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fix: script fails without a properly provided identity file #48

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4177e02
fix: script fails without a properly provided identity file
nyorf Jun 27, 2026
5b273e2
edit: added references for the -i flag to remote-access docs
nyorf Jun 27, 2026
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6 changes: 3 additions & 3 deletions content/docs/networking/remote-access.mdx
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -52,19 +52,19 @@ Tailscale is not pre-installed on the device. However, Tailscale has added out-o
2. **On your local computer** (not on the JetKVM device), run the following command and follow the instructions:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://jetkvm.com/install-tailscale.sh | sh -s -- <jetkvm_ip>
curl -fsSL https://jetkvm.com/install-tailscale.sh | sh -s -- <jetkvm_ip> -i <path_to_ssh_key>
```

### Additional Tailscale Arguments

If you use a self-hosted Tailscale coordination server such as [Headscale](https://github.com/juanfont/headscale), you can pass additional arguments to the `tailscale up` command by appending them after `--` following the JetKVM IP address. Any arguments after the second `--` are forwarded directly to [`tailscale up`](https://tailscale.com/docs/reference/tailscale-cli/up).

```bash
curl -fsSL https://jetkvm.com/install-tailscale.sh | sh -s -- <jetkvm_ip> -- --login-server=https://headscale.example.com
curl -fsSL https://jetkvm.com/install-tailscale.sh | sh -s -- <jetkvm_ip> -i <path_to_ssh_key> -- --login-server=https://headscale.example.com
```

You can also combine multiple `tailscale up` flags:

```bash
curl -fsSL https://jetkvm.com/install-tailscale.sh | sh -s -- <jetkvm_ip> -- --login-server=https://headscale.example.com --advertise-tags=tag:kvm
curl -fsSL https://jetkvm.com/install-tailscale.sh | sh -s -- <jetkvm_ip> -i <path_to_ssh_key> -- --login-server=https://headscale.example.com --advertise-tags=tag:kvm
```
26 changes: 20 additions & 6 deletions content/scripts/install-tailscale.sh
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ main() {
AUTO_YES=false
CLEAN_INSTALL=false
TAILSCALE_UP_ARGS=""
SSH_KEY="$HOME/.ssh/id_rsa"

# Parse command line arguments
while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
Expand All @@ -22,6 +23,10 @@ main() {
REQUESTED_VERSION="$2"
shift 2
;;
-i | --identity)
SSH_KEY="$2"
shift 2
;;
-y | --yes)
AUTO_YES=true
shift
Expand All @@ -45,10 +50,11 @@ main() {
if [ -z "$JETKVM_IP" ]; then
echo "ERROR: JetKVM IP address is required"
echo ""
echo "Usage: $0 [-v|--version <TAILSCALE_VERSION>] [-y|--yes] [-c|--clean] <JETKVM_IP> [-- <tailscale_up_args>...]"
echo "Usage: $0 [-v|--version <TAILSCALE_VERSION>] [-i|--identity <SSH_KEY>] [-y|--yes] [-c|--clean] <JETKVM_IP> [-- <tailscale_up_args>...]"
echo ""
echo "Options:"
echo " -v, --version Specify Tailscale version (defaults to current stable release)"
echo " -i, --identity Path to the SSH private key for the JetKVM (defaults to ~/.ssh/id_rsa)"
echo " -y, --yes Automatically answer yes to confirmation prompt"
echo " -c, --clean Delete any existing tailscale data (will cause a new machine to be created)"
echo ""
Expand All @@ -72,6 +78,14 @@ main() {

export TAILSCALE_VERSION="${REQUESTED_VERSION:-$TAILSCALE_STABLE}"

if [ ! -f "$SSH_KEY" ]; then
echo "ERROR: SSH key not found at: $SSH_KEY"
echo " Provide a valid key path with -i/--identity, or place your key at ~/.ssh/id_rsa"
exit 1
fi

SSH_OPTS="-i $SSH_KEY -o IdentitiesOnly=yes"

# Confirmation prompt (unless auto-yes is enabled)
if [ "$AUTO_YES" = false ]; then
echo "──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────"
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -128,7 +142,7 @@ main() {
echo " Checking SSH access (Developer Mode)..."

# First, test SSH connectivity without BatchMode to get proper error messages
SSH_TEST_OUTPUT=$(ssh -o ConnectTimeout=5 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
SSH_TEST_OUTPUT=$(ssh $SSH_OPTS -o ConnectTimeout=5 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
-o PreferredAuthentications=publickey -o PubkeyAuthentication=yes -o PasswordAuthentication=no \
root@"$JETKVM_IP" 'echo "SSH OK"' 2>&1) || SSH_EXIT_CODE=$?

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -181,10 +195,10 @@ main() {
echo " Package verification successful"

echo "[5/7] Transferring Tailscale package to JetKVM..."
ssh root@"${JETKVM_IP}" "cat > /userdata/tailscale.tgz" <"$TMP_FILE"
ssh $SSH_OPTS root@"${JETKVM_IP}" "cat > /userdata/tailscale.tgz" <"$TMP_FILE"

echo "[6/7] Installing and configuring Tailscale on JetKVM..."
ssh -o ServerAliveInterval=1 -o ServerAliveCountMax=1 \
ssh $SSH_OPTS -o ServerAliveInterval=1 -o ServerAliveCountMax=1 \
root@"$JETKVM_IP" \
"export TAILSCALE_VERSION=$TAILSCALE_VERSION CLEAN_INSTALL=$CLEAN_INSTALL; ash -s" 2>/dev/null <<'EOF' || true
set -e
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -223,7 +237,7 @@ EOF
i=1
while [ "$i" -le 120 ]; do
echo " Checking device status... ($i/120s)"
if ssh -q -o ConnectTimeout=2 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
if ssh $SSH_OPTS -q -o ConnectTimeout=2 -o StrictHostKeyChecking=no -o UserKnownHostsFile=/dev/null \
root@"$JETKVM_IP" 'tailscale version' >/dev/null 2>&1; then
echo " JetKVM is back online with Tailscale installed!"
break
Expand All @@ -240,7 +254,7 @@ EOF
done

echo "[7/7] Starting Tailscale service..."
ssh root@"$JETKVM_IP" "tailscale up $TAILSCALE_UP_ARGS"
ssh $SSH_OPTS root@"$JETKVM_IP" "tailscale up $TAILSCALE_UP_ARGS"
echo ""
echo "SUCCESS: Tailscale installation completed!"
echo " Your JetKVM device is now ready to connect to your Tailscale network."
Expand Down