Files
fips/docs/how-to
Johnathan Corgan 0fcf0f6f8f gateway: change dns.listen default to [::1]:5353
The gateway is designed for systems already serving DHCP and DNS to
a LAN segment (canonically an OpenWrt AP). On those systems port 53
is already taken by the existing resolver, so the prior `[::]:53`
default conflicted with the gateway's intended deployment target out
of the box.

The OpenWrt ipk previously overrode this in its packaged config as a
workaround; matching the source default to what the canonical
deployment actually wants makes the override redundant and removes a
foot-gun for fresh manual Linux-host installs. The redundant
`dns.listen` line in `packaging/openwrt-ipk/files/etc/fips/fips.yaml`
is dropped along with this change.

Operators on a host without a pre-existing resolver on port 53 can
opt back into the wildcard bind by setting `dns.listen: "[::]:53"`
explicitly. The new default binds IPv6 loopback only — Linux IPv6
sockets bound to explicit `::1` do not accept v4-mapped traffic, so
forwarders that reach the gateway over IPv4 loopback need to be
pointed at an explicit IPv4 listen address instead.

Touches the gateway config struct and its default-value test, the
commented-out gateway example in the Debian common fips.yaml, the
OpenWrt ipk config (override removed), the gateway reference /
how-to / design / tutorial / troubleshoot docs, and a CHANGELOG
entry under [Unreleased] -> Changed.
2026-05-08 14:02:05 +00:00
..

How-To Guides

Task-oriented, step-by-step recipes for operators with a specific goal in mind. Each guide assumes the reader already knows what FIPS is and wants to get a particular thing done — enable a feature, deploy a component, troubleshoot a class of problem.

How-to guides do not teach concepts (that is the role of design/) and do not enumerate options (that is the role of reference/). They take the reader along the shortest correct path from "I want to do X" to "X is done".

Available Guides

Guide Goal
enable-mesh-firewall.md Activate the default-deny nftables baseline on fips0
enable-nostr-discovery.md Turn on Nostr-mediated discovery (3 capabilities — resolve, advertise, open — across 5 scenarios)
deploy-tor-onion.md Run a Tor onion service for inbound FIPS connections
tune-udp-buffers.md Set host sysctls so FIPS UDP sockets don't get clamped
run-as-unprivileged-user.md Run the daemon under a dedicated unprivileged service account (drops the default-root posture)
deploy-gateway.md Manually deploy fips-gateway on a non-OpenWrt Linux host (LAN-to-mesh outbound + mesh-to-LAN inbound port-forwards). For the OpenWrt path, see the gateway tutorial.
troubleshoot-gateway.md Diagnostic recipes for the gateway, organised by half (outbound, inbound, common)
persistent-identity.md Provision a stable Nostr keypair so the node keeps the same npub across restarts
host-aliases.md Use shortnames (test-us01.fips, my-laptop.fips) instead of full npubs by editing /etc/fips/hosts or setting peer aliases
set-up-bluetooth-peer.md Configure a Bluetooth Low Energy peer link
diagnose-mtu-issues.md Triage MTU-shaped failures and rule out their imposters (bufferbloat, transport saturation)