A basic Tinc VPN on a Linux VPS is a small, routed private network made from named nodes. Each node has a network directory, a daemon configuration, a host file containing its public identity and reachable address, private keys that never leave the node, and interface scripts that bring up the VPN address. On a Debian-style system, a two-node network can be running with a private range such as 10.50.0.0/24, one address per node, and the named systemd service tinc@vpn.
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The reliable order is: plan addresses and connectivity, install the distribution package, initialize each node, edit tinc.conf and the host files, exchange only public host files, open the transport port, start the network, and verify routes and peer connections. The examples below use a VPS named vps and a peer named laptop.
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Prepare a Linux VPS with root or sudo access, a kernel with TUN/TAP support, and permission to add firewall rules. You also need administrative access to every peer that will join the VPN. If the VPS is behind a cloud firewall or security group, that control must allow the same transport port as the operating-system firewall.
- A unique network name, such as
vpn. - A unique tinc node name for every machine, such as
vpsandlaptop. - A private, non-overlapping VPN range, for example
10.50.0.0/24. - A plan for whether the VPN only connects node addresses or also routes a LAN behind one of them.
- A transport port policy. Tinc listens on port
655by default unless you configure another port.
Do not choose a VPN range that is already used by a node’s local LAN, a container network, or another tunnel. Overlapping routes make traffic choose the wrong interface and are one of the most common causes of a tunnel that appears connected but cannot reach an intended service.
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How Tinc organizes a VPN
Tinc uses a named network containing named nodes. On Debian-style layouts, the network directory is /etc/tinc/<netname>/. For a network called vpn, the important paths are:
| Path or item | Purpose |
|---|---|
/etc/tinc/vpn/tinc.conf |
Daemon-wide settings for this node, including its unique Name and peers it should contact with ConnectTo. |
/etc/tinc/vpn/hosts/ |
Host files for this node and its peers. These files carry public identity information, reachable addresses, and advertised subnets. |
rsa_key.priv and ed25519_key.priv |
Private credentials generated for the node. Keep them on that node and protect their permissions. |
tinc-up |
Executable hook that assigns an address to the virtual interface and adds any required route when the tunnel comes up. |
tinc-down |
Optional executable hook for removing the interface address or routes when the tunnel stops. |
Tinc normally operates in router mode for routed IP traffic. Its routing table is built from Subnet declarations in host files. A host file’s Address is the real network address or hostname peers use to reach the daemon; its Subnet is the VPN address or network that node serves. The official rule is that a subnet declaration uses a network address and a CIDR prefix, not an arbitrary host address.
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Simple two-node routed network
For a VPS and one laptop, assign a single VPN address to each node while using the same virtual network mask on the interfaces:
| Node | Unique name | VPN address | Advertised subnet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Linux VPS | vps |
10.50.0.1 |
10.50.0.1/32 |
| Laptop or second server | laptop |
10.50.0.2 |
10.50.0.2/32 |
The interface scripts can assign 10.50.0.1/24 and 10.50.0.2/24, which puts both virtual interfaces in 10.50.0.0/24. The host files advertise each node’s own address as a /32. This keeps ownership unambiguous while allowing the interface to recognize the VPN range.
Routing a network behind a node
If the VPS or another node serves a private LAN, advertise that LAN’s network address and prefix, such as 192.168.40.0/24, in that node’s host file. Add a route on the virtual interface and enable Linux IP forwarding according to the topology. Every advertised subnet must belong to one deliberate node and must not overlap another declaration.
Install Tinc from the distribution
Use the package supplied by the VPS distribution. On Debian or Ubuntu, the usual package-manager sequence is:
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sudo apt update
sudo apt install tincPackage names, service units, and command details can differ between distribution releases. Confirm the installed package’s documentation if the unit name or directory layout differs from the Debian-style examples in this guide.
Initialize the VPS node
Run the initialization command as root or through sudo:
sudo tinc -n vpn init vpsIn the current 1.1-style workflow, this creates the network directory, a starting tinc.conf, hosts/vps, RSA and Ed25519 private keys, public-key material, and an initial tinc-up script. The node name vps must be unique inside the vpn network.
Older 1.0 installations document equivalent key generation with:
sudo tincd -n vpn -KUse the command that matches the installed version rather than mixing instructions from different releases. After initialization, inspect the directory and keep the private key files readable only by the account that runs the daemon.
Configure the VPS daemon
Edit tinc.conf
Open /etc/tinc/vpn/tinc.conf and set the node name and at least one peer to contact:
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Name = vps
ConnectTo = laptopName identifies this daemon in the VPN and must match the host file name hosts/vps. ConnectTo tells the VPS which named peer it should initiate a connection to. In a larger mesh, include the peers that this node should contact directly; nodes can still learn routes to other nodes through the mesh.
Edit the VPS host file
Create or edit /etc/tinc/vpn/hosts/vps:
Address = vpn.example.com
Subnet = 10.50.0.1/32Replace vpn.example.com with the VPS’s public IP address or DNS name. This is the address peers use on the ordinary network to reach the tinc daemon, not the private VPN address. The Subnet line tells tinc that the VPS serves 10.50.0.1/32. Use a network address and prefix length for every subnet declaration.
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Bring up the virtual interface
Edit the executable /etc/tinc/vpn/tinc-up:
#!/bin/sh
ip link set "$INTERFACE" up
ip addr add 10.50.0.1/24 dev "$INTERFACE"The $INTERFACE variable is supplied by tinc for the network device it creates. Make the hook executable:
sudo chmod a+x /etc/tinc/vpn/tinc-upIf this node routes a LAN, add the route that covers the advertised LAN and enable IP forwarding. Keep the route specific to your topology; adding a broad route can divert unrelated VPS traffic into the tunnel.
Initialize and configure the peer
On the laptop or second server, install the same distribution package and initialize a different node name:
sudo tinc -n vpn init laptopIts /etc/tinc/vpn/tinc.conf should identify the peer and, when it needs to initiate toward the VPS, include:
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Name = laptop
ConnectTo = vpsConfigure its host file, /etc/tinc/vpn/hosts/laptop, with the address peers can use to reach it and its owned VPN address:
Address = laptop.example.net
Subnet = 10.50.0.2/32If the laptop is frequently behind changing NAT, its reachable address and inbound-connect behavior may require a topology-specific configuration. The basic example assumes the VPS can reach the address listed or that the laptop initiates the connection.
Set the peer’s tinc-up to use its own VPN address:
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#!/bin/sh
ip link set "$INTERFACE" up
ip addr add 10.50.0.2/24 dev "$INTERFACE"Then run chmod a+x /etc/tinc/vpn/tinc-up on that node as well.
Exchange host files, never private keys
Each node must have the other node’s public host configuration in its own hosts/ directory. Copy hosts/vps to the peer and hosts/laptop to the VPS using a secure administrative channel, then check that the file names match the Name values.
- Exchange: host files containing public identity and address information.
- Do not exchange:
rsa_key.priv,ed25519_key.priv, or any other private key file. - Keep private keys in the originating node’s network directory and restrict their permissions.
When a node’s public address changes, update its host file on the other nodes. A stale Address can leave keys and names correct while preventing the initial connection.
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Open the transport port
Port 655 is tinc’s default when no other port is configured. Permit the selected transport in both layers that protect the VPS:
- The VPS operating-system firewall must allow the required tinc TCP/UDP traffic on the selected port.
- The hosting provider’s cloud firewall or security group must allow that same port.
If policy requires another port, set an explicit Port value in the relevant tinc configuration and open that port consistently on every firewall. A mismatch between the configured port and the permitted port produces a timeout that can look like a key or host-file failure.
Start the named network with systemd
Debian supplies a global tinc.service and a per-network [email protected] template. Start and enable the vpn instance so it comes up after reboot:
sudo systemctl enable --now tinc@vpnCheck the unit immediately:
sudo systemctl status tinc@vpn
sudo journalctl -u tinc@vpnOlder distributions can package the units differently. If tinc@vpn is not present, list the installed tinc units and follow that release’s service documentation rather than creating an unofficial unit.
Verify the tunnel without disrupting the VPS
- Confirm the service is active with
systemctl status tinc@vpn. - Confirm that the tinc interface exists and has the expected address, using your system’s normal link and address tools, such as
ip linkandip addr. - Check that the daemon reports a connection to the intended peer in the service journal.
- From one node, ping the other node’s VPN address, for example
10.50.0.2. - Test the specific allowed service over its VPN address, such as SSH restricted to the VPN range.
- Inspect routes on both nodes and confirm that each advertised subnet points through the tinc interface.
Test the VPN address first. Testing a peer’s public address only proves that the ordinary network path works; it does not prove that tinc routing is correct.
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Troubleshoot by symptom
| Symptom | Likely checks | Correction |
|---|---|---|
| The service fails immediately | Syntax, unknown variables, missing files, unsafe permissions, or a non-executable hook. | Read journalctl -u tinc@vpn; correct the file, tighten key permissions, and run chmod a+x on interface scripts. |
| No peer connection or repeated timeout | Wrong Address, missing host file, incorrect port, VPS firewall, or cloud security group. |
Verify the peer’s public address, exchange the correct host file, align the configured port, and permit it in both firewall layers. |
| Peers connect but VPN ping fails | Missing interface address, absent route, wrong node name, or overlapping Subnet declarations. |
Inspect ip addr and routes, compare each Name with its host-file name, and assign each subnet to exactly one node. |
| One direction works only | The reverse host file is absent or the peer is not advertising its own address. | Place both public host files in both hosts/ directories and verify each node’s Subnet. |
| It worked until reboot | The named instance was started but not enabled, or the interface hook is not executable. | Run systemctl enable --now tinc@vpn and check the executable bit and journal after reboot. |
The tinc command can validate configuration files for unsafe permissions, missing executable bits, unknown variables, and key problems. Use that validation before changing several settings at once; otherwise it becomes difficult to identify which change fixed the fault.
Security and maintenance practices
- Use unique node names. Reusing a name causes identity and routing ambiguity.
- Keep private keys on their originating machines and limit who can read them.
- Advertise only the addresses and networks a node actually serves.
- Restrict VPS services to the VPN interface or VPN source range where practical, rather than exposing administration ports publicly.
- Document the VPN range, node names, transport port, and each advertised subnet.
- After changing a public address, port, key, or subnet, update the affected host files and restart or reload the named network as required by the installed version.
- Review routes after adding a LAN advertisement; a broad or overlapping route can interrupt ordinary VPS connectivity.
Configuration reference for the two-node example
| Node | tinc.conf |
Host-file lines | Interface address |
|---|---|---|---|
| VPS | Name = vpsConnectTo = laptop |
Address = vpn.example.comSubnet = 10.50.0.1/32 |
10.50.0.1/24 |
| Laptop | Name = laptopConnectTo = vps |
Address = laptop.example.netSubnet = 10.50.0.2/32 |
10.50.0.2/24 |
Both nodes also store the other node’s public host file under /etc/tinc/vpn/hosts/. Neither node stores the other node’s private keys.
When this basic design is enough—and when it is not
This setup is appropriate for a small routed VPN: a VPS and a few machines that need private IP reachability or access to selected services. Tinc’s router mode and Subnet-based routing keep the design at layer 3, where each node advertises the networks it serves.
A different design is needed if you require a switched layer-2 network, automatic discovery of many changing peers, or a more centralized operational model. Before expanding, decide whether you want a full mesh or a hub-and-spoke arrangement, how peers behind NAT will initiate connections, how host files and keys will be distributed, and which Linux distribution packages and service units you will maintain. Those choices affect complexity more than the two-node configuration itself.
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