Tinc is a Virtual Private Network (VPN) daemon that uses tunnelling and encryption to create a secure, private network between hosts on the Internet. It is available for various operating systems including Linux, Windows, and macOS. In this tutorial, we will learn how to install tinc on Void Linux.
Before we install tinc, let's make sure that the package repository is up-to-date. To do this, open a terminal and type the following command:
sudo xbps-install -S
Enter your password if prompted, and wait for the repository to update.
Next, we need to install tinc. To do this, type the following command in your terminal:
sudo xbps-install tinc
This will install tinc along with any dependencies it may require.
After installation, we need to create a tinc configuration file. The configuration file is used to specify which hosts will be part of the VPN, as well as their IP addresses, subnets, and other settings.
To create the configuration file, we'll first create a tinc directory under /etc. Type the following command in your terminal:
sudo mkdir /etc/tinc
Next, create a directory for your VPN. For example, if your VPN is called myvpn, type the following command:
sudo mkdir /etc/tinc/myvpn
Inside this directory, create a tinc.conf file using your favorite text editor. For example:
sudo nano /etc/tinc/myvpn/tinc.conf
In this file, enter the following configuration:
Name = hostname
AddressFamily = ipv4
Interface = tun0
Replace hostname with the name of the host. The Interface setting specifies the tunnel interface name, which we'll be using later.
Next, we need to create a hosts directory inside the myvpn directory, and then create a file for each host that will be part of the VPN. For example, if you have two hosts called host1 and host2, you'll create two files like so:
sudo mkdir /etc/tinc/myvpn/hosts
sudo nano /etc/tinc/myvpn/hosts/host1
sudo nano /etc/tinc/myvpn/hosts/host2
In each of these files, enter the following configuration:
Address = <host IP address>
Subnet = <VPN subnet>
Replace <host IP address> with the IP address of the host, and <VPN subnet> with the desired subnet for the VPN. Repeat this process for all hosts that will be part of the VPN.
After configuring tinc, let's start it up. To do this, type the following command:
sudo tincd -n myvpn
This command will start tinc using the myvpn configuration we created earlier.
Finally, let's verify that tinc is running properly. Type the following command:
sudo tincctl -n myvpn status
This will display the connection status of each host in the VPN. If everything is configured properly, you should see all hosts connected to the VPN.
Congratulations! You have successfully installed and configured tinc on Void Linux. You can now use it to securely connect your hosts over the internet.
If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!
Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!
