Setup Remote Logging on an Ubuntu rsyslog Server for DD-WRT to Use

Wednesday, June 9th, 2021

Setup Remote Logging on an Ubuntu rsyslog Server for DD-WRT to Use

Enable remote logging on an Ubuntu server by configuring rsyslog to allow remote connections from port 514 (adjust as needed):

sudo nano /etc/rsyslog.conf

Uncomment the imudp and imtcp load module statements like so (adjusting as needed):

# provides UDP syslog reception
module(load="imudp")
input(type="imudp" port="514")

# provides TCP syslog reception
module(load="imtcp")
input(type="imtcp" port="514")

Create a logging template and apply it only to remote hosts that start with "c-" (comcast connection remote host prefix [followed by the IP address of the device which can change])

# Comcast remote logging
$template remote-incoming-logs, "/var/log/remote_logs/%HOSTNAME%/%PROGRAMNAME%.$
if $fromhost startswith "c-" then -?remote-incoming-logs

Save and quit.

Restart the rsyslog daemon:

sudo service rsyslog restart

Remote logs will be stored in /var/log/remote_logs

Configure logrotate to process and rotate these logs automatically (so you don't lose them and have a history on them):

sudo nano /etc/logrotate.d/ddwrt

Paste these contents into the file:

/var/log/remote_logs/*.log /var/log/remote_logs/*/*.log {
    daily
    missingok
    compress
    delaycompress
    su syslog adm
}

Save and quit.

Everything has been configured, and remote logging should work from your DD-WRT router once you set the remote URL to your server's IPAddress:port combo and apply the changed settings.