59 lines
2.5 KiB
Markdown
59 lines
2.5 KiB
Markdown
# Connecting a Windows client
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## Goal
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This documentation has the goal of showing how a user can use the official Windows [Tailscale](https://tailscale.com) client with `headscale`.
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## Add registry keys
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To make the Windows client behave as expected and to run well with `headscale`, two registry keys **must** be set:
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- `HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Tailscale IPN\UnattendedMode` must be set to `always` as a `string` type, to allow Tailscale to run properly in the background
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- `HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Tailscale IPN\LoginURL` must be set to `<YOUR HEADSCALE URL>` as a `string` type, to ensure Tailscale contacts the correct control server.
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You can set these using the Windows Registry Editor:
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Or via the following Powershell commands (right click Powershell icon and select "Run as administrator"):
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```
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New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Tailscale IPN' -Name UnattendedMode -PropertyType String -Value always
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New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\Software\Tailscale IPN' -Name LoginURL -PropertyType String -Value https://YOUR-HEADSCALE-URL
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```
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The Tailscale Windows client has been observed to reset its configuration on logout/reboot and these two keys [resolves that issue](https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale/issues/2798).
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For a guide on how to edit registry keys, [check out Computer Hope](https://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001348.htm).
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## Installation
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Download the [Official Windows Client](https://tailscale.com/download/windows) and install it.
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When the installation has finished, start Tailscale and log in (you might have to click the icon in the system tray).
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The log in should open a browser Window and direct you to your `headscale` instance.
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## Troubleshooting
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If you are seeing repeated messages like:
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```
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[GIN] 2022/02/10 - 16:39:34 | 200 | 1.105306ms | 127.0.0.1 | POST "/machine/redacted"
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```
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in your `headscale` output, turn on `DEBUG` logging and look for:
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```
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2022-02-11T00:59:29Z DBG Machine registration has expired. Sending a authurl to register machine=redacted
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```
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This typically means that the registry keys above was not set appropriately.
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To reset and try again, it is important to do the following:
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1. Ensure the registry keys from the previous guide is correctly set.
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2. Shut down the Tailscale service (or the client running in the tray)
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3. Delete Tailscale Application data folder, located at `C:\Users\<USERNAME>\AppData\Local\Tailscale` and try to connect again.
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4. Ensure the Windows node is deleted from headscale (to ensure fresh setup)
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5. Start Tailscale on the windows machine and retry the login.
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