--- title: Create a tunnel (dashboard) description: Create a tunnel (dashboard) in Zero Trust networking. image: https://developers.cloudflare.com/zt-preview.png --- > Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. [Skip to content](#%5Ftop) # Create a tunnel (dashboard) Follow this step-by-step guide to create your first [remotely-managed tunnel](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/get-started/tunnel-useful-terms/#remotely-managed-tunnel). Tip If your server is behind a restrictive firewall, verify it can reach Cloudflare on port `7844` before proceeding. Refer to [Connectivity pre-checks](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/troubleshoot-tunnels/connectivity-prechecks/). ## 1\. Create a tunnel 1. Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard and go to **Networking** \> **Tunnels**. [ Go to **Tunnels** ](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/tunnels) 2. Select **Create a tunnel**. 3. Enter a name for your tunnel. We suggest choosing a name that reflects the type of resources you want to connect through this tunnel (for example, `enterprise-VPC-01`). 4. Select **Create Tunnel**. 5. Choose your operating system, then copy the installation command and run it in a terminal on your origin server. 6. Wait for the tunnel to connect. Once the connection is established, select **Continue**. The next steps depend on whether you want to [publish an application to the Internet](#2a-publish-an-application) or [connect a private network](#2b-connect-a-network). ## 2a. Publish an application Follow these steps to publish an application to the Internet. If you are looking to connect a private resource, skip to the [Connect a network](#2b-connect-a-network) section. Prerequisites Before you publish an application through your tunnel, you must [add a website to Cloudflare](https://developers.cloudflare.com/fundamentals/manage-domains/add-site/). After creating your tunnel, add a published application route: 1. Go to **Networking** \> **Tunnels**, then select your tunnel. [ Go to **Tunnels** ](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/tunnels) 2. On the **Routes** tab, select **Add route**, then select **Published application**. 3. Enter a subdomain and select a **Domain** from the drop-down menu. Specify any subdomain or path information. Note If you add a multi-level subdomain (more than one level of subdomain), you must [order an Advanced Certificate for the hostname](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/troubleshoot-tunnels/common-errors/#i-see-this-site-cant-provide-a-secure-connection). 4. In **Service URL**, enter the protocol and address of your application (for example, `http://localhost:8000`). Refer to [supported protocols](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/routing-to-tunnel/protocols/) for available options. 5. Select **Save**. Anyone on the Internet can now access the application at the specified hostname. To allow or block specific users, [create an Access application](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/access-controls/applications/http-apps/self-hosted-public-app/). ## 2b. Connect a network To connect a private network through your tunnel, add a CIDR route: 1. Go to **Networking** \> **Routes**. [ Go to **Routes** ](https://dash.cloudflare.com/?to=/:account/magic-networks/routes) 2. Select **Create route**, then choose **Tunnel CIDR**. 3. Select the tunnel you just created. 4. In **Network**, enter the private IP address or CIDR range of your service (for example, `10.0.0.1` or `10.0.0.0/24`). 5. Select **Create route**. `cloudflared` can now route traffic to these destination IPs. To configure Zero Trust policies and connect as a user, refer to [Connect an IP/CIDR](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/private-net/cloudflared/). Note If you would like to route to a private application using its hostname instead of its IP, refer to [Connect a private hostname](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/private-net/cloudflared/connect-private-hostname/). ## 3\. View your tunnel After saving the tunnel, you will be redirected to the **Networking** \> **Tunnels** page. Your tunnel should be listed with a `Healthy` status. If your tunnel status is `Inactive`, `Down`, or `Degraded`, refer to the [troubleshooting documentation](https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/troubleshoot-tunnels/common-errors/#tunnel-status) for recommended next steps. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"TechArticle","@id":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/get-started/create-remote-tunnel/#page","headline":"Create a tunnel (dashboard) ยท Cloudflare One docs","description":"Create a tunnel (dashboard) in Zero Trust networking.","url":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/get-started/create-remote-tunnel/","inLanguage":"en","image":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/zt-preview.png","dateModified":"2026-06-23","publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Cloudflare","url":"https://www.cloudflare.com/"},"isPartOf":{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/#website","name":"Cloudflare Docs","url":"https://developers.cloudflare.com/"},"keywords":["Private networks"]} {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/directory/","name":"Directory"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/cloudflare-one/","name":"Cloudflare One"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"/cloudflare-one/networks/","name":"Networks"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@id":"/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/","name":"Connectors"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":5,"item":{"@id":"/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/","name":"Cloudflare Tunnel"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":6,"item":{"@id":"/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/get-started/","name":"Get started"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":7,"item":{"@id":"/cloudflare-one/networks/connectors/cloudflare-tunnel/get-started/create-remote-tunnel/","name":"Create a tunnel (dashboard)"}}]} ```