ZeroTier

ZeroTier is a software-defined networking (SDN) solution that enables secure and decentralized virtual networking. It allows devices to connect as if they were on the same local network, regardless of their physical location. ZeroTier combines the benefits of VPNs and SD-WANs, offering easy setup, high performance, and end-to-end encryption. It is widely used for remote access, IoT, gaming, and private networking without complex firewall or port forwarding configurations.

Installation

To install ZeroTier, first create an account on their website, then install the client.

• Windows/macOS

  Download the correct file from their Downloads Page

• Linux

  For any distribution

  curl -s https://install.zerotier.com | sudo bash
  

  For Arch Linux, install the zerotier-one package.

  sudo pacman -S zerotier-one
  

  Then enable/start the daemon

  sudo systemctl start zerotier-one.service
  sudo systemctl enable zerotier-one.service
  

  To verify your installation run

  sudo zerotier-cli status
  

Usage (Linux Systems)

To join a network, go to ZeroTier Central and create a network. Copy the network ID and run:

sudo zerotier-cli join ################

Verify that you joined correctly with:

sudo zerotier-cli listnetworks

That should show the joined network.

To communicate between PCs in the same ZeroTier network, do not use the physical LAN IP of the machine. Use the IP assigned by ZeroTier instead. In ZeroTier Central, look under Members and then Managed IPs. Give each machine a readable name so you do not forget what it is.