mcp-tailscale


MCP server for managing your Tailscale network (tailnet) through Claude Code and other MCP clients.

Features

- List Devices - View all devices in your tailnet with detailed information
- Device Status - Check online/offline status and connection health
- Update Management - See which devices have Tailscale client updates available
- Network Summary - Get overview statistics of your tailnet
- Device Search - Find specific devices by ID, name, or hostname

Available Tools

| Tool | Description |
|------|-------------|
| tailscale_list_devices | List all devices in your tailnet |
| tailscale_get_device | Get details about a specific device |
| tailscale_list_online_devices | List only online/connected devices |
| tailscale_list_offline_devices | List only offline/disconnected devices |
| tailscale_check_updates | Check which devices need updates |
| tailscale_device_summary | Get summary stats (online/offline, by OS, etc.) |

Installation

``bash
npm install
npm run build
`

Configuration

$3

- TAILSCALE_API_KEY - Required. Your Tailscale API key from https://login.tailscale.com/admin/settings/keys
- TAILSCALE_TAILNET - Optional. Defaults to - (your current user's tailnet)

$3

1. Go to https://login.tailscale.com/admin/settings/keys
2. Click "Generate auth key"
3. Configure:
- Expiry: Choose duration (1-90 days)
- Description: "MCP Server"
4. Copy the key (starts with tskey-api-)

Claude Desktop Configuration

Add to your claude_desktop_config.json:

`json
{
"mcpServers": {
"tailscale": {
"command": "node",
"args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp-tailscale/dist/index.js"],
"env": {
"TAILSCALE_API_KEY": "tskey-api-your-key-here"
}
}
}
}
`

Claude Code Configuration

`bash
claude mcp add mcp-tailscale --type stdio
claude mcp config mcp-tailscale command "node"
claude mcp config mcp-tailscale args '["'$(pwd)'/dist/index.js"]'
claude mcp config mcp-tailscale env.TAILSCALE_API_KEY "tskey-api-your-key-here"
`

Usage Examples

$3


`
Can you list all my Tailscale devices?
`

$3

`
Which of my Tailscale devices are currently online?
`

$3

`
Do any of my Tailscale devices need updates?
`

$3

`
Show me details about my device named "COMPY"
`

$3

`
Give me a summary of my Tailscale network
`

Development

`bash


Build

npm run build

Watch mode

npm run watch

Test locally

TAILSCALE_API_KEY=your-key node dist/index.js
``

API Permissions

This MCP server uses read-only API calls. It does not modify your Tailscale configuration. The API key only needs:
- Device list access
- Device status access

Security Notes

- API keys are case-sensitive
- Keys expire based on the duration you set
- Store keys securely (never commit to version control)
- Use environment variables or secure configuration management

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit a Pull Request.

Changelog

See CHANGELOG.md for version history and release notes.

License

MIT License - see LICENSE for details.

Author

Jim Christian
- Website: jimchristian.net
- GitHub: @aplaceforallmystuff

Links

- npm package
- Tailscale API Documentation
- Model Context Protocol