First run

Configure and start honk after installing the package on Debian / Ubuntu, Fedora / RHEL or openSUSE.

Use the sudo tab if sudo is configured for your account. Use the root tab when already in a root shell.

1. Configure honk

For a new installation, save the following direct-only configuration as config.dae in your current directory. Replace br-lan with the LAN interface receiving client traffic; remove lan_interface to intercept only traffic from this host. wan_interface: auto follows the IPv4 default route.

global {
    wan_interface: auto
    lan_interface: br-lan
    data_dir: '/var/lib/honk'
    log_level: info
    dial_mode: domain
    auto_config_kernel_parameter: true
}

routing {
    fallback: direct
}

If /etc/honk/config.dae already exists, keep it and skip this step. Otherwise install the configuration with restricted permissions:

sudo

sudo install -d -m 0700 /etc/honk /var/lib/honk
sudo install -m 0600 ./config.dae /etc/honk/config.dae

root

install -d -m 0700 /etc/honk /var/lib/honk
install -m 0600 ./config.dae /etc/honk/config.dae

Edit /etc/honk/config.dae for your network before starting the service. See How to start for kernel requirements and minimal configuration.

The package embeds doona. To enable it, add this block to your configuration, or merge it into an existing experimental block:

experimental {
    native_api {
        enabled: true
        listen: '127.0.0.1:9527'
        password_auth: true
        config_write: true
        ui: 'embedded'
    }
}

2. Start the service

If dae is installed, stop it and disable its startup at boot before starting honk:

sudo

sudo systemctl disable --now dae.service

root

systemctl disable --now dae.service

sudo

sudo systemctl enable --now honk.service

root

systemctl enable --now honk.service

Check that the service is running. The output should show active (running):

sudo

sudo systemctl status honk.service --no-pager

root

systemctl status honk.service --no-pager

If it is not running, read the last 50 journal lines of this boot:

sudo

sudo journalctl -u honk.service -b -n 50 --no-pager

root

journalctl -u honk.service -b -n 50 --no-pager

On the honk host, open http://127.0.0.1:9527/ui/ and create the administrator account on first access.

Next steps

• First sign-in: open http://127.0.0.1:9527/ui/ and create the administrator account.
• Manage nodes, groups and rules: add nodes or subscriptions and routing rules; until then all traffic goes direct.
• Troubleshooting: what to check when something does not work.