Flask Integration - McDis-RCON

McDis-RCON includes a Flask-based web server that enables downloading files larger than Discord’s 5MB attachment limit. This is essential for downloading backups, world files, and other large resources.

What is Flask Integration?

Flask integration provides:

Large file downloads: Bypass Discord’s 5MB limit
Custom download links: Generate unique URLs for file access
Configurable expiration: Single-use or persistent links
Activity logging: Track all download requests
HTTP file serving: Simple web server for file delivery

Flask is a lightweight Python web framework. McDis-RCON uses it to serve files over HTTP.

Configuration

Enable Flask in md_config.yml:

md_config.yml

Bot Token: "your_discord_bot_token"
Panel ID: 1234567890
Language: "en"
Backups: 3

Flask:
  Allow: true                # Enable Flask server
  IP: "203.0.113.42"         # Your PUBLIC IP address
  Port: 5000                 # Web server port

Processes:
  # Your servers here

Configuration Parameters

Allow

Type: Boolean
Options: true / false
Purpose: Enable or disable Flask integration

IP

Type: String
Format: IPv4 address
Purpose: Public IP for download URLs
Example: "203.0.113.42"

Port

Type: Integer
Default: 5000
Purpose: TCP port for Flask server
Range: 1024-65535

The IP field must be your public IP address, not an internal network IP like 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x. Use a service like whatismyip.com to find your public IP.

Network Setup

Port Forwarding

To make Flask accessible from the internet:

Access router admin panel

Usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1

Find port forwarding settings

Often under “NAT”, “Port Forwarding”, or “Virtual Servers”

Create port forward rule

External Port: 5000
Internal Port: 5000
Internal IP: Your server’s local IP (e.g., 192.168.1.100)
Protocol: TCP

Save and apply

Router will now forward external requests to your McDis-RCON server

Firewall Configuration

Linux (UFW):

sudo ufw allow 5000/tcp
sudo ufw reload

Linux (iptables):

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 5000 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables-save

Windows Firewall:

Open Windows Defender Firewall
Click “Advanced settings”
Select “Inbound Rules” → “New Rule”
Choose “Port” → TCP → Specific local ports: 5000
Allow the connection

Test port accessibility using canyouseeme.org with port 5000.

Using Flask

Enabling Flask Server

Open Tools panel

Click the Tools button in Discord

Select Flask

Choose the Flask option Flask Interface

Configure settings

Choose link behavior:

Single-Use vs Multi-Use
Temporary vs Persistent

Start Flask

Toggle status to Run

Flask Controls

🔄 Reload

Refresh the Flask interface

Run/Close

Start or stop the Flask web server

Single/Multi-Use

Configure whether links expire after first download

Temporary/Persistent

Configure whether links have a time-based expiration

Download Link Modes

Single-Use Links

Link expires after one download
Most secure option
Ideal for one-time file transfers

Use case: Sharing a backup with a specific team member

Multi-Use Links

Link can be used multiple times
No download count limit
Useful for team collaboration

Use case: Distributing a resource pack to multiple players

Temporary Links

Link expires after a time period (configurable)
Automatic cleanup
Good for scheduled downloads

Use case: Allowing downloads during a maintenance window

Persistent Links

Link never expires
Remains active indefinitely
Use with caution

Use case: Long-term file hosting (not recommended for security)

Recommended Combinations

Scenario	Link Type	Expiration
One-time backup share	Single-Use	Temporary
Team file distribution	Multi-Use	Temporary
Emergency access	Single-Use	Persistent
Public resource	Multi-Use	Persistent

Multi-Use + Persistent links never expire and can be used unlimited times. Use this combination with extreme caution as it poses security risks.

Downloading Files

Enable Flask

Ensure Flask server is running (status: Run)

Navigate to file

Use File Manager to find the file you want to download

Request the file

Click the Request button

Receive download link

If file is over 5MB and Flask is enabled, you’ll get a URL:

Download link: http://203.0.113.42:5000/download/abc123xyz
Click to download: your_backup.zip

Download via browser

Click the link or paste it into a web browser to download

Files under 5MB are sent directly via Discord attachment, even if Flask is enabled.

Flask Logging

All Flask activity is logged in the Console Flask thread:

[2025-03-13 14:30:22] Flask server started on 203.0.113.42:5000
[2025-03-13 14:31:15] User#1234 requested: McDis/SMP/.mdbackups/SMP 1.zip
[2025-03-13 14:31:18] Download link generated: abc123xyz
[2025-03-13 14:31:45] Link abc123xyz accessed by IP 198.51.100.42
[2025-03-13 14:31:48] File transfer complete: SMP 1.zip (2.3 GB)
[2025-03-13 14:31:48] Link abc123xyz expired (single-use)

What’s Logged

Server start/stop events
File request originator (Discord user)
Generated link IDs
Download IP addresses
File transfer completion
Link expiration events

Monitor the Flask console thread to track download activity and detect unauthorized access attempts.

Security Considerations

HTTP vs HTTPS

McDis-RCON’s Flask server uses HTTP, not HTTPS:

✅ Pros: Simple setup, no certificate required
❌ Cons: Traffic is unencrypted, visible to network observers

Do not use Flask for sensitive files unless you implement HTTPS separately (e.g., using a reverse proxy like nginx with SSL certificates).

Best Practices

Disable when idle

Only enable Flask when actively downloading files

Use Single-Use links

Prevent link sharing and replay attacks

Monitor logs

Check Flask console for suspicious IPs

Temporary links

Add time-based expiration for added security

Firewall rules

Restrict port 5000 to known IPs if possible

VPN/private network

Use VPN for sensitive file transfers

IP Whitelisting

For advanced security, restrict Flask access to specific IPs: Linux (iptables):

# Allow only specific IP
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 5000 -s 198.51.100.42 -j ACCEPT
# Drop all other connections
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 5000 -j DROP

Troubleshooting

Download link doesn't work

Symptoms: Clicking link shows “Connection refused” or timeoutPossible causes:

Flask server not running
Port not forwarded in router
Firewall blocking port 5000
Wrong IP in configuration

Solutions:

Verify Flask status is Run in Tools panel
Check port forwarding in router settings
Test firewall: sudo ufw status (Linux)
Confirm public IP: whatismyip.com
Test port: canyouseeme.org

Link expired too quickly

Problem: Link expired before download completedCauses:

Single-Use mode with interrupted download
Temporary mode with short timeout

Solutions:

Switch to Multi-Use mode for large files
Use Persistent mode to remove time limit
Request a new link
Improve internet connection speed

Internal IP in download link

Problem: Link shows 192.168.x.x instead of public IPCause: Wrong IP configured in md_config.ymlSolution:

Find public IP: whatismyip.com

Update md_config.yml:

Flask:
  IP: "203.0.113.42"  # Use your public IP

Restart McDis-RCON

Flask console shows errors

Common errors:

Address already in use → Port 5000 is occupied
- Solution: Change port in config or stop conflicting service
Permission denied → Insufficient permissions
- Solution: Run McDis-RCON with appropriate permissions
Connection reset → Download interrupted
- Solution: Generate new link and try again

Advanced Configuration

Using a Different Port

If port 5000 is occupied:

md_config.yml

Flask:
  Allow: true
  IP: "203.0.113.42"
  Port: 8080  # Use alternative port

Remember to:

Update port forwarding rule
Update firewall rules
Restart McDis-RCON

HTTPS with Reverse Proxy

For production use, implement HTTPS using nginx: nginx configuration:

server {
    listen 443 ssl;
    server_name mcdis.example.com;
    
    ssl_certificate /path/to/cert.pem;
    ssl_certificate_key /path/to/key.pem;
    
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:5000;
        proxy_set_header Host $host;
        proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
    }
}

Update md_config.yml:

Flask:
  IP: "mcdis.example.com"  # Domain instead of IP
  Port: 443                # HTTPS port

Reverse proxy configuration requires SSL certificates (e.g., from Let’s Encrypt) and web server expertise.

Use Cases

1. Downloading Large Backups

# Scenario: 5GB world backup
!!stop SMP
Create backup via File Manager
Enable Flask (Single-Use + Temporary)
Request SMP 1.zip
Download via Flask link
Disable Flask

2. Distributing Server Files

# Scenario: Share modpack with players
Upload modpack to McDis folder
Enable Flask (Multi-Use + Temporary)
Request modpack.zip
Share link with players
Players download modpack
Disable Flask after distribution period

3. Emergency File Access

# Scenario: Need backup while away from server
Enable Flask (Single-Use + Persistent)
Request backup file
Save link securely
Download from any location
Link expires after use

Performance Considerations

Bandwidth

Flask downloads consume bandwidth:

Large backup (5GB) = 5GB upload bandwidth
Multiple concurrent downloads = multiplicative usage

Check your ISP’s upload bandwidth limits. Downloading large files can saturate your connection.

Concurrent Downloads

Flask can handle multiple simultaneous downloads, limited by:

Server CPU and RAM
Network bandwidth
Disk I/O speed

Optimization:

Use SSD for faster file access
Limit concurrent downloads
Schedule large transfers during off-peak hours

Next Steps

File Manager

Learn to navigate and manage files

Backup Management

Create and restore backups

Panel Management

Extending McDis-RCON

Advanced Usage

​What is Flask Integration?

​Configuration

​Configuration Parameters

Allow

IP

Port

​Network Setup

​Port Forwarding

​Firewall Configuration

​Using Flask

​Enabling Flask Server

​Flask Controls

🔄 Reload

Run/Close

Single/Multi-Use

Temporary/Persistent

​Download Link Modes

​Single-Use Links

​Multi-Use Links

​Temporary Links

​Persistent Links

​Recommended Combinations

​Downloading Files

​Flask Logging

​What’s Logged

​Security Considerations

​HTTP vs HTTPS

​Best Practices

Disable when idle

Use Single-Use links

Monitor logs

Temporary links

Firewall rules

VPN/private network

​IP Whitelisting

​Troubleshooting

​Advanced Configuration

​Using a Different Port

​HTTPS with Reverse Proxy

​Use Cases

​1. Downloading Large Backups

​2. Distributing Server Files

​3. Emergency File Access

​Performance Considerations

​Bandwidth

​Concurrent Downloads

​Next Steps

File Manager

Backup Management

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

What is Flask Integration?

Configuration

Configuration Parameters

Network Setup

Port Forwarding

Firewall Configuration

Using Flask

Enabling Flask Server

Flask Controls

Download Link Modes

Single-Use Links

Multi-Use Links

Temporary Links

Persistent Links

Recommended Combinations

Downloading Files

Flask Logging

What’s Logged

Security Considerations

HTTP vs HTTPS

Best Practices

IP Whitelisting

Troubleshooting

Advanced Configuration

Using a Different Port

HTTPS with Reverse Proxy

Use Cases

1. Downloading Large Backups

2. Distributing Server Files

3. Emergency File Access

Performance Considerations

Bandwidth

Concurrent Downloads

Next Steps