Steps to set up Barrier with SSL

[anas-abbadi09]

Here’s a detailed summary of the steps to set up Barrier with SSL on macOS (server), Windows 10 (client), and Linux machines:

---

Setup for macOS (Server)

1. Download and Install Barrier:

   • Download the Barrier .dmg file from the official website.
   • Install Barrier and configure it as the server (under "Server Configuration").

2. Install OpenSSL (if not already installed):

   • Open Terminal and run:

     brew install openssl

     (If you don’t have Homebrew, you can install it from https://brew.sh.)

3. Generate the SSL Certificate:

   • Open Terminal and navigate to the Barrier SSL directory:

     cd ~/Library/Application\ Support/barrier/SSL

   • Generate the SSL certificate using OpenSSL:

     openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -subj /CN=Barrier -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout Barrier.pem -out Barrier.pem

     This command generates the Barrier.pem file in the SSL directory with a validity of 365 days.

4. Allow Barrier in macOS Security Settings:

   • Go to System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Accessibility.
   • Add Barrier and grant it necessary permissions for network access and input control.

5. Restart Barrier:

   • Relaunch Barrier on macOS after configuring SSL.

---

Setup for Windows 10 (Client)

1. Download and Install Barrier:

   • Download the Barrier.exe file and perform a fresh install.
   • Configure Barrier as the client.

2. Install Git for Windows:

   • Download and install Git for Windows, using standard configurations.

3. Generate the SSL Certificate:

   • Open Git Bash and navigate to the Barrier SSL directory:

     cd "/c/Users/YourUsername/AppData/Local/Barrier/SSL"

   • Run the following OpenSSL command:

     openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -subj //CN=Barrier -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout Barrier.pem -out Barrier.pem

     Ensure you use double forward slashes in the -subj argument to avoid POSIX path issues.

4. Restart Barrier Client:

   • After generating the SSL certificate, click the Reload button on the Barrier client interface.

5. Confirm SSL Fingerprint:

   • When connecting to the macOS server, Barrier on Windows will prompt you to confirm the fingerprint of the certificate. Accept the fingerprint to establish the connection.

---

Setup for Linux (Client)

1. Download and Install Barrier:

   • Install Barrier using your package manager (for example, on Ubuntu):

     sudo apt install barrier

   • Configure Barrier as the client.

2. Generate the SSL Certificate:

   • Open a terminal and navigate to the SSL directory:

     cd ~/.config/barrier/SSL

   • Generate the SSL certificate using OpenSSL:

     openssl req -x509 -nodes -days 365 -subj /CN=Barrier -newkey rsa:4096 -keyout Barrier.pem -out Barrier.pem

3. Disable Wayland (if needed):

   • On some Linux distributions, Barrier may work better with Xorg. If you're using Wayland, try switching to Xorg:
     • Open and edit the custom configuration file:

       sudo nano /etc/gdm3/custom.conf

     • Uncomment #WaylandEnable=false to disable Wayland:

       WaylandEnable=false

     • Save and restart GDM:

       sudo systemctl restart gdm3

4. Restart Barrier Client:

   • Relaunch Barrier on your Linux client.

5. Disable Wi-Fi Power Saving (Optional):

   • If you experience connection lags on Linux due to power saving:
     • Open the configuration file:

       sudo nano /etc/NetworkManager/conf.d/default-wifi-powersave-on.conf

     • Change wifi.powersave = 3 to wifi.powersave = 2.
     • Save and restart NetworkManager:

       sudo systemctl restart NetworkManager

6. Confirm SSL Fingerprint:

   • Barrier on Linux will prompt you to confirm the SSL certificate fingerprint from the macOS server. Accept it to establish the secure connection.