Introduction#
Tailscale is a secure mesh VPN that makes it easy to connect your Ubuntu machine to your private network from anywhere. In this guide, we will install Tailscale, bring the device online, and verify that everything is working correctly.
Update Your System#
Start by updating package lists and upgrading installed packages:
sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
Install Tailscale#
Run the official install script:
curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh
This adds the Tailscale repository and installs the required package.
Start and Enable the Service#
Enable and start the Tailscale daemon so it also starts on boot:
sudo systemctl enable --now tailscaled
You can check service status with:
systemctl status tailscaled
Connect the Machine to Your Tailnet#
For an interactive login:
sudo tailscale up
Tailscale will print a login URL in the terminal. Open it in your browser and sign in.
For unattended setup (optional), use an auth key instead:
sudo tailscale up --auth-key="tskey-xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
If your tailnet advertises subnet routes and you want this machine to use them:
sudo tailscale set --accept-routes
Verify the Connection#
After authentication, check your assigned Tailscale IP and connection details:
tailscale ip -4
tailscale status
You can also check full diagnostic information:
tailscale netcheck
Useful Commands#
See your current Tailscale settings:
tailscale status
Disconnect from your tailnet:
sudo tailscale down
Reconnect later:
sudo tailscale up
Conclusion#
Your Ubuntu system is now connected to Tailscale and ready for secure remote access. This setup is ideal for homelabs, remote administration, and private access to services without exposing ports publicly.