TrueNAS 24.10 (Electric Eel) switched from kubernetes based apps to docker based ones. One of the apps is tailscale. I want tailscale to access my home based network when I’m away from home (from printing to access to the files/media) and therefore want the subnet router feature enabled.

Here are the steps to get it working:

  • In Tailscale: Create an auth key via the Tailscale web UI -> “Settings” -> “Keys” -> “Generate auth key” (keep everything at default). Copy the auth key.
  • In TrueNAS: add Tailscale (in the community section) as an app, add the auth key from tailscale, enable “exit node” and add a “route” (e.g. 192.168.xx.0/24). Click Install at the bottom: it will do that, but will be stuck in the Deploying state.
  • In Tailscale admin UI, approve the new host and approve the subnet router and exit node in the “three dots” menu. Afterward, the tailscale app will be in state Running.

If you look now in Tailscale admin UI, it will show (at least after a bit of time) the new node as not properly configured: the Subnets and Exit Node flags have a little exclamation point and if you follow the hints it tells you have to enabled IP forwarding. To do so:

  • In TrueNAS: Go to System -> Advanced Settings -> Sysctls and add the required sysctl there: net.ipv4.ip_forward = 1 and net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding = 1.

I needed to reboot the NAS to get it properly working (e.g. using the NAS as an exit node from my mobile phone).