Using Meshnet on Linux

Learn how to use Meshnet via the NordVPN application on your Linux device.

Before you begin

Verify that you have NordVPN installed on your device.

Meshnet is available for these Linux distributions:

  • Ubuntu (Linux Mint)

  • Debian (Raspberry Pi OS, Kali Linux)

  • Fedora (CentOS, RHEL)

  • SUSE (openSUSE)

Enable Meshnet on Linux

Complete the following steps to turn on Meshnet on your device:

  1. Open Terminal.

  2. Type in the following command and press Enter:

    nordvpn set meshnet on

You should now see a message confirming that you've enabled Meshnet:

Displaying the 'nordvpn set meshnet on' command in the terminal.

When connected to Meshnet, your device is assigned a unique Nord name and a Meshnet IP address, both of which you can use to access the device from other linked devices.

Note

Nord names are unique, automatically assigned host names for all devices in Meshnet.

The format is <username>-<mountain>.nord, where <username> is the username of your Nord Account email address and <mountain> is the name of a mountain or mountain range. For example, secret.meerkat-altai.nord.

Additionally, you can rename devices with custom nicknames for more convenient device management.

Add devices to Meshnet

You can add devices to your Meshnet in two ways, depending on whether the device is your own or belongs to another NordVPN user.

Add your own devices

To add more devices to your Meshnet, just install the NordVPN app on the devices you want to connect, log in with your account, and enable Meshnet. They will connect automatically.

Note

Meshnet allows you to add up to 10 devices that use the same NordVPN account.

Add trusted external devices

To add a device owned by another NordVPN user, send an invitation through the NordVPN app specifying their email address. As soon as they accept the invitation in their NordVPN app, their device becomes part of your Meshnet.

For detailed guidance on adding external devices, refer to Adding external Meshnet devices on Linux.

Manage devices

To view a list of your Meshnet devices, run the following command:

nordvpn meshnet peer list
Terminal window showing the output of the 'nordvpn meshnet peer list' command.

Unlink devices

To unlink a peer device from your Meshnet, enter the following command, where <device> is the device’s Nord name or Meshnet IP address:

nordvpn meshnet peer remove <device>

Example

Terminal window showing that a peer device has been removed.

Tip

To find your peer's Nord name faster, start typing the name and press Tab. The system will auto-complete the name based on matching peers.

Manage devices via the Nord Account dashboard

Alternatively, you can view a list of linked devices for each of your devices on the Nord Account website. To access this feature:

  1. Log in to your Nord account dashboard.

  2. Select the Meshnet (by NordVPN) card.

You should now see a list of your linked devices.

A list of linked devices is displayed at the Nord account dashboard in the Meshnet section

The Nord Account dashboard allows you to unlink both peer devices and your own.

  1. Go to the Nord Account website and log in to your NordVPN account.

  2. Select the Meshnet (by NordVPN) card.

    "Meshnet (by NordVPN)" card highlighted.

  3. Find the device that you want to unlink and select Manage device next to it.

    "Manage device" button highlighted next to a Linux device.

  4. Click Remove from Meshnet.

    "Remove from Meshnet" button highlighted.

    If you wish to disconnect peer devices, select Unlink device next to the device you want to remove.

    "Unlink device" button highlighted.

  5. Click Unlink to confirm.

See also

For information on managing device access within your network, see Explaining permissions.

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