0-1: Introduction
Welcome! This course is for anyone interested in creating their own private networks using Wireguard. In just a few short modules, we’ll dive into the essentials of the Wireguard technology: how it works, why it matters, and how to deploy it correctly. We’ll also demonstrate multiple deployment strategies, from a fully manual network, all the way to a managed mesh ready to use for secure community-building.
Learning Objectives
As always with TTI Courses, we break down our learning objectives into Skills and Concepts.
Skills
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Create and connect Wireguard peers
- Establish Wireguard networks across NAT boundaries
- Manage complex Wireguard networks using Netbird
Concepts
By the end of this course, learners will understand:
- Wireguard tunnel design
- Wireguard asymmetric cryptography usage
- Wireguard networking strategies
- Basic mesh networking principles
- Netbird deployment considerations
Prerequisites
To succeed in this course, learners should have experience with:
- The Linux command line (start here)
- Basic IP networking concepts, including:
- Subnets
- Network Address Translation (NAT)
- Firewall rules
Materials
To fully participate in this course, you will need:
- A computer you can install things on—Linux is ideal, but Windows will work
- A recent version of Podman
- Windows users: Podman Desktop will come in handy
- The Just command runner
- The Tailscale client for your platform of choice
- A cloud server for the final deployment
The cloud server will cost real money, but will become an asset for you in the long-term. We will demonstrate with Digital Ocean, but other providers (Hetzner, AWS, Azure, GCP, Vultr) will work as well, if you’re familiar with them.
Self-Directed Learning
Taking a course like this on your own time, without direct guidance from an instructor, can be a daunting challenge. Self-directed learning requires time, discipline, and commitment in order to be successful. To help you along the way, TTI has a short course dedicated to the how and why of self-directed learning. We encourage all new TTI students to first complete The Learning Journey
How to Use This Course
At TTI, we don’t waste our time with multiple choice questions. Guessing isn’t learning. Instead, at the end of each lesson, we provide Checks for Understanding. These are questions that you should be able to answer yourself, in detail. We will not grade them: you will. It works like this:
- Read the question carefully. It is usually a “How” or “Why” question that requires a thoughtful response.
- Craft the response in writing or out loud—to yourself, or someone else. If speaking aloud, consider recording the answer.
- Think about how it felt to answer. Were you sure? Were there gaps in your explanations? If so, you have work to do. If not, you’re ready to move on to the next lesson.
Join our Community
Learning is a social undertaking. Connect with other learners taking this course, or on similar paths, by joining the TTI Discord! We hope to see you there.
The Exhibition of Mastery
The end of every TTI course comes with a recommended “capstone” project that we call the Exhibition of Mastery. It’s an opportunity to prove to yourself and others that you have gained the skills and understandings you hoped from this course. We do not grade these—only you can assess whether you think you’ve accomplished your goals—but we encourage you to share them with our community!
Statement on AI
No generative models were used in the creation of the text or code of this course. Everything you see here was created by the author.