Tutorial **Tailscale On Merlin**

[JA93]

I updated tailscale.ipk and opkg install tailscale*.ipk (latest version) works by default.
If you fail to install tailscale.ipk then proceed with tailscale_nohf.ipk

Before installing anything you need to do clean install, means to uninstall all previous versions u had.
opkg remove tailscale
and
opkg remove tailscale_nohf

Now run update:
opkg update

Now install optional entware packages:
opkg install entware-opt
opkg status entware-opt #confirm they are installed

Install tailscale:
opkg install tailscale*.ipk
or
opkg install tailscale_nohf_*.ipk

Check your arch:
opkg print-architecture

Choose right architecture:

aarch64-k3.10 ​

armv5sf-k3.2 ​

armv7sf-k2.6 ​

armv7sf-k3.2 ​

mipselsf-k3.4 ​

mipssf-k3.4​

Github - files are on my github

After install u need to start Tailscaled:
/opt/etc/init.d/S06tailscaled start
Now check if Taiscaled is still running:
/opt/etc/init.d/S06tailscaled check

Then run simply tailscale up and click on the link to authorize.
(alternative: tailscale up --auth-key=<your-auth-key>)

I forgot to update permissions, so execute these after installation:
chmod 755 /opt/bin/tailscale
chmod 755 /opt/bin/tailscaled

Use this command to add your routes:
tailscale up --accept-routes --advertise-routes=192.168.0.0/24,192.168.1.0/24 #(make sure to use your subnet)
(you need to approve them in tailscale dashboard)

For default commands just type "tailscale" to list, or execute(example):
tailscale version

In order to use "tailscaled" start/stop/check use this command:
/opt/etc/init.d/S06tailscaled check

In case u want to run AdguardHome/PiHole alongside tailscale:
tailscale up --accept-dns=false

PS:
If S06tailscaled auto-exit after closing ssh, this might be indicator that you run out of RAM. Myself, I made a swap 5gb because besides Tailscale I run Skynet and some other stuff.
You can also try nohup /opt/etc/init.d/S06tailscaled start &

Spoiler: OLD

I made a streamlined guide which works hopefully on every Merlin. I had trouble installing on my RT-N18U but in the end I made it.

#You can use my script or install manually. Script is simple and robust, worked for me.. Github
wget https://raw.githubusercontent.com/bobanilic/MerlinScale/main/install_tailscale.sh && chmod +x install_tailscale.sh && ./install_tailscale.sh

Install Entware(from AMTM) and other necessary packages:

opkg install ca-bundle​

opkg install tailscale #(tailscale_nohf -use this if you can't install main)​

Go to website and download correct architecture (e.g., ARM, ARM64, x86_64).

-https://pkgs.tailscale.com/stable/#static​

Extract it and copy the content to update manually:

cp /tmp/mnt/USB/FOLDER/tailscale_1.64.0_arm/tailscale /opt/bin/​

cp /tmp/mnt/USB/FOLDER/tailscale_1.64.0_arm/tailscaled /opt/bin/ ​

edit /opt/etc/init.d/S06tailscaled and update ur ARGS:

ARGS="-tun=userspace-networking -statedir /opt/var/tailscale/" ​

You can run "tailscale update" to check for latest version and also to make sure that you downloaded the correct architecture
(if the architecture was wrong you will get an error)
If everything is OK, execute command "tailscale up" which will generate a link:

To authenticate, visit:

https:// login. tailscale. com/a/XXXXX​

(Visit this link in your browser in order to authenticate and you're done.)

(alternative: tailscale up --auth-key=<your-auth-key>)

Use this command to add your routes:
tailscale up --accept-routes --advertise-routes=192.168.0.0/24,192.168.1.0/24 #(make sure to use your subnet)

(you need to approve them in tailscale dashboard)​

For default commands just type "tailscale" to list, or execute(example):

tailscale start​

In order to use "tailscaled" start/stop/check use this command:

/opt/etc/init.d/S06tailscaled check ​

​

​

Credits to Fakemanhk Reddit
Credits to RandomUser777

 

[jksmurf]

Very nice, well done, encouraging to see there’s other folk looking to use Tailscale.

Presumably you’ve seen similar approaches outlined in this thread (with additions to firewall start and services start), proposed by RandomUser777?

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/tailscale-on-asus-rt-ax86u-router.80870/

and the subsequent request for this to be included in amtm menu

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/t...t-for-a-coder-to-implement.89650/#post-902412

 

[JA93]

Very nice, well done, encouraging to see there’s other folk looking to use Tailscale.

Presumably you’ve seen similar approaches outlined in this thread (with additions to firewall start and services start), proposed by RandomUser777?

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/tailscale-on-asus-rt-ax86u-router.80870/

and the subsequent request for this to be included in amtm menu

https://www.snbforums.com/threads/t...t-for-a-coder-to-implement.89650/#post-902412

Actually this was my main source:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tailscale/comments/u3m83k/making_tailscale_working_on_my_asus_rtax82u_router

I saw RandomUser post just didn't see everything in 1 place and decided to make a guide.

 

[ColinTaylor]

@JA93 I suggest you replace all occurrences of /tmp/mnt/USB/entware/ with /opt/ as that is the location-independent symbolic link for Entware installations.

Your symbolic link for auto-start is therefore an error as it points to itself and is unnecessary.

 

[DJones]

Interesting. Wouldn’t mind seeing this as a amtm package to simplify the setup.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Interesting. Wouldn’t mind seeing this as a amtm package to simplify the setup.

My concern is that this is essentially a hack that involves downloading the binaries from tailscale.com and overwriting the Entware versions.

Given that the only original file from Entware that remains is the startup script, and even that is manually modified, there's almost no point installing the Entware packages at all.

If this were to become an amtm "package" someone would have to accept the responsibility of keeping it updated. Another option might be to put in a change request on the Entware github asking for their package to be updated to the current version.

 

[DJones]

My concern is that this is essentially a hack that involves downloading the binaries from tailscale.com and overwriting the Entware versions.

Given that the only original file from Entware that remains is the startup script, and even that is manually modified, there's almost no point installing the Entware packages at all.

If this were to become an amtm "package" someone would have to accept the responsibility of keeping it updated. Another option might be to put in a change request on the Entware github asking for their package to be updated to the current version.

entware is just the package manager for these routers. I wouldn’t call manually installing anything outside of a package manager or even using a different package manager a hack. It’s certainly a manual update to tailscale, and since entware isn’t maintaining the latest updates I see no harm in it unless it’s a fork of the software.

I’ve done some janky installs on Linux so it’s not that unusual to me.

Certainly someone taking this as a maintainer for Asuswrt-Merlin add-on is a whole other thing, quite the commitment when poking the entware maintainer in git would be simpler.

 

[jksmurf]

Actually this was my main source:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Tailscale/comments/u3m83k/making_tailscale_working_on_my_asus_rtax82u_router

I saw RandomUser post just didn't see everything in 1 place and decided to make a guide.

In the last page or two of the thread in snbforums I referred to above here there’s actually a description with a list of steps from what a couple of us have already done to get it running. A pseudo tutorial if you will.

Anyway if it gets it gaining momentum as an addon I’m all for it, was just hoping the various disparate but interconnected threads don’t dilute this quest.

 

[JA93]

In the last page or two of that thread there’s actually a description with a list of steps from what a couple of us have already done to get it running. A pseudo tutorial if you will.

Anyway if it gets it gaining momentum as an addon I’m all for it, was just hoping the various disparate but interconnected threads don’t dilute this quest.

Interesting. As for next quest feel free to try my script and give suggestions

 

[jksmurf]

Interesting. Wouldn’t mind seeing this as a amtm package to simplify the setup.

Yup, agree!! Asked for it here in the Merlin Addons forum; both the setup and the Tailscale updates (as the entware version lags well behind).

 

[jksmurf]

Interesting. As for next quest feel free to try my script and give suggestions

I’m good thanks, @RandomUser777’s implementation works fine for me and @Aiadi and I’m neither experienced enough nor competent enough in Linux to understand the differences.

But if you feel like you’d like to try the version in that thread the steps are here.

 

[XIII]

What do you use Tailscale for?

(Is it similar to OpenVPN or did I get that wrong?)

 

[DJones]

What do you use Tailscale for?

(Is it similar to OpenVPN or did I get that wrong?)

easier just to visit their website. https://tailscale.com/

but yes it's basically a VPN.

 

[XIII]

I'm kind of curious why people prefer it above the bundled OpenVPN.

Which benefits does it bring?

 

[Aiadi]

Which benefits does it bring?

It transcends all sorts of obstacles like CG-NAT and double-NAT and so much more useful for me during my travels. It has also much more control on features like WAN access and exit node setups.

 

[JA93]

It transcends all sorts of obstacles like CG-NAT and double-NAT and so much more useful for me during my travels. It has also much more control on features like WAN access and exit node setups.

I updated tailscale.ipk it works out of box, no scripts no bs. Feel free to try!

 

[ColinTaylor]

Github - files are in my github and don't forget to chmod +x after downloading

You don't need to make the .ipk files executable. But you probably need to show the command used to install the package as many users will not be familiar with doing that.

 

[JA93]

You don't need to make the .ipk files executable. But you probably need to show the command used to install the package as many users will not be familiar with doing that.

I actually wrote chmod... Been messing with scripts wrote it by default

What do u mean show the command? If I could give u a permission to modify my post i'd gladly do it in order to update all commands for "unfamiliar users"

 

[ColinTaylor]

What do u mean show the command? If I could give u a permission to modify my post i'd gladly do it in order to update all commands for "unfamiliar users"

In your github instructions you just need to add the opkg install tailscale.ipk command after downloading the file.

@zyxmon @ryzhov_al Any chance you could update the Entware repository with the current version of tailscale?

 

[JA93]

In your github instructions you just need to add the opkg install tailscale.ipk command after downloading the file.

@zyxmon @ryzhov_al Any chance you could update the Entware repository with the current version of tailscale?

opkg install tailscale*.ipk - updated