[GH-ISSUE #3487] [Question] Site-2-site with Wireguard/Printunl #7416

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opened 2026-08-05 01:12:53 -04:00 by saavagebueno · 7 comments
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Originally created by @Acsigen on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/3487

Originally assigned to: @nazarewk on GitHub.

Is it possible to create a site2site like connection with another VPN provider that uses Wireguard protocol such as Printunl?

I have two sites. One is already running Printunl and I was curious if there is a scenario in which I can connect the two sites without deploying a Netbird agent inside the Printunl site.

Edit for more clarification: I'm not trying to run Netbird and Printunl on the same host. I want to make a site to site connection between a Netbird server and a Printunl server.

Originally created by @Acsigen on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/3487 Originally assigned to: @nazarewk on GitHub. Is it possible to create a site2site like connection with another VPN provider that uses Wireguard protocol such as Printunl? I have two sites. One is already running Printunl and I was curious if there is a scenario in which I can connect the two sites without deploying a Netbird agent inside the Printunl site. Edit for more clarification: I'm not trying to run Netbird and Printunl on the same host. I want to make a site to site connection between a Netbird server and a Printunl server.
saavagebueno added the feature-requestcross-vpn labels 2026-08-05 01:12:53 -04:00
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@1nerdyguy commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025):

To my understanding, PrinTunl does require something on both ends to be able to route. It's just able to also run on network hardware, etc. Am I incorrect?

<!-- gh-comment-id:2717777354 --> @1nerdyguy commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025): To my understanding, PrinTunl does require something on both ends to be able to route. It's just able to also run on network hardware, etc. Am I incorrect?
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@nazarewk commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025):

I had a plain Wireguard running before introducing Netbird and never observed any conflicts with this combination while running it together for a while. Generally I would not expect any issues when mixing Netbird with plain wireguard.

The story usually looks very different when running Netbird alongside other VPN solutions as they all try to manage the same operating system resources and run into numerous conflicts with each other.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2717928297 --> @nazarewk commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025): I had a plain Wireguard running before introducing Netbird and never observed any conflicts with this combination while running it together for a while. Generally I would not expect any issues when mixing Netbird with **plain** wireguard. The story usually looks very different when running Netbird alongside other VPN solutions as they all try to manage the same operating system resources and run into numerous conflicts with each other.
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@Acsigen commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025):

Maybe I didn't express myself clearly enough. I'm not trying to run Netbird and Printunl on the same host. I want to make a site to site connection between a Netbird server and a Printunl server.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2718566124 --> @Acsigen commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025): Maybe I didn't express myself clearly enough. I'm not trying to run Netbird and Printunl on the same host. I want to make a site to site connection between a Netbird server and a Printunl server.
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@nazarewk commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025):

I'm not trying to run Netbird and Printunl on the same host. I want to make a site to site connection between a Netbird server and a Printunl server.

You would need to ensure Netbird's host knows how to route Printunl's IP address space and the other way around for a simple IP address-based site-to-site connectivity. I don't see any reason why such setup would not work.

You could achieve it by running Netbird in one container, Printunl in another and "teaching" the host to route address spaces through specific containers (give them static IPs, open firewalls etc.). Then build more advanced setup on top of it:

  • reconfigure the routes periodically based on the netbird status --json's output (list of currently routed networks) and repeat it for the Printunl's equivalent,
  • run a local DNS resolver forwarding queries to respective VPNs, then register it in Netbird's Nameservers
    • again reconfigure it periodically based on netbird status --json's nameserver sections and Printunl's nameservers
<!-- gh-comment-id:2718612558 --> @nazarewk commented on GitHub (Mar 12, 2025): > I'm not trying to run Netbird and Printunl on the same host. I want to make a site to site connection between a Netbird server and a Printunl server. You would need to ensure Netbird's host knows how to route Printunl's IP address space and the other way around for a simple IP address-based site-to-site connectivity. I don't see any reason why such setup would not work. You could achieve it by running Netbird in one container, Printunl in another and "teaching" the host to route address spaces through specific containers (give them static IPs, open firewalls etc.). Then build more advanced setup on top of it: - reconfigure the routes periodically based on the `netbird status --json`'s output (list of currently routed networks) and repeat it for the Printunl's equivalent, - run a local DNS resolver forwarding queries to respective VPNs, then register it in Netbird's Nameservers - again reconfigure it periodically based on `netbird status --json`'s nameserver sections and Printunl's nameservers
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@Acsigen commented on GitHub (Mar 13, 2025):

I understand that the routing is posible. But how do I make Netbird connect to Printunl or Printunl to Netbird? Is there a functionality already in place or a workaround?

I do not know if this was even tried before because I was unable to find a guide related to this kind of issue.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2720268912 --> @Acsigen commented on GitHub (Mar 13, 2025): I understand that the routing is posible. But how do I make Netbird connect to Printunl or Printunl to Netbird? Is there a functionality already in place or a workaround? I do not know if this was even tried before because I was unable to find a guide related to this kind of issue.
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@nazarewk commented on GitHub (Mar 13, 2025):

I don't think connectivity between different VPN solutions is officially supported anywhere at all. Those would be highly specific setups with too many combinations which would require an active cooperation from both providers.

This is extremely common in enterprise environments (site-to-site VPNs, express routes, hybrid cloud+on-prem systems etc.) and always requires a custom-tailored setup for the exact 2 ends of the tunnel in regards to routing and nameservers integrations.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2720560130 --> @nazarewk commented on GitHub (Mar 13, 2025): I don't think connectivity between different VPN solutions is officially supported anywhere at all. Those would be highly specific setups with too many combinations which would require an active cooperation from both providers. This is extremely common in enterprise environments (site-to-site VPNs, express routes, hybrid cloud+on-prem systems etc.) and always requires a custom-tailored setup for the exact 2 ends of the tunnel in regards to routing and nameservers integrations.
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@Acsigen commented on GitHub (Mar 13, 2025):

Thanks a lot for the response.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2720788711 --> @Acsigen commented on GitHub (Mar 13, 2025): Thanks a lot for the response.
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Reference: DYNR/netbird#7416