Nginx Proxy Manager

Complete macOS Setup Guide with Free SSL

Important Prerequisites

Registered domain name (from Namecheap, Cloudflare, etc.)
Docker Desktop for macOS installed
Static local IP or DHCP reservation on your Mac
Router access for port forwarding

STEP 1 Create Project Folder

Open Terminal and create a dedicated folder for Nginx Proxy Manager:

mkdir ~/npm && cd ~/npm

STEP 2 Create docker-compose.yml

Create the configuration file:

nano docker-compose.yml

Add this content:

version: '3.8'
services:
  app:
    image: docker.io/jc21/nginx-proxy-manager:latest
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - '80:80'    # Public HTTP
      - '443:443'  # Public HTTPS
      - '81:81'     # Admin interface
    environment:
      TZ: "Australia/Melbourne"
    volumes:
      - ./data:/data
      - ./letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt

Save: Ctrl+O → Enter → Ctrl+X

STEP 3 Start Nginx Proxy Manager

Launch the container:

docker compose up -d

Wait 30-90 seconds for first-time setup (downloads ~400-500MB).

Verify it's running:

docker compose ps

Container should show as "Up"

STEP 4 Access Admin Interface

Open your browser and go to:

http://localhost:81

Default Login (first time):

Email: admin@example.com
Password: changeme

You'll be forced to change your password immediately.

After login, change admin email to your real email for Let's Encrypt notifications.

STEP 5 Point Domain to Your Public IP

Find your public IP:

https://ifconfig.me

In your domain registrar DNS settings:

Create an A record
Name: myservice (or @ for root)
Value: YOUR_PUBLIC_IP
TTL: 300 (lowest)

Wait for DNS propagation (1-60 minutes).

Verify with: https://dnschecker.org

STEP 6 Port Forwarding (Critical)

Log into your router (usually 192.168.1.1) and create two port forwarding rules:

External Port	Internal IP	Internal Port	Protocol
80	YOUR_MAC_IP	80	TCP
443	YOUR_MAC_IP	443	TCP

Security: Only port 80/443 needed. Never expose port 81 to the internet!

STEP 7 Add Proxy Host + SSL

In NPM Dashboard:

Go to Proxy Hosts → Add Proxy Host

Details Tab:

Domain Names: yourdomain.com
Scheme: http
Forward Hostname/IP: 192.168.1.x (local service IP)
Forward Port: 3000 (or your service port)

SSL Tab:

SSL Certificate: Request a new certificate
Force SSL: ✓
HTTP/2 Support: ✓
Agree to Let's Encrypt Terms: ✓

Click Save

NPM will request Let's Encrypt cert via HTTP (port 80). Green shield = success!

STEP 8 Test Your Setup

Open your browser and visit:

https://yourdomain.com

You should see:

✅ Your local service
✅ Valid padlock (Let's Encrypt SSL)
✅ Auto-renews every 60-80 days

Troubleshooting Checklist

Certificate fails? Check: Port 80/443 forwarded correctly? DNS points to current public IP?
Dynamic IP? Use DuckDNS + DNS-01 challenge in NPM
Firewall? Turn off Mac firewall or allow Docker in System Settings → Network → Firewall
Hide admin UI? Change port 81 mapping or use access list + basic auth