Netmaker Desktop Installation
Netmaker Desktop
Netmaker Desktop is the revamped Remote Access Client, offering a simple GUI for connecting to a Netmaker network from an offsite device. Available on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
Download / Installation
You can download the netmaker-desktop-installer.exe installer and run it to install on your Windows machine. You can then launch Netmaker Desktop, sign in and connect to your Netmaker network!
Download link: https://fileserver.netmaker.io/releases/download/latest/netmaker-desktop-installer.exe (netmaker-desktop-installer.exe)
For PowerShell silent installation: /netmaker-desktop-installer.exe quiet
Mac installers:
https://fileserver.netmaker.io/releases/download/latest/Netmaker-Desktop-Intel.pkg
https://fileserver.netmaker.io/releases/download/latest/Netmaker-Desktop-M1.pkg
Install the appropriate version, then open Netmaker Desktop, sign in to your server, and join your Netmaker network!
Ubuntu/Debian
curl -sL 'https://apt.netmaker.org/netmaker-desktop/gpg.key' | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/netmaker-desktop.asc
curl -sL 'https://apt.netmaker.org/netmaker-desktop/debian.deb.txt' | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/netmaker-desktop.list
sudo apt update
sudo apt search netmaker-desktop # to see available versions
sudo apt install netmaker-desktopFedora/RedHat/CentOS/Rocky
Following the above instructions, you can run Netmaker Desktop from your Linux desktop environment launcher or from the command line using the netmaker-desktop command.
Netmaker Desktop is supported on Ubuntu 22.04+ (glibc version 2.32+).
Getting Started with Netmaker Desktop
To use Netmaker Desktop, you will need to have a Netmaker server running and have a user account on that server. You will also need to have a gateway set up on the server. Remote devices connect to the network through the gateway.
RAC is best suited for non-admin users who want to gain remote access to the network; this also gives net admins fine-grained control by granting users access only to the networks or gateways they need. Admins can also use Netmaker Desktop to gain remote access to the network with a different machine.
Check https://docs.netmaker.io/docs/features/users-management-pro on how to create a non-admin user.
Launching Netmaker Desktop
Find the Netmaker Desktop shortcut on your desktop and double-click to launch it.
Or click Start or the Windows Icon then go to All Apps and find Remote Access Client. Click it to launch.
Find Netmaker Desktop in the Application Folder and click to launch it.
Find the Remote Access Client shortcut and click to launch it.
Using Netmaker Desktop
Once a service/platform user has been given access to the network, they can connect to that network using the desktop client. To do this, they will first need to log in using the credentials that were provided to them. Social login is also supported.
Where to find your Tenant ID / Server URL
To connect to a SaaS tenant, you will need to provide your tenant ID, which can be found in the Download Netmaker Desktop modal of your tenant NMUI or from the tenants interface.
Connecting to a self-hosted (on-premises) instance is straightforward. You only need the server URL, which typically follows the format: .domain.com. For example, if your dashboard is accessible at dashboard.example.com, the default server URL would be api.example.com.
Enter the Tenant ID / server URL in the settings screen
After successful login you will be shown all the networks and gateways you have been given access to, so you will be able to connect/disconnect/refresh your connection to a gateway.
Internet gateways are depicted with a globe icon. An internet gateway can be used to route all your traffic through the gateway, this is useful if you want to access the internet without exposing your public IP address. This behaves like a traditional VPN.
The remote access client also has the following features:
Connect / Disconnect to network: Networks you have access to are listed after a successful login. Under these networks, you will also see a list of gateways you can use to connect to the network. If there are multiple, select the gateway you prefer by clicking on it. Click on the switch to the right of the network name to connect to (or disconnect from) the network.
Reload: Reloads the network data on the page, which can be useful if an admin has changed network or gateway settings or access from the dashboard.
Logout: Disconnects any active network connection and logs you out of the desktop client.
Info boxes: Show a glimpse of network statistics (when connected to a network) and gateway details.
Using Netmaker like a “normal VPN”
Some remote access gateways, specifically internet gateways (depicted by globe icon) can route all your traffic through them. This can be useful if you want to access the internet without exposing your public IP address. This behaves like a traditional VPN. Internet gateways is a Pro-only feature.
Internet Gateways (depicted by the globe icon) allow a user to use Netmaker like a normal VPN service
(Re)Starting the service / daemon process
On very few occasions, the Netmaker Desktop daemon may not be running and will need to be restarted manually. There are two ways to resolve this:
Controlling Netmaker Desktop user sessions
On pro servers/tenants, the duration of a non-admin user’s remote session can be controlled by setting RAC_AUTO_DISABLE (to true) and JWT_VALIDITY_DURATION (to an integer in seconds) environment variables on the server.
With RAC_AUTO_DISABLE set to true, a non-admin user’s remote sessions will be disabled after the duration specified in JWT_VALIDITY_DURATION has elapsed. The user will have to relogin to enable their remote session again.
NOTE: The JWT_VALIDITY_DURATION environment variable also configures all JWT token validity duration for all users, regardless of whether RAC_AUTO_DISABLE is set to true or not.
On newer servers (v0.90.0+), there is the option to restrict users from connecting to multiple networks simultaneously with the RAC_RESTRICT_TO_SINGLE_NETWORK environment variable. Setting this to true will allow users to only connect to one network and gateway at a time. Any other value will not restrict the user; they will be able to connect to multiple networks at the same time.
FAQs
Uninstalling Netmaker Desktop
If the app is currently open, logout from the app, and quit the app before continuing.
Remote Access Client (RAC)
Note: Starting from v0.90.0, Netmaker Desktop will be the preferred client for Windows, Mac, and Linux users.
Overview of Remote Access Client (RAC)
The Remote Access Client (RAC) is a graphical user interface (GUI) tool designed to help users connect to a Netmaker network from an offsite machine or device. It is ideal for remote users who need access to the network but do not need full administrative control.
Key Features:
VPN-like functionality: RAC allows mobile users to connect to a Netmaker network and route their internet traffic through a remote access gateway, similar to traditional VPNs.
Simple and secure connection: Once a user has been granted access to a Netmaker network, they can log in and easily connect using RAC.
Social login support.
No administrative access required for typical remote users.
Download / Installation
You can download the remoteclientbundle.exe bundle (recommended—it installs WireGuard and other dependencies) or remote-access-client_86.msi installer (MSI doesn't install dependencies) and run it to install on Windows.
Download link: https://fileserver.netmaker.io/releases/download/v0.30.0/remoteclientbundle.exe
For PowerShell silent installation: /remoteclientbundle.exe quiet
Mac installers:
M1: https://fileserver.netmaker.io/releases/download/v0.30.0/remote-access-client-M1.pkg
Intel: https://fileserver.netmaker.io/releases/download/v0.30.0/remote-access-client-intel.pkg
Ubuntu / Debian
Fedora / RedHat / CentOS / Rocky
Following the above instructions, you can run RAC from your Linux desktop environment launcher or from the command line using the remote-client command.
Google Play Store (Android):
Or use: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.net.netmaker&pli=1&utm_source=docs
Apple App Store (iOS):
Or use: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/netmaker-rac/id6479694220?itsct=apps_box_badge&itscg=30200
You can download the latest version of RAC from the file server: https://fileserver.netmaker.io/releases/download/latest — search for remote client and download the appropriate version for your OS.
Using RAC
Connecting to the Network
Once logged in, you will see a list of networks and gateways you have access to. Select a network and a gateway to establish a connection. Some gateways, especially internet gateways (depicted with a globe icon), allow you to route your traffic through the gateway, providing VPN-like functionality.
Internet Gateways (Pro-Only Feature)
Some remote access gateways, especially internet gateways, allow users to route all traffic through them, providing VPN-like functionality. This is useful for maintaining privacy and security by masking your public IP address. The internet gateway feature is a Pro-only feature and requires a Netmaker Pro subscription.
Controlling User Sessions
On Pro-level servers, network admins can control user sessions for non-admin users. Admins can set the session expiration time using these environment variables:
RAC_AUTO_DISABLE: Set to true to automatically disable remote sessions after a certain duration.
JWT_VALIDITY_DURATION: Specifies the session duration in seconds. Once elapsed, the user will need to log in again.
Admins can also restrict users to a single network connection at a time using RAC_RESTRICT_TO_SINGLE_NETWORK.
Troubleshooting
Issue connecting to a gateway: Ensure the gateway is online and accessible. Try refreshing the connection or resetting all connections if needed.
Conflicts with other VPNs: Other WireGuard-based VPNs may interfere with RAC. Disable them temporarily to see if the issue is resolved.
Uninstalling RAC
If the app is currently open, logout from the app, and quit the app before continuing.
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