https://github.com/mbugert/tailscale-polybar-rofi
Select and show tailscale VPN status with rofi and polybar
https://github.com/mbugert/tailscale-polybar-rofi
polybar-scripts rofi-menus tailscale vpn-connections
Last synced: 8 months ago
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Select and show tailscale VPN status with rofi and polybar
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/mbugert/tailscale-polybar-rofi
- Owner: mbugert
- License: mit
- Created: 2022-05-01T06:49:28.000Z (almost 4 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2022-12-11T17:48:58.000Z (about 3 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-05-12T22:54:43.683Z (9 months ago)
- Topics: polybar-scripts, rofi-menus, tailscale, vpn-connections
- Language: Shell
- Homepage:
- Size: 139 KB
- Stars: 16
- Watchers: 1
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE.txt
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Polybar Module and Rofi dmenu for tailscale
* display [tailscale](https://tailscale.com) VPN connection status in [polybar](https://github.com/polybar/polybar)
* enable/disable tailscale from [rofi](https://github.com/davatorium/rofi)
* automatically shows one option per available exit node
## Setup
### Polybar Module
1. Put `info-tailscale.sh` somewhere on your system, for example to `~/.config/polybar/info-tailscale.sh`.
2. In your polybar config, add:
```
[module/info-tailscale]
type = custom/script
exec = ~/.config/polybar/info-tailscale.sh
interval = 10
```
Also add `info-tailscale` to `modules-left`, `modules-center`, or `modules-right`.
(The demo GIF uses `interval = 3` for added effect.)
### Rofi Switcher
1. Put `choose_vpn_config.sh` somewhere on your system, for example `~/.config/scripts/choose_vpn_config.sh`.
2. Add a keybinding in your window manager that triggers the script. Example config snippet for i3wm:
```
bindsym $mod+Shift+v exec --no-startup-id $HOME/.config/scripts/choose_vpn_config.sh
```
3. Run `sudo tailscale up --operator $(whoami)` once. This gives your username permission to `tailscale up` without sudo in the future (i.e. when using the rofi switcher).
#### Alternative with polkit
Support for the `--operator` option [wasn't unanimous when it was introduced](https://github.com/tailscale/tailscale/issues/1684).
In case it is removed again in the future, polkit can be used as an alternative for rights elevation:
1. Install [polkit and a polkit authentication agent](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Polkit#Installation).
* for example `sudo apt install lxpolkit` on Debian-based OS
2. Run the agent on session startup.
* for example `exec --no-startup-id lxpolkit` when using i3wm
3. Remove the `--operator` options in [choose_vpn_config.sh](choose_vpn_config.sh), and use `pkexec` for the `tailscale` invocation.
### Font (optional)
For the door icons, I use [fontawesome](https://fontawesome.com/how-to-use/on-the-desktop/setup/getting-started).
## Alternatives and Credits
* tailscale widget for my desktop bar - tiling window manager: https://forum.tailscale.com/t/widget-for-my-desktop-bar-tiling-window-manager/623
* Thanks to [sidepodmatt](https://forum.tailscale.com/u/sitepodmatt) and [within](https://forum.tailscale.com/u/within) for the efficient and succinct way of obtaining the tailscale status with curl (instead of calling `tailscale status`).
* Linux port of tailscale system tray menu: https://github.com/mattn/tailscale-systray/
## Related Projects (not for tailscale)
* Rofi-based interface to enable VPN connections with NetworkManager: https://gitlab.com/DamienCassou/rofi-vpn
* Custom rofi menu that allows for activating and deactivating VPN connections: https://github.com/marcje/rofi-vpn
* Polybar module for Mullvad VPN control: https://github.com/shervinsahba/polybar-vpn-controller