Linking external Meshnet devices on Linux
Learn how to expand your Meshnet by linking other users' devices on Linux.
Linking a device of another Meshnet user allows for reciprocal access between your devices, which can be limited by setting specific permissions if needed.
Send an invitation from Linux
To add an external device to your Meshnet, invite its owner using their NordVPN account email:
Open the terminal.
Enter the following command, where
<email>is the email address of the NordVPN user you're inviting to have access to your Meshnet:Grant or deny the permissions requested for the user’s device by pressing Y or N, respectively, one at a time. Repeat until you see a message confirming that you’ve successfully sent your invitation. Consider the level of access you're comfortable providing:
Allow incoming traffic: keep this permission selected to stay accessible via Meshnet.
Allow traffic routing: this permission lets the external device route its internet traffic through your device, using it as a VPN server.
Allow local network access: this permission lets the external device access other devices on your local network, such as printers or smart home devices.
Allow receiving files: keep this permission selected to allow file sending from the invitee.
Example
Wait for the recipient to accept the invitation. For details, consult the appropriate guides:
Once the device owner accepts the invitation, your devices will be linked. To view connected devices, enter:
Optional: Withdraw an invitation
Invitations automatically expire after 72 hours if not canceled earlier.
To withdraw a pending invitation, enter this command followed by the email address of the person you've invited:
Example
Accept an invitation on Linux
To complete the device linking process, the recipient needs to accept the invitation in their NordVPN app.
Caution
Ensure that the invitation you accept is from a user you know and trust. For more information, see How to use Meshnet securely.
To accept an invitation on a Linux device:
Open the terminal.
To see your pending invitations, enter the command:
Locate the email address of the person who invited you under Received invites.
To accept an invite, enter the following command, replacing
<email>with the inviter's email address:Grant or deny the permissions requested for the inviter's device by pressing Y or N, respectively, one at a time. Consider the level of access you're comfortable providing:
Allow incoming traffic: keep this permission selected to stay accessible via Meshnet.
Allow traffic routing: this permission lets the external device route its internet traffic through your device, using it as a VPN server.
Allow local network access: this permission lets the external device access other devices on your local network, such as printers or smart home devices.
Allow receiving files: keep this permission selected to allow file sending from the invitee.
Repeat until you see a message confirming that you’ve successfully accepted their invitation. This will link your device with your peer's device.
To view connected devices, enter:
If you have Meshnet on multiple devices, you'll need to individually accept the invitation on each device to link them all.
Tip
To display supported commands for managing Meshnet peer devices, enter:
Checklist for device linking
If the device is not showing up in your External peers list, refer to the following checklist to address common issues:
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