Question 1

Why does GET /access-keys/{id} return 'Method Not Allowed' on Outline Server?

Accepted Answer

The individual access key endpoint (`GET /access-keys/{id}`) was not released in older versions of Outline Server. Update to the latest release where it's now available.

Check your server version and upgrade:
```bash
# Using the outline-server-upgrade script (if installed via outline-manager)
sudo bash /opt/outline/access_keys/outline-server-upgrade.sh
```
Or follow the [upgrade guide](https://github.com/Jigsaw-Code/outline-server/blob/master/README.md#upgrading) for your deployment.

This endpoint was originally introduced in [#1142](https://github.com/Jigsaw-Code/outline-server/pull/1142) but only shipped in a later release.

Question 2

How to fix 'Generating TLS certificate wrong' error when installing Outline server on Oracle Cloud VPS?

Accepted Answer

When running the Outline install script on an Oracle Cloud VPS (Ubuntu 20.04), the TLS certificate generation may fail silently. Use the `--hostname` flag to explicitly set your server's public IP. This resolves the auto-detection issue. Example: ```bash sudo bash -c "$(wget -qO- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Jigsaw-Code/outline-server/master/src/server_manager/install_scripts/install_server.sh)" --hostname ``` Replace `` with your instance's actual public IPv4 address. If a previous failed installation left a `shadowbox` container, you may be prompted to remove it—choose `Y` to proceed. Ensure your firewall (e.g., Oracle's security list) allows inbound traffic on ports required by Outline.

Question 3

Why does creating many access keys at once fail or cause errors on Outline server?

Accepted Answer

Creating access keys rapidly can corrupt the `config.json` file because multiple server processes attempt to write it concurrently. The server should use atomic writes via a temporary file and rename to prevent conflicts.

**Permanent fix:** Upgrade to a server version that uses the `FileConfig` class, which performs atomic file writes. For older versions, modify `src/shadowbox/server/outline_shadowsocks_server.ts` to write to a temp file first, then atomically rename (e.g., using `FileConfig` class logic).

**Workaround:** Throttle key creation requests to avoid parallel writes—add delays between each API call when bulk creating keys.

Question 4

How to find the API URL and certificate fingerprint for an existing Outline server to connect from Outline Manager on a different machine?

Accepted Answer

The `access.txt` file containing setup information is stored on the **host** machine, not inside the Docker container. 1. On the host, run: ```bash cat /opt/outline/access.txt ``` This typically shows the certificate SHA-256 fingerprint (`certSha256`). 2. If the full management API URL (e.g., `https://:/`) is missing, check the server configuration file: ```bash cat /opt/outline/shadowbox_server_config.json ``` Look for fields like `apiUrl` or the management port (default `20481`). 3. Construct the API URL manually if needed: - Use the server's public IP or domain. - Use the management port (often `20481`). - Append the `certSha256` from `access.txt` as the path, e.g., `https://1.2.3.4:20481/abc123...`. 4. In Outline Manager, click "Set up Outline anywhere" and enter the API URL and certificate fingerprint when prompted. **Note:** The container's internal `/opt/outline/` directory is a volume mount and may not contain `access.txt` — always check the host path.

Question 5

How to generate a custom prefix for an Outline VPN access key?

Accepted Answer

The prefix is a byte sequence that makes Shadowsocks traffic look like an allowed protocol (e.g., TLS, HTTP). To create one:
1. Choose the bytes that mimic the target protocol (e.g., TLS 1.2 ClientHello starts with `0x16 0x03 0x01`).
2. Encode each byte as a Unicode escape `\u00XX` (hex uppercase). 
   Example in Python:
   ```python
   prefix = ''.join(f'\\u{byte:04X}' for byte in bytes([0x16, 0x03, 0x01]))
   # Result: '\\u0016\\u0003\\u0001'
   ```
3. Add the prefix to your access key JSON: 
   ```json
   { ..., "prefix": "\\u0016\\u0003\\u0001" }
   ```
   
Use online hex-to-unicode converters if you prefer a no-code approach. Avoid `encodeURIComponent()` for raw prefix generation—it is meant for URLs, not the binary prefix itself.

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