# Access from anywhere

> **What you will learn**
> What a tunnel is and how to open one, and what you must check before opening
> it.

## At first it only opens on your machine

Immediately after install the address is:

```
http://localhost:27777
```

`localhost` means **this computer.** It does not open from another device in the
same house, nor from outside.

## Tunnel — creating a fixed address

Connect one from the dashboard's top-right **Settings** (gear) → **General** tab
→ **Tunnel** card, and you get a **fixed address.**

```mermaid
graph TD
  P["Phone · laptop elsewhere"] --> T["Fixed address<br/>the internet"]
  T --> H["HyperTeams on your machine"]
  H --> F["Working directories"]
```

**You do not have to touch your router.** Your machine makes the outbound
connection, so no port forwarding and no static IP.

## Before you open it — the password

> **The more you open outward, the more the password matters. Set it first.**

On `localhost`, only someone with access to your computer could open it. Open a
tunnel and **anyone who knows the address** can try.

```bash
hyperteams setup
```

Set a solid password before you open the tunnel.

### Know what is being opened

What the tunnel opens is **the entire HyperTeams interface.** Someone who
connects successfully can:

- see files in your registered working directories
- hand over tasks
- type commands in the terminal

**That is substantial authority over that machine.** Treat the password
accordingly.

## Restart after connecting

After connecting a tunnel, **it takes a restart to apply.**

```bash
hyperteams restart
```

## What opening it enables

### Install it on your phone like an app

Open the address in your phone's browser and **add to home screen** to use it
like an app. It is built for small screens, so phone use is not an afterthought.

### Notifications when work finishes

You can get **a phone notification** when work you handed over completes. Set a
long job running, go out, get notified.

### Sharing results

[A dev server started in the terminal](/guide/ht-terminal) opens through that
address too. You can send a colleague the link.

## Connecting your own domain

If you own a domain, connect it on the same screen. You can use something like
`mydomain.com` instead of the default address.

## Using it safely

| Check | Why |
|---|---|
| Is the password strong enough | it is the only door |
| Are working directories drawn narrowly | that is what a visitor can see |
| Do you close the tunnel when unused | close it if there is no reason to keep it open |
| Did you paste the address somewhere careless | chat rooms and issues keep it |

**The second matters.** If you
[drew a working directory as your whole home folder](/guide/ht-working-directory),
opening a tunnel makes all of that the exposed surface.

## Common questions

### "Is the tunnel paid?"

**In Connect's system registration the tunnel is a paid add-on** (see
[connecting a system](/guide/cn-systems)). Check HyperTeams' own tunnel policy on
the settings screen.

### "Our security policy probably won't allow it"

It creates an outbound channel, so it may fall foul of policy. **Using it purely
on `localhost` is a completely normal way to use it.** The tunnel is optional.

### "Does the tunnel make it slower?"

It routes via the internet, so it is slower than `localhost`. At the level of
screen interaction the difference is hard to notice.

---

## Check yourself

**1. What must you do before opening a tunnel?**

<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>

**Set a solid password.** On `localhost` only someone with access to your machine
could open it; with a tunnel, anyone who knows the address can try, and the
password is the only door.
</details>

**2. Why is what the tunnel opens "substantial authority"?**

<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>

Because a successful connection allows **viewing working directory files, handing
over tasks, and running terminal commands.** That is broad authority over the
machine.
</details>

**3. What do working directories have to do with the tunnel?**

<details>
<summary>Answer</summary>

**The working directory is the exposed surface.** If you registered your home
folder, opening the tunnel puts your personal files inside what a visitor can
see.
</details>

---

The commands, collected → [Command reference](/guide/ht-cli)