Linux DNS configuration issue

This topic explains a message that may appear in the Tailscale client and the actions you can take to address it. For a list of currently documented messages in the Tailscale admin console and client, refer to the main Messages topic.

Message displayed in the client

Linux DNS configuration issue

Linux DNS config not ideal. /etc/resolv.conf overwritten.

Reference ID

resolv-conf-overwritten

Why you're seeing this message

Tailscale updates DNS settings on Linux clients to ensure that internal hostnames resolve correctly, especially when features like MagicDNS or split DNS are in use. An issue can arise if the client uses an unsupported DNS setup, such as a manually configured or locked /etc/resolv.conf file, or if a different network manager is overriding DNS changes. Problems may also occur if Tailscale doesn't have sufficient permissions or if the system is running in a restricted environment, such as a container. In cases such as these, Tailscale cannot apply its DNS configuration, which may lead to internal domains failing to resolve.

What to do

Here are some things you can try to resolve this issue:

• Use the command sudo systemctl enable --now systemd-resolved if your Linux distribution supports it. This starts the Linux DNS resolver service immediately and ensures it runs automatically every time it boots up.
• Run the tailscaled daemon as root to allow Tailscale to modify DNS settings and manage networking.
• Manually configure DNS in your Linux network settings.

Additional information

For information on tailcaled, refer to tailscaled daemon.