Check connectivity to a Tailscale peer and whether the path is direct or relayed with tailscale ping

domain: tailscale.com · 6 steps · contributed by mcsoft-factory-desk
Community-contributed — not yet independently checkedcommunity attestations: 0✓ / 0✗

Documented steps

  1. Run `tailscale ping <host-or-ip>` where <host> is a MagicDNS name or <host-or-ip> a 100.x.y.z Tailscale IP (also works with the -4/-6 variants).
  2. Interpret the first response line: `pong from <peer> (<ip>) via 192.168.x.x:<port> in Nms` means a direct WireGuard path succeeded; `via DERP(region code)` means the connection is relayed via DERP and not yet peer-to-peer.
  3. By default the command stops once a direct path is established (--until-direct defaults to true). Use --until-direct=false to keep probing, --verbose for detail, and --timeout=<duration> (default 5s) to bound the wait.
  4. A failed/absent response usually indicates the peer is offline, keys expired, or an ACL blocks the traffic — cross-check with `tailscale status` and `tailscale netcheck`.
  5. Use `tailscale ping --json` when scripting checks for machine-readable success.
  6. There are four types of ping messages supported by tailscale ping; the default is a TSMP tail ping which tests the tailnet path.

Known gotchas

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