---
title: Install TVPN with Docker
description: Run the Somewear TVPN agent as a Docker container and connect it to your Workspace.
url: "https://docs.somewear.app/networking/install/docker/"
updated: "2026-10-08"
requires: {}
facets:
  hardware: []
  client:
    - tvpn:
        since: baseline
  satcom: []
---

> **Note**
>
> If you have Beam installed, make sure it’s down before starting TVPN.

## Install

1. Pull the latest image:

```bash
docker pull us-docker.pkg.dev/somewear-souvla/tvpn/somewear-tvpn:latest
```

2. Create a `compose.yaml` file:

```yaml
services:
  tvpn:
    image: us-docker.pkg.dev/somewear-souvla/tvpn/somewear-tvpn:latest
    container_name: somewear-tvpn
    restart: unless-stopped
    network_mode: host
    privileged: true
    devices:
      - /dev/net/tun:/dev/net/tun
    cap_add:
      - NET_ADMIN
    volumes:
      - /var/lib/somewear/tvpn:/var/lib/somewear/tvpn
```

3. Create `/var/lib/somewear/tvpn/config.toml`:

```toml
# Log to stdout so docker captures the output
[log]
stdout = true
```

4. `docker compose up -d` — starts the TVPN container.
5. `docker ps` — confirm the `somewear-tvpn` container is running.
6. `docker exec -it somewear-tvpn sh -c "tvpn auth sign-in"` — sign in and authenticate.

## Ping test

1. You’ll need at least 2 devices with TVPN installed for this test.
2. `docker exec -it somewear-tvpn sh -c "tvpn ip list"` — lists the virtual IPs in your Workspace. Copy one (not your own).
3. `ping <ip>` — ping it from the host. This may take a second or two if TVPN is still booting up in the background.
4. `Ctrl+C` to stop the ping.

> **Note**
>
> For an interactive session, run `sudo docker exec -it somewear-tvpn bash`, then use `tvpn peer list` or any other TVPN command directly.

## Configuration

TVPN’s configuration file is at `/var/lib/somewear/tvpn/config.toml`. Edit it and restart TVPN (`docker exec -it somewear-tvpn sh -c "tvpn down && tvpn up"`) to apply changes. Run `tvpn -h` for the full list of settings.

Here’s an example:

```toml
[api]
key = "wk_1a2b3c4d5e6f:sk_9f8e7d6c5b4a3210"
# The API hostname. You only need to change this if you're using Somewear Self-Hosted
host = "api.somewear.co"

[log]
# The log level: trace, debug, info, warn, error, or off.
level = "info"
# The log style: compact or logfmt.
style = "logfmt"
# Whether to write to stdout.
stdout = true

[log.filesystem]
# The maximum size in MB to use for log files.
max-size-mb = 50
# The maximum number of log files to use.
max-files = 5

[tls]
# TLS cryptographic profile: PQ_HYBRID (default), CNSA_2_0, or CNSA_1_0.
profile = "PQ_HYBRID"
# TLS session rekey interval in seconds; sessions older than this trigger re-handshake.
# Defaults to 86400 (24 hours).
rekey-interval = 86400
# When true, allow loading TLS certificates from filesystem as a fallback
# when IPC cert bundles are unavailable. Defaults to false.
cert-files = false

[endpoint-id.rotation]
# Endpoint ID rotation interval in seconds.
interval = 86400

[traffic-policy]
# Traffic policy toggle, default is false. When true, the daemon attempts to load traffic-policy.toml.
enabled = false
# Path to traffic-policy.toml. Defaults to traffic-policy.toml in the same directory as config.toml.
# config-path = "/path/to/traffic-policy.toml"

[tun]
# The MTU to use on the TUN device. Defaults to 1320.
mtu = 1320

[interfaces]
# The list of interfaces which should not be used to route traffic through or receive traffic from.
disabled = ["eth1", "wlan2"]
# The list of interfaces that would be disabled by tvpn based on their name but
# we want to allow them to be used. Interfaces in here are still bound to the
# usual rules, like whether it's up, operational, etc.
allowed = ["br-lan"]
# Whether to allow virtual interfaces.
allow-virtual = false
# The interface lookup strategy to use: default or poll.
lookup-strategy = "default"

[gateway-routes]
# Whether to enable the use of literal routes. This is needed on every endpoint if you're using literal routes
allow-literal = true
# The list of literal gateway routes.
literal = ["192.168.10.0/24"]

# The list of virtual routes; each maps a physical range to a virtual range.
[[gateway-routes.virtual]]
physical = "192.168.1.0/24"
virtual = "100.127.0.0/24"

[[gateway-routes.virtual]]
physical = "10.0.2.0/24"
virtual = "100.127.1.0/24"

[relays]
# The list of relay servers to use.
servers = ["uswest1-0.relay.somewear.app", "uscentral1-0.relay.somewear.app", "useast4-0.relay.somewear.app"]
```

## Related

- [Configuring Gateway Routes](https://docs.somewear.app/networking/gateway-routes/) — expose devices behind a TVPN node to the rest of your Workspace
- [Quality of Service](https://docs.somewear.app/networking/qos/) — prioritize traffic across multiple network links