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Quickstart Guide

Get two devices talking securely in under 5 minutes. This guide walks you through creating your first ZeroTier network.

tip

New to ZeroTier? Visit zerotier.com to learn more about our global virtual networking platform.

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 Quickstart​

1. Create Your Organization​

  1. Visit central.zerotier.com and log in

  2. Enter an organization name and click Create Organization

    Create Organization

  3. Choose a plan (your Organization comes with one Network Group and one Network by default)

Choose Plan

2. Get Your Network ID​

  1. In the left sidebar, expand Networks and click on your default network (e.g., my-first-network)
  2. Copy the Network ID from the top of the page - 16 characters like 6722f92749d059c7

Network ID

Keep this tab open for step 5.

3. Install ZeroTier​

Download ZeroTier from zerotier.com/download. Install on each device you want to connect.

Supported Versions

ZeroTier supports the current major release and two major releases prior. Currently supported versions are v1.16.x, v1.14.x, and v1.12.x.

4. Join Your Network​

On PC/MacOS​

  1. Locate the ZeroTier icon in your menu bar (MacOS) or system tray (Windows)
  2. Click the icon -> Join New Network...
  3. Paste your Network ID and click Join

Using CLI​

The CLI works on any device with terminal access.

sudo zerotier-cli join NETWORK_ID

5. Authorize Your Devices​

When a device joins, you have two options:

tip

If you don't see a newly joined device, refresh the page to see the latest devices awaiting authorization.

Option 1: Respond to the notification banner​

  1. A notification banner will appear at the top when a device joins
  2. Click Authorize in the banner

Authorize Device Banner

  1. In the Member Devices tab, find the device with "Not Authorized" status
  2. Click the three-dot menu under Actions and select Authorize

Manage Devices Menu

note

Managing devices directly is recommended to avoid accidental mass authorization.

6. Test Your Connection​

Find Your IP Addresses​

In the Member Devices section, note the ZT IP addresses (like 10.171.176.172)

Test the Connection​

Replace MANAGED_IP with a device IP address. Don't ping yourself:

ping -n 3 MANAGED_IP

Success looks like this:

PING 10.147.17.101 (10.147.17.101): 56 data bytes
64 bytes from 10.147.17.101: icmp_seq=0 ttl=64 time=15.2 ms
64 bytes from 10.147.17.101: icmp_seq=1 ttl=64 time=12.1 ms
64 bytes from 10.147.17.101: icmp_seq=2 ttl=64 time=11.8 ms

Done. Your devices are connected.

Leaving a Network​

Leave networks when you're done:

  • Click the ZeroTier icon in your menu bar/system tray
  • Click the network name to uncheck it (or use Network Details to uncheck the Connected checkbox)
  • To permanently remove a network, use Network Details -> Delete Network

Alternatively, use the CLI command:

sudo zerotier-cli leave NETWORK_ID

Next Steps​

Learn More About New Central​

Advanced Guides​