloudflared tunnel login

Create Tunnel

cloudflared tunnel create mypi
cloudflared tunnel route dns mypi pi.yourdomain.com

Configure Tunnel

Edit ~/.cloudflared/config.yml:

tunnel: [tunnel-id]
credentials-file: /home/pi/.cloudflared/[tunnel-id].json

ingress:
  - hostname: pi.yourdomain.com
    service: http://localhost:80
  - service: http_status:404

Run as Service

sudo cloudflared service install
sudo systemctl start cloudflared
sudo systemctl enable cloudflared

Benefits

Bypass firewall/CGNAT – Works with Jio AirFiber restrictions
Automatic SSL – HTTPS without certificate management
No nameserver management – Cloudflare handles DNS
DDoS protection – Cloudflare's network protects your Pi
Fast – Cloudflare's global CDN

Security Best Practices

Enable Cloudflare Access for MFA
Restrict access by IP/country if needed
Use strong credentials on Pi services
Keep cloudflared updated
Monitor access logs
Don't expose unnecessary services

Troubleshooting

Tunnel won't start: Check cloudflared logs with journalctl -u cloudflared -f

Can't access: Verify DNS propagation, check tunnel status in Cloudflare dashboard

502 error: Ensure local service (port 80) is running on Pi

This setup transformed my Raspberry Pi from local-only to globally accessible server, all without port forwarding or static IP. Secure, reliable, free.

Dharun Ashokkumar