[GH-ISSUE #2155] Exit Nodes are enabled by default #4429

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opened 2026-08-05 00:57:40 -04:00 by saavagebueno · 10 comments
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Originally created by @W1BTR on GitHub (Jun 19, 2024).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/2155

Describe the problem

If exit nodes are available, upon restarting the netbird client on PC, it automatically enables it.

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

  1. Sign into netbird on Windows
  2. Check "Network Routes"

Expected behavior

Ideally, it saves whatever status it had on last run.

Are you using NetBird Cloud?

I self-host NetBird's control plane.

NetBird version

0.27.10

Originally created by @W1BTR on GitHub (Jun 19, 2024). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/2155 **Describe the problem** If exit nodes are available, upon restarting the netbird client on PC, it automatically enables it. **To Reproduce** Steps to reproduce the behavior: 1. Sign into netbird on Windows 2. Check "Network Routes" **Expected behavior** Ideally, it saves whatever status it had on last run. **Are you using NetBird Cloud?** I self-host NetBird's control plane. **NetBird version** `0.27.10`
saavagebueno added the feature-requestroutes labels 2026-08-05 00:57:40 -04:00
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@W1BTR commented on GitHub (Jun 19, 2024):

Seems like exit nodes are also applying by default to devices in an exit node group on linux. There is an exit node given to the "All" group. When installing netbird on a server, all the services went down as it was forced to use the exit node by default.

Ideally this is something we can enable and disable on the fly. I'd like a handful of exit nodes available to users, without being enabled by defaults

<!-- gh-comment-id:2178732171 --> @W1BTR commented on GitHub (Jun 19, 2024): Seems like exit nodes are also applying by default to devices in an exit node group on linux. There is an exit node given to the "All" group. When installing netbird on a server, all the services went down as it was forced to use the exit node by default. Ideally this is something we can enable and disable on the fly. I'd like a handful of exit nodes available to users, without being enabled by defaults
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@pascal-fischer commented on GitHub (Jun 20, 2024):

Hi @W1BTR,
the first version of exit nodes is fully managed from the admin dashboard. We already planned on making the client remember if a route was disabled by a user or not. With that we will evaluate if and how to maybe mark them already on management to not be assigned by default.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2180360746 --> @pascal-fischer commented on GitHub (Jun 20, 2024): Hi @W1BTR, the first version of exit nodes is fully managed from the admin dashboard. We already planned on making the client remember if a route was disabled by a user or not. With that we will evaluate if and how to maybe mark them already on management to not be assigned by default.
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@W1BTR commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2024):

Hi @W1BTR, the first version of exit nodes is fully managed from the admin dashboard. We already planned on making the client remember if a route was disabled by a user or not. With that we will evaluate if and how to maybe mark them already on management to not be assigned by default.

Makes sense. The client remembering is definitely a big thing, glad it's being taken care of. Having an option to override this on the dashboard does sound powerful, allowing the admin to move servers and devices between virtual networks! Super cool!

<!-- gh-comment-id:2182913477 --> @W1BTR commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2024): > Hi @W1BTR, the first version of exit nodes is fully managed from the admin dashboard. We already planned on making the client remember if a route was disabled by a user or not. With that we will evaluate if and how to maybe mark them already on management to not be assigned by default. Makes sense. The client remembering is definitely a big thing, glad it's being taken care of. Having an option to override this on the dashboard does sound powerful, allowing the admin to move servers and devices between virtual networks! Super cool!
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@W1BTR commented on GitHub (Jun 27, 2024):

The amount of times I think my networking is broken or there's a lot of lag in the network at work before I realize netbird is just running is quite often 🤣

Although Im not sure why the connection drops every 20 seconds when using one of my exit nodes. I need to test if it always has this issue or just with this node.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2194541063 --> @W1BTR commented on GitHub (Jun 27, 2024): The amount of times I think my networking is broken or there's a lot of lag in the network at work before I realize netbird is just running is quite often 🤣 Although Im not sure why the connection drops every 20 seconds when using one of my exit nodes. I need to test if it always has this issue or just with this node.
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@mlsmaycon commented on GitHub (Jun 27, 2024):

Hey @W1BTR , can you leave your comments here: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/2193

We will be updating the behavior and would be great to collect all in one place.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2194544954 --> @mlsmaycon commented on GitHub (Jun 27, 2024): Hey @W1BTR , can you leave your comments here: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/2193 We will be updating the behavior and would be great to collect all in one place.
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@nazarewk commented on GitHub (Apr 23, 2025):

is it still relevant after introduction of Exit Node selection mechanism?

<!-- gh-comment-id:2824896814 --> @nazarewk commented on GitHub (Apr 23, 2025): is it still relevant after introduction of Exit Node selection mechanism?
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@anarh1st47 commented on GitHub (Aug 17, 2025):

This is still works the same

<!-- gh-comment-id:3194471703 --> @anarh1st47 commented on GitHub (Aug 17, 2025): This is still works the same
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@4piu commented on GitHub (Mar 3, 2026):

The netbird client on my macOS automatically re-enabled all exit nodes for unknown reason, interrupting internet. I am not sure this is fully fixed.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3991890465 --> @4piu commented on GitHub (Mar 3, 2026): The netbird client on my macOS automatically re-enabled all exit nodes for unknown reason, interrupting internet. I am not sure this is fully fixed.
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@4piu commented on GitHub (Jun 5, 2026):

I encountered this problem again in Arch with v0.71.4. Whenever netbird is connected, it turns on all networks by default. Even after I deselect all networks using both cli and netbird-ui the settings cannot persists. There's only one file .config/netbird/active_profile.txt.

I cannot believe there isn't a global kill switch that disable this annoying and frustrating stupid feature in netbird control panel. In my experience this problem occurs so many times on almost all platforms and causing so many damn connectivity trouble for me.

<!-- gh-comment-id:4630686044 --> @4piu commented on GitHub (Jun 5, 2026): I encountered this problem again in Arch with `v0.71.4`. Whenever netbird is connected, it turns on all networks by default. Even after I deselect all networks using both cli and netbird-ui the settings cannot persists. There's only one file `.config/netbird/active_profile.txt`. I cannot believe there isn't a global kill switch that disable this annoying and frustrating stupid feature in netbird control panel. In my experience this problem occurs so many times on almost all platforms and causing so many damn connectivity trouble for me.
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@BigTimeRadio commented on GitHub (Jun 5, 2026):

As of a more recent version there is a setting for this, it is when you set up the exit node, you can unselect "Enabled by default."

<!-- gh-comment-id:4631644726 --> @BigTimeRadio commented on GitHub (Jun 5, 2026): As of a more recent version there is a setting for this, it is when you set up the exit node, you can unselect "Enabled by default."
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Reference: DYNR/netbird#4429