LookingGlass

A user-friendly PHP looking glass that lets visitors run network diagnostics (host, mtr, ping, traceroute, and IPv6 variants) on your server through a web UI.

Current version: 1.0.0 (PHP 8.1+, Bootstrap 5, CSRF protection, multi-node)

Author: Aria Jahangiri Far

Features

• Automated install via configure.sh
• IPv4 and IPv6 commands
• Live streamed command output
• Light / dark themes
• Per-IP rate limiting (SQLite)
• CSRF-protected command endpoint (POST)
• Multiple nodes — add remote LookingGlass servers and run tests from them

Requirements

• PHP 8.1+ with PDO SQLite and cURL (required for remote nodes)
• Linux host with host, mtr, ping/ping6, traceroute
• Apache (with AllowOverride) or Nginx + PHP-FPM

Install

1. Place files in your web root.

2. Copy config:

   cp LookingGlass/Config.example.php LookingGlass/Config.php

   Edit values (especially $adminPassword and $apiKey), or run:

   cd LookingGlass
   bash configure.sh

3. Ensure Apache/Nginx denies HTTP access to /LookingGlass.

Multi-node setup

Use multiple LookingGlass installs (for example one per PoP). Visitors choose a Node in the test form; this server runs the command locally or proxies it to a remote peer.

1. Prepare each server

1. Install LookingGlass on every server that should run tests (same codebase and PHP requirements).
2. On every server, edit LookingGlass/Config.php:
   • Set $adminPassword to a strong password (used only on the server where you manage the node list).
   • Set $apiKey to a long random secret. The same $apiKey must be configured on all peers.
3. Ensure PHP cURL is enabled on the server that will proxy to remotes (usually your main / hub instance).
4. Prefer HTTPS for every LookingGlass URL.

Example secrets in Config.php:

$adminPassword = 'your-strong-admin-password';
$apiKey = 'a-long-random-shared-secret';

2. Add a local node (this server)

1. Open https://your-main-lg.example.com/admin.php.
2. Log in with $adminPassword.
3. Under Add node, fill in:
   • Name — display name, e.g. Tehran
   • Location — optional label, e.g. IR-THR
   • Base URL — leave empty so tests run on this server
4. Click Add node.

A default Local node is created automatically if none exist; you can rename it or add another local-style entry with an empty URL.

3. Add a remote node

1. Confirm LookingGlass is working on the remote host, e.g. https://lg-fra.example.com.
2. On that remote host, set the same $apiKey as on the hub in LookingGlass/Config.php.
3. On the hub, open /admin.php again and add a node:
   • Name — e.g. Frankfurt
   • Location — e.g. DE-FRA
   • Base URL — LookingGlass site root only, no trailing slash and not pointing at ajax.php
     Correct: https://lg-fra.example.com
     Wrong: https://lg-fra.example.com/ or https://lg-fra.example.com/ajax.php
4. Click Add node.
5. On the public Looking Glass page, select the new node and run a test (e.g. ping to 1.1.1.1).

If the remote is unreachable, check firewall/DNS, matching $apiKey, and that cURL can reach the remote URL from the hub.

4. Edit or remove nodes

In /admin.php (while logged in):

• Change name, location, or URL, then click Save.
• Click × to delete a node (if you remove all nodes, a default local node is recreated).

5. How visitors use nodes

1. Open the main Looking Glass page.
2. Enter a host or IP.
3. Choose a Node from the dropdown.
4. Choose a command and click Run Test.

Local nodes execute on this server. Remote nodes are called by this server using $apiKey (visitors never see the key).

Checklist

Item	Hub	Each remote
LookingGlass installed	Yes	Yes
Same $apiKey	Yes	Yes
$adminPassword set	Yes (to manage list)	Optional
Node URL empty	Local tests	—
Node URL = peer root	—	Listed on hub
PHP cURL	Required for remotes	Recommended

Security notes

• Change $adminPassword and $apiKey from the defaults before going public
• Set a non-zero $rateLimit in production
• Keep /LookingGlass (config, SQLite, nodes.json, scripts) blocked from the web
• Run behind HTTPS; monitor for abuse

Apache

.htaccess disables indexes, blocks private LookingGlass files, and turns off gzip for *.test downloads. Enable AllowOverride.

Nginx

Use or adapt LookingGlass/lookingglass-http.nginx.conf.

License

MIT — see LICENCE.