Tailscale to NetBird

Here are the step-by-step instructions to install NetBird server on your remote Ubuntu server over SSH:

Pre-Installation: SSH Into Your Server

ssh your-user@your-server-ip

Step 1: Stop Tailscale Temporarily

sudo tailscale down

This prevents any routing conflicts during setup. The NetBird server components don't conflict with Tailscale, but stopping it ensures clean network state.

Step 2: Install Docker (If Not Already Installed)

# Remove any old versions
sudo apt-get remove docker docker-engine docker.io containerd runc

# Install prerequisites
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y ca-certificates curl gnupg lsb-release

# Add Docker's official GPG key
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

# Add repository
echo "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

# Install Docker Engine
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Verify installation
sudo docker run hello-world

^[1]^[2]

Step 3: Install Docker Compose Plugin

sudo apt-get install -y docker-compose-plugin
docker compose version

^[3]

Step 4: Run NetBird Quickstart Script

curl -fsSL https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/releases/latest/download/getting-started.sh | bash

This script:

Creates a netbird directory with Docker Compose configuration
Generates a built-in identity provider (no external IdP needed) ^[4]^[5]
Configures management server, signal server, and TURN relay
Sets up automatic Let's Encrypt certificates (requires public domain pointing to this server)

Step 5: Configure Your Domain

You need a domain/subdomain pointing to this server's public IP. The quickstart will prompt you for it.

If you don't have a domain yet, you can use a free subdomain service or purchase one. The server must be accessible on ports 80 and 443 for Let's Encrypt.

Step 6: Access the Dashboard

Once complete, open in your browser:

https://your-domain

Create your admin account — the embedded IdP handles authentication automatically ^[4:1].

Step 7: Generate Setup Key

In the dashboard:

Go to Setup Keys
Click Create Setup Key
Copy the key for client installation

Step 8: Re-enable Tailscale (Optional)

sudo tailscale up

Your server now runs NetBird coordination services while maintaining Tailscale connectivity temporarily.

Verification

Check NetBird server status:

cd netbird
docker compose ps

All containers should show healthy or running.

Next: Proceed to install NetBird clients on your devices using the setup key, then remove Tailscale from each.