Web shortcuts

A device can have up to three web shortcuts. Each one is a button on the device's terminal page that opens a web app running on that device, such as a router, camera, server console or NAS.

These are links, not a HiveCatcher-hosted proxy. They only work when the HiveCatcher WireGuard config is active on the computer or phone you are using. The browser terminal alone is not enough. The terminal uses a separate server-side connection; it does not put your browser on the device network.

How they work

A shortcut stores a label, the scheme (http or https), a port and an optional path. The host is always the device's HiveCatcher tunnel address. When you click the button, your browser opens the app at that address in a new tab.

HiveCatcher does not host or proxy the page. Your browser reaches the app over the WireGuard tunnel. The app keeps its own login and its own security.

Set up a shortcut

1.Connect the tunnel

Open the device page and go to Remote access (VPN). Select Request tunnel and wait until it says Connected.

Download the WireGuard config and import it into the WireGuard app on the computer or phone you will use. Activate the tunnel. The config is a split tunnel to this device only.

2.Add the shortcut

On the same device page, find Web shortcuts and select Add web shortcut. Give it a short label, then enter the scheme, port and optional path.

For example, a web admin page on port 8080 at the root is http, port 8080, path /. The maximum is three shortcuts per device.

3.Open it from the terminal page

Open the device's terminal page. The shortcuts appear above the terminal as Open local web apps. Select one and it opens in a new tab.

The device tunnel must be connected. On the computer or phone you are using, the WireGuard config must also be active.

If a shortcut does not load

The browser terminal works, but the shortcut does not. This is expected when the WireGuard config is not active on your computer. The terminal runs through HiveCatcher's server. The shortcut needs the tunnel on the device you are using.
The Open button is disabled. The device tunnel is not connected. Return to the device page, request the tunnel and wait for it to connect.
The page times out or says it cannot connect. Check that WireGuard is active on this computer or phone, and that the device tunnel is still connected. Check the port and path in the shortcut.
It works on one computer but not another. The WireGuard config is active only on the first one. Import the config on the other device as well.
The app only listens on the device itself. A web app bound to 127.0.0.1 cannot be reached through the tunnel. The app must listen on the tunnel interface or all interfaces.
It uses HTTPS with a self-signed certificate. Your browser may show a certificate warning. Only continue if you trust the device and the app.

Good to know

The button itself targets only the device's tunnel address and the configured port. It does not open other devices on the local network.
Anyone with access to the device can see and use its shortcuts. Do not put passwords or other secrets in a label.
HiveCatcher does not store the web app's password. Sign in to the app directly.
These links do not work without the HiveCatcher WireGuard config. There is no hosted proxy today.

If you need to reach a device web app from a phone or computer where you cannot install WireGuard, contact us. That is a separate feature we are evaluating, not something the current buttons can do.