If you’ve deployed Vaultwarden in Docker and want to access it securely via a custom domain (like vault.yourdomain.com) instead of an IP and port, this step-by-step guide will help you achieve it using CyberPanel and OpenLiteSpeed.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to expose Vaultwarden (running on http://<server-ip>:8062) under a subdomain with SSL encryption.

✅ Prerequisites

  • A server with CyberPanel installed (includes OpenLiteSpeed).
  • Docker running Vaultwarden container.
  • A registered domain with control over DNS.
  • Access to your DNS provider.

1. Configure DNS for Your Subdomain

First, point your subdomain to your server:

  1. Log into your domain registrar/DNS provider.
  2. Create an A Record:
    • Host/Name: vault
    • Value: your server’s public IP (e.g., 123.123.123.123).
    • TTL: Default (300 seconds is fine).

Test with:

dig vault.yourdomain.com

It should return your server’s IP.

2. Create Website for the Subdomain in CyberPanel

  1. Login to CyberPanel: https://<your-server-ip>:8090.
  2. Go to Websites → Create Website.
  3. Enter details:
    • Domain: vault.yourdomain.com
    • Owner: admin or any user
    • PHP Version: Any (not used for proxy)
  4. Click Create Website.

[Screenshot: CyberPanel Create Website Page]

CyberPanel will generate a virtual host for this subdomain.

3. Setup Reverse Proxy in OpenLiteSpeed

CyberPanel uses OpenLiteSpeed (OLS). We’ll configure OLS to forward requests from vault.yourdomain.com → Vaultwarden container.

  1. Open OLS admin panel: https://<your-server-ip>:7080
    • Login with the credentials set during CyberPanel install.

Add External App

  1. Navigate: Virtual Hosts → vault.yourdomain.com → External App → Add.
  2. Fill in:
    • Type: Web Server
    • Name: vaultwarden
    • Address: 127.0.0.1:8062
    • Leave other defaults → Save.

Add Proxy Context

  1. Still in vault.yourdomain.com vhost → Context → Add.
  2. Fill in:
    • Type: Proxy
    • URI: /
    • External App: vaultwarden
    • Enable WebSocket Proxy: Yes (important for Vaultwarden real-time features)
    • Save.
  1. Restart OLS gracefully from the top menu.

4. Enable SSL for Your Subdomain

Back in CyberPanel:

  1. Go to Websites → List Websites → vault.yourdomain.com → Manage.
  2. Scroll to SSL → Issue SSL.
  3. CyberPanel will request and install a free Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate.

Now your Vaultwarden will be available securely at:

https://vault.yourdomain.com

5. Test Your Setup

  • Open browser: https://vault.yourdomain.com → Vaultwarden login page should load.
  • Run a quick check from the server:
curl-v http://127.0.0.1:8062/

You should see Vaultwarden HTML output.

  • Logs for debugging:
    • OpenLiteSpeed logs: /usr/local/lsws/logs/error.log
    • Vaultwarden logs: docker logs vaultwarden

Troubleshooting Tips

  • 502 Bad Gateway: Check that 127.0.0.1:8062 is correct. Run docker ps and confirm Vaultwarden is mapped.
  • SSL issue: Ensure DNS propagation completed before issuing SSL.
  • WebSockets not working: Confirm WebSocket Proxy is enabled in OLS context.

Final Result

Your Vaultwarden instance is now secured and accessible via your custom domain:

https://vault.yourdomain.com

All traffic is encrypted with Let’s Encrypt, and you no longer need to expose raw IP + port.

Why Use CyberPanel for Proxying?

  • Free SSL management via Let’s Encrypt.
  • Easy domain/subdomain handling.
  • Built-in OpenLiteSpeed reverse proxy.

This makes CyberPanel a great companion when hosting Dockerized apps like Vaultwarden.