mirror of
https://github.com/juanfont/headscale.git
synced 2025-11-24 11:27:42 -05:00
153 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
153 lines
4.2 KiB
Markdown
# Getting started
|
|
|
|
This page helps you get started with headscale and provides a few usage examples for the headscale command line tool
|
|
`headscale`.
|
|
|
|
!!! note "Prerequisites"
|
|
|
|
* Headscale is installed and running as system service. Read the [setup section](../setup/requirements.md) for
|
|
installation instructions.
|
|
* The configuration file exists and is adjusted to suit your environment, see
|
|
[Configuration](../ref/configuration.md) for details.
|
|
* Headscale is reachable from the Internet. Verify this by visiting the health endpoint:
|
|
https://headscale.example.com/health
|
|
* The Tailscale client is installed, see [Client and operating system support](../about/clients.md) for more
|
|
information.
|
|
|
|
## Getting help
|
|
|
|
The `headscale` command line tool provides built-in help. To show available commands along with their arguments and
|
|
options, run:
|
|
|
|
=== "Native"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
# Show help
|
|
headscale help
|
|
|
|
# Show help for a specific command
|
|
headscale <COMMAND> --help
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
=== "Container"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
# Show help
|
|
docker exec -it headscale \
|
|
headscale help
|
|
|
|
# Show help for a specific command
|
|
docker exec -it headscale \
|
|
headscale <COMMAND> --help
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
!!! note "Manage headscale from another local user"
|
|
|
|
By default only the user `headscale` or `root` will have the necessary permissions to access the unix socket
|
|
(`/var/run/headscale/headscale.sock`) that is used to communicate with the service. In order to be able to
|
|
communicate with the headscale service you have to make sure the unix socket is accessible by the user that runs
|
|
the commands. In general you can achieve this by any of the following methods:
|
|
|
|
* using `sudo`
|
|
* run the commands as user `headscale`
|
|
* add your user to the `headscale` group
|
|
|
|
To verify you can run the following command using your preferred method:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
headscale users list
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Manage headscale users
|
|
|
|
In headscale, a node (also known as machine or device) is always assigned to a
|
|
headscale user. Such a headscale user may have many nodes assigned to them and
|
|
can be managed with the `headscale users` command. Invoke the built-in help for
|
|
more information: `headscale users --help`.
|
|
|
|
### Create a headscale user
|
|
|
|
=== "Native"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
headscale users create <USER>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
=== "Container"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
docker exec -it headscale \
|
|
headscale users create <USER>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### List existing headscale users
|
|
|
|
=== "Native"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
headscale users list
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
=== "Container"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
docker exec -it headscale \
|
|
headscale users list
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
## Register a node
|
|
|
|
One has to register a node first to use headscale as coordination with Tailscale. The following examples work for the
|
|
Tailscale client on Linux/BSD operating systems. Alternatively, follow the instructions to connect
|
|
[Android](connect/android.md), [Apple](connect/apple.md) or [Windows](connect/windows.md) devices.
|
|
|
|
### Normal, interactive login
|
|
|
|
On a client machine, run the `tailscale up` command and provide the FQDN of your headscale instance as argument:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
tailscale up --login-server <YOUR_HEADSCALE_URL>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
Usually, a browser window with further instructions is opened and contains the value for `<YOUR_MACHINE_KEY>`. Approve
|
|
and register the node on your headscale server:
|
|
|
|
=== "Native"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
headscale nodes register --user <USER> --key <YOUR_MACHINE_KEY>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
=== "Container"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
docker exec -it headscale \
|
|
headscale nodes register --user <USER> --key <YOUR_MACHINE_KEY>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
### Using a preauthkey
|
|
|
|
It is also possible to generate a preauthkey and register a node non-interactively. First, generate a preauthkey on the
|
|
headscale instance. By default, the key is valid for one hour and can only be used once (see `headscale preauthkeys
|
|
--help` for other options):
|
|
|
|
=== "Native"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
headscale preauthkeys create --user <USER_ID>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
=== "Container"
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
docker exec -it headscale \
|
|
headscale preauthkeys create --user <USER_ID>
|
|
```
|
|
|
|
The command returns the preauthkey on success which is used to connect a node to the headscale instance via the
|
|
`tailscale up` command:
|
|
|
|
```shell
|
|
tailscale up --login-server <YOUR_HEADSCALE_URL> --authkey <YOUR_AUTH_KEY>
|
|
```
|