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nebula.yml(5) File Formats Manual nebula.yml(5)

nebula.yml - nebula configuration files

Configuration file for nebula(1) are written in YAML. Each section is described below:

The PKI section defines the location of credentials


Path to the CA certificate

Path to this node's certificate file

Path to this node's key file

The static host map defines a set of hosts with fixed IP addresses on the internet. Multiple addresses may be defined and Nebula will try each when establishing a tunnel.

The lighthouse section allows the entablement and configuration of lighthouse behavior. In Nebula, lighthouses are nodes with ip fixed addresses which other nodes can use to located each other.

Enables lighthouse behavior on this node. Should ONLY be true on nodes you have configured to be lighthouses on your network.

Number of seconds between updates from this node to a lighthouse. When a lighthouse receives an update, it sends information about its current IP address to each node.

A list of lighthouse nodes this node should report to and query from. Should be empty on lighthouse nodes.

Starts a DNS listener which responds to various queries (VAGUE) and be delegated for resolution.

Control the port and interface on which nebula listens.

Set the ip to which nebula binds

Set the port to which nebula binds

Continue to punch inbound/outbound at a regular interval to avoid expiration of firewall NAT mapping

Configure the node to reach out and connect to you if your hole punching fails. This is extremely useful if one node is behind a difficult NAT, such as a symmetric NAT.

Delay a punch response for misbehaving NATs, default is 1 second, respond must be true to take effect

Choose between the available ciphers for your network. Options are "chachapoly" or "aes." Must be identical across all nodes on a network.

SSHD can expose information and administrative function via ssh

If true, this enables SSHD administration

Host and port to listen on. (Port 22 is not allowed.)

A file containing a list of authorized public keys

A list of users each with an array of keys

When tun is disabled, a lighthouse can be started without a local run interface (and therefore without root)

The name of the device

Toggles forwarding of local broadcast packets, the address of which depends on the ip/mask encoded in the pki.cert

Drop the forwarding of multicast packets

Sets the transmit queue length. (If you notice lots of transmit drops on the tun it may help to raise this number. Defaults to 500.

Default MTU for every packet, safe setting is (and the default) 1300 for internet based traffic.

Unsafe routes allows you to route traffic over nebula to non-nebula nodes. Unsafe routes should be avoided unless you have hosts/services that cannot run nebula.

Configure logging

Configure the logging level. Must be one of panic, fatal, error, warning, info, or debug.

Either json or text

Disables timestamp logging. Useful when redirected into to a logging system which appends a time stamp. Defaults to false.

Enable a statistics exporter.

Type of statistics exporter. Either "prometheus" or "graphite"

Interval to provide updates for either graphite or prometheus.

Prefix for graphite

Protocol for graphite

Listener for graphite

IP and port to bind the prometheus listener

Path on which metrics are supplied in prometheus

Prometheus namespace

Prometheus subsystem

Enables counter metrics for meta packets. (e.g. message.tx.handshake)

Enables detailed counter metrics for lighthouse packets (e.g. lighthouse.rx.HostQuery)

Handshakes are sent to all known addresses at each interval with a linear back off.

Nebula waits try_interval after the first attempt, 2 * try_interval on the second attempt, until the handshake is older than timeout. This allows you to control this interval.

Number of retries before timing out

Size of the buffer channel for quickly sending handshakes after receiving the response for lighthouse queries

The firewall is default deny. There is no way to write a deny rule. Rules are comprised of a protocol, port, and one or more of host, group, or CIDR. Logical evaluation is roughly: port AND proto AND (ca_sha OR ca_name) AND (host OR group OR groups OR CIDR)

Section containing rules which apply to traffic send from this node. See the rules section.

Section containing rules which apply to traffic send to this node from other hosts. See the rules section.

Rules are written in the outbound and inbound sections described above.


Protocol. One of "any", "tcp", "udp", or "icmp"


"any" or literal hostname


"any" or literal group name


Same as group but accepts a list of values. Certificate has to contain all groups to pass.


a CIDR, "0.0.0.0/0" is any


An issuing CA name

An issuing CA shasum

There is a example configuration file in the FILES section below.

Configuration files placed in /etc/nebula can take advantage of the built-in systemd templates. For example, if you have a nebula configuration /etc/nebula/office.yml


[#] systemctl enable nebula@office.service

/etc/nebula
Contains configuration files for nebula(1). This provides a designated place to store configuration data and credentials. Configuration files placed in this directory can take advantage of the provided systemd template unit.

/usr/share/doc/nebula/examples/config.yml
See this example configuration file.


nebula(1), nebula-cert(1)

July 2021 nebula 1.4.0