Tailscale Exit Node StackScript for Linode

This StackScript automatically configures a Linode instance as a Tailscale Exit Node, allowing you to route your internet traffic through your Linode server when connected to Tailscale.

Features

• 🚀 One-click setup of a Tailscale Exit Node on Linode
• 🔒 Proper firewall configuration with firewalld
• 🌐 Automatic IP forwarding configuration
• 🖥️ Optional SSH access via Tailscale network
• 📝 Comprehensive logging for troubleshooting

Prerequisites

1. A Linode account
2. A Tailscale account
3. A Tailscale auth key (generated from the Tailscale admin console)

Quick Setup

1. Log in to your Linode account
2. Create a new Linode instance
3. Select "StackScripts" from the Create tab
4. Choose "Community StackScripts" and search for "Tailscale Exit Node"
5. Select this StackScript and fill in the required fields:
   • Tailscale Auth Key: Your Tailscale auth key
   • Hostname: A name for your Exit Node (default: Tailscale-Gateway)
   • Enable SSH access via Tailscale: Choose whether to allow SSH from Tailscale network (yes/no)

Usage

Once the Linode is deployed and the script completes:

1. Approve the Exit Node in the Tailscale admin console: https://login.tailscale.com/admin/machines

2. To use this Exit Node from any of your Tailscale-connected devices, run:

   tailscale up --exit-node=<hostname>
   

   or

   tailscale up --exit-node=<tailscale-ip>
   

3. To check the Exit Node status:

   tailscale status
   tailscale exit-node list
   

Authentication Key Tips

• Use a reusable auth key if you plan to redeploy this script multiple times
• For improved security, set an expiration time on your auth key
• Consider using a key with limited permissions (only node registration)

Troubleshooting

• Check the log file at /var/log/stackscript.log for detailed script execution output
• Verify Tailscale status with tailscale status
• Check system logs with journalctl -u tailscaled
• Ensure firewalld is properly configured with firewall-cmd --list-all

Security Considerations

• This script configures your Linode as an internet gateway for your Tailscale network
• All traffic from connected devices can potentially route through this server when used as an Exit Node
• Consider implementing additional security measures based on your requirements

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

License

This script is provided under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Acknowledgements

• Tailscale for their excellent VPN solution
• Linode for their cloud hosting platform