# Tailscale Networking — Outline Sync Setup

**Date:** 2026-03-07
**Status:** Active

---

## Problem

`outline-sync-ui` runs on `domverse-berlin.eu` (Gitea server).
It needs to call the Outline API at `http://outline:3000`, which is on the `domnet` Docker network on `domverse.de` (main VPS) — unreachable from outside that host.

Using the public URL `https://outline.domverse.de` works but routes through Traefik + the public internet. Tailscale provides a direct, encrypted, internal path.

---

## Architecture

```
domverse-berlin.eu                         domverse.de
┌──────────────────────────────┐           ┌────────────────────────────────┐
│  outline-sync-ui container   │           │  domnet (172.29.0.0/16)        │
│  network_mode: service:ts-*  │           │  ┌──────────────────────────┐  │
│         │                    │           │  │  outline  172.29.0.7:3000│  │
│  ts-outline-sync container   │           │  └──────────────────────────┘  │
│  ├── domverse network        │           │                                │
│  └── tailscale0              │◄─────────►│  tailscale0  100.104.53.109    │
│      100.104.209.22          │ Tailscale │  subnet router: 172.29.0.0/16  │
└──────────────────────────────┘           └────────────────────────────────┘

Traefik (domverse-berlin.eu)
  → domverse network
  → ts-outline-sync container (port 8080)
  → outline-sync-ui (shared network namespace)
  → Tailscale → 172.29.0.7:3000 (outline)
```

---

## Tailscale Node Configuration

### domverse.de — 100.104.53.109

**Role:** Subnet router. Exposes the entire `domnet` Docker network over Tailscale.

**Command used to configure:**
```bash
sudo tailscale up \
  --accept-routes \
  --advertise-routes=172.29.0.0/16 \
  --advertise-exit-node
```

**Required after running:** Approve the route in Tailscale Admin Console:
- URL: https://login.tailscale.com/admin/machines
- Find `domverse` → Edit route settings → enable `172.29.0.0/16`

**Verify:**
```bash
tailscale debug prefs | grep -A5 '"AdvertiseRoutes"'
# should show: "172.29.0.0/16"
```

### domverse-berlin.eu — 100.104.209.22

**Role:** Tailscale sidecar for `outline-sync-ui`. Joins Tailscale as a node and accepts the subnet routes advertised by `domverse.de`.

**Configured via:** `ts-outline-sync` container in `docker-compose.yml` (see below).

**Requires:** `TS_AUTHKEY` environment variable — generate a reusable auth key at:
https://login.tailscale.com/admin/settings/keys

---

## docker-compose.yml Pattern

```yaml
name: outline-sync

services:
  ts-outline-sync:
    image: tailscale/tailscale
    container_name: ts-outline-sync
    hostname: outline-sync
    environment:
      - TS_AUTHKEY=${TS_AUTHKEY}
      - TS_STATE_DIR=/var/lib/tailscale
      - TS_USERSPACE=false
    volumes:
      - tailscale-state:/var/lib/tailscale
      - /dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
      - NET_RAW
    restart: unless-stopped
    networks:
      - default
      - domverse
    labels:
      # Traefik sees this container on domverse and proxies to port 8080
      # (served by outline-sync-ui which shares this network namespace)
      - "traefik.docker.network=domverse"
      - "traefik.enable=true"
      - "traefik.http.routers.outline-sync.rule=Host(`sync.domverse-berlin.eu`)"
      - "traefik.http.routers.outline-sync.entrypoints=https"
      - "traefik.http.routers.outline-sync.tls.certresolver=http"
      - "traefik.http.routers.outline-sync.middlewares=authentik@docker"
      - "traefik.http.services.outline-sync.loadbalancer.server.port=8080"

  outline-sync-ui:
    build: .
    container_name: outline-sync-ui
    restart: unless-stopped
    depends_on:
      - ts-outline-sync
    network_mode: "service:ts-outline-sync"
    environment:
      - OUTLINE_URL=${OUTLINE_URL:-http://172.29.0.7:3000}
      - OUTLINE_TOKEN=${OUTLINE_TOKEN}

volumes:
  tailscale-state:
    driver: local

networks:
  default: {}
  domverse:
    external: true
```

**Key points:**
- `outline-sync-ui` uses `network_mode: service:ts-outline-sync` — shares the sidecar's full network namespace (domverse + tailscale0)
- Traefik labels are on `ts-outline-sync`, not the app container
- `OUTLINE_URL` uses the direct Docker IP `172.29.0.7:3000` — reachable via Tailscale subnet route
- No ports exposed directly; only Traefik reaches the app

---

## .env File (on domverse-berlin.eu, gitignored)

```
OUTLINE_URL=http://172.29.0.7:3000
OUTLINE_TOKEN=<outline api token>
TS_AUTHKEY=<tailscale auth key>
```

---

## Tailscale Admin Checklist

One-time steps in https://login.tailscale.com/admin:

- [ ] **Approve subnet route** on `domverse`: Machines → domverse → Edit route settings → ✓ `172.29.0.0/16`
- [ ] **Disable key expiry** on the `outline-sync` node (after first deploy) so the container auth key doesn't expire
- [ ] Verify `domverse-berlin` has `--accept-routes` so it sees the subnet

---

## Troubleshooting

**Container can't reach 172.29.0.7:3000:**
```bash
# Inside ts-outline-sync container:
docker exec ts-outline-sync tailscale ping 172.29.0.7
docker exec ts-outline-sync curl -s http://172.29.0.7:3000/api/auth.info
```

**Route not accepted:**
```bash
# On domverse.de:
tailscale debug prefs | grep AdvertiseRoutes
# Must show 172.29.0.0/16
# Also approve in admin console if not yet done
```

**Tailscale auth key expired:**
- Generate new key at https://login.tailscale.com/admin/settings/keys
- Update `TS_AUTHKEY` in `.env` on domverse-berlin.eu
- `docker compose up -d --force-recreate ts-outline-sync`

---

## Why Not Public HTTPS?

`https://outline.domverse.de` also works and requires no Tailscale setup. Trade-offs:

| | Tailscale (172.29.0.7:3000) | Public HTTPS |
|---|---|---|
| Latency | Lower (direct) | Higher (Traefik round-trip) |
| Auth dependency | None | Outline must be reachable publicly |
| Complexity | Sidecar + admin steps | Minimal |
| Traffic | Internal only | Exits to internet and back |

Tailscale is preferred for production; public HTTPS is a valid fallback.