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Apache 2 REMOTE_ADDR with ProxyPass

Hi

I am using Apache 2 on Fedora Core 8 to proxy Oracle Application Express (apex) running on Oracle XE. I am using

ProxyPass /apex http://127.0.0.1:8080/apex
ProxyPassReverse /apex http://127.0.0.1:8080/apex

The problem is that When I read REMOTE_ADDR from within Apex it returns me 127.0.0.1 instead of IP of the user. I belive this is happening since Apex is receiving requests from Apache not directly by the end-user.

Can someone suggest an easy solution to this. I am not quite expert on Apache just do some easy tasks.

I have also attached my Apache configuration file with this.
httpd.txt

ravenpl

Apart from REMOTE_ADDR look at VIA header, which should be appended to the http request on proxies.

ravenpl

Actually I meant HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR header - sorry.

systemsautomation

ASKER

Thanks for reply.
Can you please guide me how to APPEND it. I am a bigener in this area.
Sorry if my question seems to be stupid.

ravenpl

The apache proxy module should do it by default. It's the server side application should check if the header is present, if so, it should contain list of forwarded-for IPs
The "Via" http header should contain a list of proxies that forwarded the request.

systemsautomation

ASKER

I tried your suggestion but it returns null

htp.p(
owa_util.get_cgi_env('REMOTE_ADDR')|| ' - '||
owa_util.get_cgi_env('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR') );

returns

127.0.0.1 -

I just read a post on Oracle Apex Forum
http://forums.oracle.com/forums/thread.jspa?messageID=1262928�

It seems that HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR is not being used by Oracle XE. It is using X-Oracle-Cache-User instead. But to setup this there is some Rewrite required. But when I am writing

DocumentRoot "/var/www/vh.dbserver"
ServerName vh.dbserver

<Directory "/var/www/vh.dbserver">
allow from all
Options +Indexes

RewriteEngine On

RewriteCond %{REMOTE_ADDR} ^(.*)
RewriteRule ^.* - env=MY_VAL:%1
RequestHeader set X-Oracle-Cache-User "%{MY_VAL}e"

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI} /((^/+)(/.*)*)$
RewriteCond %2 =apex OR
RewriteCond %2 =i OR
RewriteCond %2 =public OR
RewriteCond %2 =sys
RewriteRule ^/(.*) http://192.168.0.10:8080/%1 [P]

</Directory>

Syntax error on line 1079 of /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf:
RewriteCond: bad flag delimiters

Please help me It is very urgent.

Zulqarnain

ravenpl

> owa_util.get_cgi_env('HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR') );
The exact header is "X-Forwarded-For", HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR is php's name only.
Therefore try either get_cgi_env('X_FORWARDED_FOR') or get_cgi_env('X-FORWARDED-FOR')
Or maybe You can directly read http request headers?
Unfortunately I'm not familiar with apex.

As for Your rules, try simply adding simply appending the required variable, no need for actual rules

RequestHeader set X-Oracle-Cache-User %{REMOTE_ADDR}

The error comes from the fact, that "OR" has to be "[OR]"

systemsautomation

ASKER

Now I feel a little closer to the solution:

RequestHeader set X-Oracle-Cache-User %{REMOTE_ADDR}

Gives Syntax error on line 1096 of /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf:
Unrecognized header format %

So I added e at the end of the statement making it

RequestHeader set X-Oracle-Cache-User %{REMOTE_ADDR}e

it returns

HTTP_X_ORACLE_CACHE_USER = (null)

But when I change it to

RequestHeader set X-Oracle-Cache-User %{REMOTE_ADDR}e

Then i changed it to

RequestHeader set X-Oracle-Cache-User 123

Just to test it if Oracle is receiving or not

HTTP_X_ORACLE_CACHE_USER = 123

Not it seems Oracle is receving but %{REMOTE_ADDR}e is not setting any value.

I hope that with your support I would be successful in fixing the problem.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

ravenpl

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systemsautomation

ASKER

Yes the following worked

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{REMOTE_ADDR} (.*)
RewriteRule .* - [E=REMOTEA:%1]
RequestHeader set X-Oracle-Cache-User "%{REMOTEA}e"

I am really very much thankful for your constant help & support.

Best regards my friend. You made my day.

Zulqarnain

systemsautomation

ASKER

Thanks a lot

harvest-soft

Hi,

I've a related question to fix a similar problem. I would like to check if the REMOTE_ADDR is same as HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR

If not, change the REMOTE_ADDR to HTTP_X_FORWARDED_FOR

This is to get some application see the actual client ip. CRITICAL, so need ASAP.