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Network Groups and Networks

Central vs New Central

ZeroTier Central is available in two versions. Please follow the appropriate instructions based on which version you are using:

Not sure which version you're using? Check the bottom-left corner of your page for a version number (v2.x.x = New Central), or see How to Check Your Central Version.

New Central Network Management​

Understanding the Hierarchy​

New Central organizes your ZeroTier infrastructure in three levels:

  1. Organizations - The top level with its own billing and users
  2. Network Groups - Categories for organizing networks and managing access control
  3. Networks - Individual virtual networks where devices connect

When you create an Organization, it includes one Network Group and one Network by default.

Network Groups​

Network Groups allow you to categorize and manage access control for many networks at once. This is particularly useful for organizing networks by department, project, or environment.

Creating a Network Group​

  1. Click New Network Group in the left sidebar
  2. Enter a network group name and optional description
  3. Click Create Network Group

Create Network Group

Managing a Network Group​

  1. Access the network group from the Network Groups menu in the left sidebar
  2. Select the Settings tab
  3. Update name, description, or access controls as needed
warning

Deleting a network group will delete all networks within that group. This action cannot be undone.

Create and Manage Networks​

Networks are where your devices actually connect. Each network has its own Network ID, IP assignment settings, and member devices.

Creating a Network​

Additional networks can be created from either:

  • The Networks page (then assign to a Network Group)
  • Within a specific Network Group (automatically assigned to that group)

Steps:

  1. Click New Network in the top-right corner of the Networks page
  2. The network is created with a unique 16-character Network ID

Create Network

Managing Network Settings​

  1. Click on your network from the left sidebar
  2. Click the Settings tab

Here you can configure:

  • Network Details - Network ID, name, and description
  • IPv4 Assignment - Configure managed IP ranges and settings
  • IPv6 Assignment - Configure IPv6 settings
  • Managed Routes - Add routes for bridging or advanced networking
  • DNS Settings - Configure network DNS settings
  • Multicast - Enable multicast support

Network Settings

Add a Device​

When a device joins your network, it will appear in the Member Devices tab and needs to be authorized.

  1. Open your network
  2. Navigate to the Member Devices tab
  3. A notification banner will appear showing the pending device
  4. Click Authorize in the banner to approve the device

Authorize Device

Manage Devices​

Once devices are on your network, you can manage them from the Member Devices tab.

Manage Devices

Authorize a Device​

New devices that join your network must be authorized before they can communicate:

  1. Navigate to the Member Devices tab
  2. Find the device in the list with "Not Authorized" status
  3. Click the three-dot menu and select Authorize

De-authorize a Device​

To temporarily remove a device from the network without deleting it:

  1. Navigate to the Member Devices tab
  2. Find the device you want to de-authorize
  3. Click the three-dot menu and select Deauthorize

The device will remain in your list but won't be able to communicate on the network.

note

De-authorized devices do not count toward your device limits. Only authorized devices are counted.

Reject a Device​

To reject and hide a device from the member list:

  1. Navigate to the Member Devices tab
  2. Find the device you want to reject
  3. Click the three-dot menu and select Reject

The device will be de-authorized and hidden from view. Rejected devices can be revealed by toggling the Show Rejected Devices option.

Device Management Options

Manually Add a Device​

If you need to add a device by its Node ID, you can manually add it:

  1. Navigate to the Member Devices tab
  2. Click Add Member Device in the top-right corner
  3. Enter the device's Node ID (10-character identifier)
  4. The device will appear in your Member Devices list and can then be authorized
tip

You can find a device's Node ID in the ZeroTier app on that device.

Adding Devices to a Network​

  1. From your Network page, copy the Network ID
  2. Install ZeroTier on your device
  3. Join the network using the Network ID (via UI or CLI)
  4. Return to New Central - a pop-up will appear for the new device
  5. Click Authorize to approve, or Reject to deny

Alternatively, authorize devices directly in the Member Devices tab to avoid accidental bulk authorizations.

Next Steps​

Frequently Asked Questions​

Can I make my subnet bigger or change my network's IP range?​

Yes. Your network's existing devices will keep their existing IPs.

To expand your subnet:

  1. Create a new, larger Managed Route
  2. Delete the old, smaller Managed Route
  3. Change IPv4 Auto-Assign from Easy to Advanced
  4. Delete the existing range
  5. Add the new, bigger range

Example: If your network was on the Easy Mode 192.168.195.* (/24):

  • Change the managed route to 192.168.194.0/23
  • Change the auto assign range to: 192.168.194.1 to 192.168.195.254

To change to a completely different subnet:

If you change to a completely different, non-overlapping subnet, your network's devices will get new IPs in the new range and keep their old IPs. You will have to delete the old IPs from each device if you don't want to see them in the list.

For example, if you change from 192.168.195.* to 10.244.*.*, the devices will have IPs in both ranges, like: 192.168.195.1 and 10.244.1.1

note

IPs don't actually get applied on the operating system unless the network has a matching managed route.