# Could not connect with Form Server Preview **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Tags:** odk-central\ **Created:** [November 16, 2021, 11:59am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789 "2021-11-16T11:59:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 11:59am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/1 "2021-11-16T11:59:18Z")
Hi Support and Community: I am trying to deploy an odk-central for testing and I am seeing various problems. The main one and the one that I can't understand is this. ![error](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/uploads/default/original/3X/e/3/e346485be2bb4f9a7baf0f6c904eb18f6cf6e145.png) I'm read all documentation - [Selfsign certificate with latest Central](https://forum.getodk.org/t/selfsign-certificate-with-latest-central/25466) - [Enketo says Could not connect to server - #2 by Hartmut\_Noack](https://forum.getodk.org/t/enketo-says-could-not-connect-to-server/33706/2) - [Central/Enketo integration with self-signed cert - #2 by LN](https://forum.getodk.org/t/central-enketo-integration-with-self-signed-cert/29095/2) This is my .env: ```auto SSL_TYPE=selfsign DOMAIN=odk.test.org SYSADMIN_EMAIL=xxxxx@gmail.com ``` - `odk.test.org` is my IP with mapping in my **/etc/hosts** : ```auto 127.0.0.1 localhost 127.0.1.1 prcs-ODK 72.17.0.1 postgresd 10.20.60.102 odk.test.org ``` I'm lost , this is the log [https://gist.github.com/ravamo/4ba3ad2e5a4ce3bde821490fa3046348](https://gist.github.com/ravamo/4ba3ad2e5a4ce3bde821490fa3046348) ---
**Author:** ![yanokwa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/yanokwa/32/1695_2.png) [@yanokwa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/yanokwa)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 1:52pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/2 "2021-11-16T13:52:59Z")
I strongly recommend deploying Central, even a test server, on server on the Internet with a proper cert. For this particular issue, try adding this `extra_hosts` line to your enketo container config in `docker-compose.yml`. ```auto enketo: volumes: - secrets:/etc/secrets build: context: . dockerfile: enketo.dockerfile restart: always depends_on: - secrets - enketo_redis_main - enketo_redis_cache environment: - DOMAIN=${DOMAIN} - SUPPORT_EMAIL=${SYSADMIN_EMAIL} extra_hosts: - 'odk.test.org:10.20.60.102' ``` ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/3 "2021-11-16T14:39:45Z")
Hi @yanokwa thanks for your reply but doesn't work the same problem. I'm adding this new tag with the server-internal IP but I've the same problem. > [@yanokwa](#): > > I strongly recommend deploying Central, even a test server, on server on the Internet with a proper cert. I'm agree with you, as far as I know, I need a domain to generate the certificate, since when I have tried to generate it, it asks for a domain. ---
**Author:** ![yanokwa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/yanokwa/32/1695_2.png) [@yanokwa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/yanokwa)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 3:24pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/4 "2021-11-16T15:24:41Z")
> [@sowe1](#): > > thanks for your reply but doesn't work the same problem. And to confirm, did you do a `docker-compose build; docker-compose stop; docker-compose up --detach` after you made the change? ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 4:23pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/5 "2021-11-16T16:23:06Z")
Hi ! Yes , attached the docker-compose.yaml , .env and enketo.dockerfile. [documantation](https://gist.github.com/ravamo/4ba3ad2e5a4ce3bde821490fa3046348) Enketo : \* http code: 500\* Best ---
**Author:** ![delcroip](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/delcroip/32/11388_2.png) [@delcroip](https://forum.getodk.org/u/delcroip)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2021, 6:30pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/6 "2021-11-16T18:30:28Z")
Hi, I manage to get it work locally on windows, the biggest issue was the lack of support for port other than 443 (mine is already taken by another container) I update a bit the code and it works > git clone according to doc + recursive to get linked project ```auto git clone https://github.com/getodk/central.git --recursive -c core.autocrlf=false odk-central ``` .env ```auto HTTP_PORT=2080 HTTPS_PORT=2443 DOMAIN=host.docker.internal SSL_TYPE=selfsign SYSADMIN_EMAIL=pat@domain.org ``` compose where I added the port for service and enketo ```auto version: "3" services: postgres: image: "postgres:9.6" volumes: - pg_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data environment: POSTGRES_USER: odk POSTGRES_PASSWORD: odk POSTGRES_DATABASE: odk restart: always mail: image: "itsissa/namshi-smtp:4.92-8.deb10u6" volumes: - "./files/dkim/config:/etc/exim4/_docker_additional_macros:ro" - "./files/dkim/rsa.private:/etc/exim4/domain.key:ro" environment: - MAILNAME=${DOMAIN} restart: always service: build: context: . dockerfile: service.dockerfile depends_on: - secrets - postgres - mail - pyxform - enketo volumes: - secrets:/etc/secrets - "./data/transfer:/data/transfer" environment: - DOMAIN=${DOMAIN} - HTTPS_PORT=${HTTPS_PORT:-443} - SYSADMIN_EMAIL=${SYSADMIN_EMAIL} command: ["./wait-for-it.sh", "postgres:5432", "--", "./start-odk.sh"] restart: always logging: driver: local nginx: build: context: . dockerfile: nginx.dockerfile depends_on: - service - enketo environment: - SSL_TYPE=${SSL_TYPE:-letsencrypt} - DOMAIN=${DOMAIN} - CERTBOT_EMAIL=${SYSADMIN_EMAIL} ports: - "${HTTP_PORT:-80}:80" - "${HTTPS_PORT:-443}:443" healthcheck: test: ["CMD-SHELL", "nc -z localhost 80 || exit 1"] restart: always logging: driver: local options: max-file: "30" pyxform: image: 'ghcr.io/getodk/pyxform-http:v1.7.0' restart: always secrets: volumes: - secrets:/etc/secrets build: context: . dockerfile: secrets.dockerfile command: './generate-secrets.sh' enketo: volumes: - secrets:/etc/secrets build: context: . dockerfile: enketo.dockerfile restart: always depends_on: - secrets - enketo_redis_main - enketo_redis_cache environment: - DEBUG=* - DOMAIN=${DOMAIN} - SUPPORT_EMAIL=${SYSADMIN_EMAIL} - NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0 - HTTPS_PORT=${HTTPS_PORT:-443} enketo_redis_main: image: redis:5 volumes: - "./files/enketo/redis-enketo-main.conf:/usr/local/etc/redis/redis.conf:ro" - enketo_redis_main:/data command: - redis-server - /usr/local/etc/redis/redis.conf restart: always enketo_redis_cache: image: redis:5 volumes: - "./files/enketo/redis-enketo-cache.conf:/usr/local/etc/redis/redis.conf:ro" - enketo_redis_cache:/data command: - redis-server - /usr/local/etc/redis/redis.conf restart: always volumes: pg_data: transfer: enketo_redis_main: enketo_redis_cache: secrets: ``` ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 8:19am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/7 "2021-11-17T08:19:36Z")
Hi @delcroip , Thanks for your comment. I'm run the nectcat and any other process use this port . And i'm remove all docker container, images, network, etc.. with a `docker system prune` ```auto $ sh netstat -nepal|grep 443 tcp 0 0 10.20.60.102:55940 45.77.97.47:443 ESTABLISHED 1000 75712888 2060892/firefox tcp 0 0 10.20.60.102:46942 34.117.237.239:443 ESTABLISHED 1000 75714375 2060892/firefox tcp 0 0 10.20.60.102:46624 44.239.205.250:443 ESTABLISHED 1000 73443521 2060892/firefox ``` I don't know if the problem is my version 1.3.3 or a miss something because is really complex to run odk-central for a developer environment. My steps was : 1. git clone for the project 2. add the new tag for the server IP 3. create an .env file (attache in this post) 4. docker-compose build and docker-compose up I miss something? My _.env_ ```auto SSL_TYPE=selfsign DOMAIN=host.docker.internal SYSADMIN_EMAIL=email@cruzroja.es ``` The only exception is this , nginx show me **unhealthy** but I don't see any error : ```auto 4c792fc02639 central2_nginx "/bin/bash /scripts/…" 12 minutes ago Up 11 minutes (unhealthy) 0.0.0.0:80->80/tcp, :::80->80/tcp, 0.0.0.0:443->443/tcp, :::443->443/tcp central2_nginx_1 ``` ---
**Author:** ![Matthew\_White](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/matthew_white/32/1654_2.png) [@Matthew\_White](https://forum.getodk.org/u/Matthew_White)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 4:44pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/8 "2021-11-17T16:44:58Z")
> [@sowe1](#): > > I don't know if the problem is my version 1.3.3 or a miss something because is really complex to run odk-central for a developer environment. I just wanted to note that we normally don't use Docker during local development. Locally, it's easiest to work on the backend or the frontend by cloning the individual repository and following the setup instructions in the readme. For example, you can find the backend at [https://github.com/getodk/central-backend](https://github.com/getodk/central-backend), and the readme there has instructions for setting up a development environment. You can also work with Enketo and pyxform-http locally: see the [frontend readme](https://github.com/getodk/central-frontend) for more information. If you really must use Docker as part of development, I'll echo @yanokwa in recommending that you set up your environment as closely as possible to the typical production setup. ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 8:07pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/9 "2021-11-17T20:07:35Z")
Hi @Matthew_White Thanks for your tip and feedback. My principal problem is I have the same issue in my development, staging and production environment and I don't know what the problem is ( certificated, network, etc..). I'm trying to find in the official forum this error and I'm try apply any solution like modifying my docker-compose, changing the dockerfile, add my local ip in /etc/host etc.. and nothing works. But for me now it is that odk-central works in all respects in some environments (I've two Spanish red cross projects waiting for resolve this problem )for . I will continue fighting and have if I understand the problem. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![delcroip](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/delcroip/32/11388_2.png) [@delcroip](https://forum.getodk.org/u/delcroip)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2021, 8:14pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/10 "2021-11-17T20:14:54Z")
In my case this error happen when enketo was not finding the form server (when I clicked on preview) if you look on the enkoto and service config files (modified on the PR) you can see where the form server address is defined. if you have multiple server, simply check if the form server address can be resolved form Enketo (you should be able to use IP) NGINX won't give that error, in the worst case you can check the logs ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2021, 11:10am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/11 "2021-11-18T11:10:11Z")
Hi @delcroip Thanks for your tip 👏 . No only have one server for every environment. And testing your branch but for now, but I have the same problem. I'm using your more or less configuration but my only difference is the ports and the host because host.docker.internal doesn't work in Linux. The big problem is I don't have any errors in logs and I insert into containers and run a ping to servers and I've connectivity ```plaintext root@9847f2f2dcf3:/usr/odk# ping enketo PING enketo (192.168.48.5) 56(84) bytes of data. 64 bytes from odk-central_enketo_1.odk-central_default (192.168.48.5): icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.095 ms root@34c586c9b471:/data# ping service PING service (192.168.48.8) 56(84) bytes of data. 64 bytes from odk-central_service_1.odk-central_default (192.168.48.8): icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=0.166 ms 64 bytes from odk-central_service_1.odk-central_default (192.168.48.8): icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=0.089 ms 64 bytes from odk-central_service_1.odk-central_default (192.168.48.8): icmp_seq=3 ttl=64 time=0.089 ms ``` I never thought that with a docker-compose it would be so difficult to do a test. I'm still working on that . Thanks PD: I did a telnet server to enketo and enketo to server and works ```shell equipoim@equipoim:~/Documentos/odk-central$ docker exec -it 9847f2f2dcf3 bash root@9847f2f2dcf3:/usr/odk# telnet enketo 8005 Trying 192.168.48.5... Connected to enketo. Escape character is '^]'. ``` and ```shell root@42dccfe0f742:/srv/src/enketo_express# telnet service 8383 Trying 192.168.48.8... Connected to service. Escape character is '^]'. ``` ---
**Author:** ![delcroip](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/delcroip/32/11388_2.png) [@delcroip](https://forum.getodk.org/u/delcroip)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2021, 1:47pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/12 "2021-11-18T13:47:52Z")
From the docker script, the form server address is defined by https://${DOMAIN} meaning that when you connect to enketo, you should be able to reach the "domain" ```auto docker-compose exec enketo bash wget https://put-the-domain-from-.env ``` Normally the `extra_hosts` config from @yanokwa should have worked if you configured with the "docker host" IP I am not sure why they bind this with domain instead of either nginx container or even the "form server" container (I guess it is the "service" one), maybe due to some certificate constraint. br ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2021, 2:42pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/13 "2021-11-18T14:42:05Z")
Hi @delcroip Thanks, i think I'm fixed my error with two different workarounds. Thanks all ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2021, 8:55am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/14 "2021-11-19T08:55:04Z")
Well in the end it keeps failing odk-central out-of-the-box. I don't know what the problem is, I'm going to leave this thread open in case someone knows how to solve the problem. I will use an odk-aggreate for my projects. Thank you @delcroip , @Matthew_White and @yanokwa for your time and help. ---
**Author:** ![yanokwa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/yanokwa/32/1695_2.png) [@yanokwa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/yanokwa)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/15 "2021-11-23T18:50:57Z")
@sowe1 I wanted to follow up to see if I can understand the high-level problem. It sounds like you want to run multiple Central installs (e.g., dev, staging, prod) on a single machine? ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/16 "2021-11-23T19:49:40Z")
Hi @yanokwa , Thanks , no I'm only one central for server . ---
**Author:** ![yanokwa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/yanokwa/32/1695_2.png) [@yanokwa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/yanokwa)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2021, 12:07am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/17 "2021-11-24T00:07:54Z")
OK. Let's focus on your production environment then. I'm assuming you have 1 Central install on 1 server. I'm also assuming you have a stock install with no changes besides what is required in the `.env` file. 1. What does your `.env` look like? 2. Have you mapped your fully qualified domain name to the server's external IP address? 3. Are all firewalls (e.g., ufw) on the server are disabled? 4. Are port 80s and port 443 on your server's external IP open and unfiltered? ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2021, 8:21am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/18 "2021-11-24T08:21:07Z")
- What does your `.env` look like? ```auto DOMAIN=10.98.20.119 SSL_TYPE=selfsign SYSADMIN_EMAIL=pat@domain.org ``` - Have you mapped your fully qualified domain name to the server's external IP address? I did a test with local server IP address and the IP for the service container ```auto **local server** eno1: flags=4163 mtu 1500 inet 10.98.20.119 netmask 255.255.252.0 broadcast 10.98.23.255 inet6 fe80::c456:a5bf:1cf1:9c44 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x20 ether dc:fe:07:1a:5f:cf txqueuelen 1000 (Ethernet) RX packets 124304237 bytes 114234590970 (114.2 GB) RX errors 1 dropped 2 overruns 0 frame 0 TX packets 4594522 bytes 558678514 (558.6 MB) TX errors 0 dropped 0 overruns 0 carrier 0 collisions 0 device interrupt 17 **IP container** docker inspect -f '{{range .NetworkSettings.Networks}}{{.IPAddress}}{{end}}' 220cbae01edd ``` ```yaml enketo: volumes: - secrets:/etc/secrets build: context: . dockerfile: enketo.dockerfile restart: always depends_on: - secrets - enketo_redis_main - enketo_redis_cache environment: - DOMAIN=${DOMAIN} - SUPPORT_EMAIL=${SYSADMIN_EMAIL} - NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0 - HTTPS_PORT=${HTTPS_PORT:-443} extra_hosts: - "localhost.example.org:10.98.20.119" ``` - Are all firewalls (e.g., ufw) on the server are disabled? Yes - Are port 80s and port 443 on your server's external IP open and unfiltered? Yes, I did a netcat to see that they are not being used. ---
**Author:** ![yanokwa](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/yanokwa/32/1695_2.png) [@yanokwa](https://forum.getodk.org/u/yanokwa)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2021, 2:38pm UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/19 "2021-11-24T14:38:48Z")
`10.98.20.119` is not a fully qualified domain, it's a private IP. The domain must be something like `example.org` and it must be mapped to a public IP like `93.184.216.34`. Try a fully qualified domain and `SSL_TYPE=letsencrypt` and get that working first. ---
**Author:** ![sowe1](https://getodk.b-cdn.net/user_avatar/forum.getodk.org/sowe1/32/13877_2.png) [@sowe1](https://forum.getodk.org/u/sowe1)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2021, 8:36am UTC](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789/20 "2021-11-26T08:36:05Z")
Thanks @yanokwa , Thanks that's right but for now, we don't have a domain because I need to run one odk-central and make tests . is mandatory to have a domain for running odk-central? Thanks > [@yanokwa](#): > > `10.98.20.119` is not a fully qualified domain, it's a private IP. The domain must be something like `example.org` and it must be mapped to a public IP like `93.184.216.34`. Try a fully qualified domain and `SSL_TYPE=letsencrypt` and get that working first. [Next page](https://forum.getodk.org/t/could-not-connect-with-form-server-preview/35789.md?page=2)