[GH-ISSUE #4670] Weird interaction between Wireguard client and Netbird client #9982

New Issue

saavagebueno · 2026-08-05T01:24:12-04:00

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:24:12 -04:00

Originally created by @Skylark13 on GitHub (Oct 18, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/4670

Describe the problem

Hello, to gain access to my home network from outside, I am setting up both plain Wireguard as well as Netbird on my router (so if one doesn't work I have redundancy). So I have both clients installed on my Windows PC.

Sometimes, if I start the Netbird client, it tries to connect, but fails, repeatedly. In the log, the relevant issue seems to be that it fails to create the tunnel interface.

2025-10-18T09:48:58-04:00 ERRO client/internal/engine.go:444: failed creating tunnel interface wt0: [error creating tun device: Error creating interface: The system cannot find the file specified.]

However, I found a workaround. If I also start the Wireguard client, "activate" the Wireguard tunnel (connect to it) and then try to connect with Netbird, it connects fine. Presumably Wireguard created a / the interface Netbird needed and so Netbird is fine from that point on. Even if I "deactivate" (disconnect) Wireguard, Netbird continues to function just fine.

To Reproduce

Steps to reproduce the behavior:

Start Netbird client on Windows.
See that it goes into a connection attempt loop, but never connects.
Start the Wireguard client on the same machine, and activate a Wireguard tunnel.
See that Netbird can now connect.
Deactivate the Wireguard tunnel and close the Wireguard client.
See that Netbird remains connected.

Note this does not happen every time, but it has happened repeatedly so I figured I'd report it and see if there was a solution.

Expected behavior

Netbird client on Windows should be able to connect even without starting Wireguard client first.

Are you using NetBird Cloud?

Yes

NetBird version

netbird version ==> 0.59.7

Is any other VPN software installed?

Wireguard and Tailscale.
Wireguard interacts with Netbird as described above.
While testing this, Tailscale is completely disabled (client is not running and service is stopped).

Debug output

To help us resolve the problem, please attach the following anonymized status output

netbird status -dA

Peers detail:
Events:
  [INFO] SYSTEM (91948df0-2e06-4be1-80a7-e55e7afbccec)
    Message: Network map updated
    Time: 9 minutes, 25 seconds ago
OS: windows/amd64
Daemon version: 0.59.7
CLI version: 0.59.7
Profile: default
Management: Connected to https://api.netbird.io:443
Signal: Connected to https://signal.netbird.io:443
Relays:
  [stun:stun.netbird.io:443] is Available
  [stun:stun.netbird.io:5555] is Available
  [turns:turn.netbird.io:443?transport=tcp] is Available
  [rels://streamline-ca-central-1b.relay.netbird.io:443] is Available
Nameservers:
  [10.0.0.22:53] for [.] is Available
FQDN: excalibur-64-60.netbird.cloud
NetBird IP: 100.75.64.60/16
Interface type: Userspace
Quantum resistance: false
Lazy connection: false
Networks: -
Forwarding rules: 0
Peers count: 0/0 Connected

Create and upload a debug bundle, and share the returned file key:

netbird debug for 1m -AS -U ==> f79e391890ab27fb37c88b3b4be7011e22aa2e5ca6f38ffa9c4481884941f726/68871fee-5867-4002-b58f-6d76148f5d6c

Uploaded files are automatically deleted after 30 days.

Screenshots

If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem.

Additional context

Add any other context about the problem here.

Have you tried these troubleshooting steps?

Reviewed client troubleshooting (if applicable)
Checked for newer NetBird versions
Searched for similar issues on GitHub (including closed ones)
Restarted the NetBird client
Disabled other VPN software
Checked firewall settings

Originally created by @Skylark13 on GitHub (Oct 18, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/netbirdio/netbird/issues/4670 **Describe the problem** Hello, to gain access to my home network from outside, I am setting up both plain Wireguard as well as Netbird on my router (so if one doesn't work I have redundancy). So I have both clients installed on my Windows PC. Sometimes, if I start the Netbird client, it tries to connect, but fails, repeatedly. In the log, the relevant issue seems to be that it fails to create the tunnel interface. ``` 2025-10-18T09:48:58-04:00 ERRO client/internal/engine.go:444: failed creating tunnel interface wt0: [error creating tun device: Error creating interface: The system cannot find the file specified.] ``` However, I found a workaround. If I also start the Wireguard client, "activate" the Wireguard tunnel (connect to it) and then try to connect with Netbird, it connects fine. Presumably Wireguard created a / the interface Netbird needed and so Netbird is fine from that point on. Even if I "deactivate" (disconnect) Wireguard, Netbird continues to function just fine. **To Reproduce** Steps to reproduce the behavior: 1. Start Netbird client on Windows. 2. See that it goes into a connection attempt loop, but never connects. 3. Start the Wireguard client on the same machine, and activate a Wireguard tunnel. 4. See that Netbird can now connect. 5. Deactivate the Wireguard tunnel and close the Wireguard client. 6. See that Netbird remains connected. Note this does not happen every time, but it has happened repeatedly so I figured I'd report it and see if there was a solution. **Expected behavior** Netbird client on Windows should be able to connect even without starting Wireguard client first. **Are you using NetBird Cloud?** Yes **NetBird version** `netbird version` ==> 0.59.7 **Is any other VPN software installed?** Wireguard and Tailscale. Wireguard interacts with Netbird as described above. While testing this, Tailscale is completely disabled (client is not running and service is stopped). **Debug output** To help us resolve the problem, please attach the following anonymized status output netbird status -dA ``` Peers detail: Events: [INFO] SYSTEM (91948df0-2e06-4be1-80a7-e55e7afbccec) Message: Network map updated Time: 9 minutes, 25 seconds ago OS: windows/amd64 Daemon version: 0.59.7 CLI version: 0.59.7 Profile: default Management: Connected to https://api.netbird.io:443 Signal: Connected to https://signal.netbird.io:443 Relays: [stun:stun.netbird.io:443] is Available [stun:stun.netbird.io:5555] is Available [turns:turn.netbird.io:443?transport=tcp] is Available [rels://streamline-ca-central-1b.relay.netbird.io:443] is Available Nameservers: [10.0.0.22:53] for [.] is Available FQDN: excalibur-64-60.netbird.cloud NetBird IP: 100.75.64.60/16 Interface type: Userspace Quantum resistance: false Lazy connection: false Networks: - Forwarding rules: 0 Peers count: 0/0 Connected ``` Create and upload a debug bundle, and share the returned file key: netbird debug for 1m -AS -U ==> f79e391890ab27fb37c88b3b4be7011e22aa2e5ca6f38ffa9c4481884941f726/68871fee-5867-4002-b58f-6d76148f5d6c *Uploaded files are automatically deleted after 30 days.* **Screenshots** If applicable, add screenshots to help explain your problem. **Additional context** Add any other context about the problem here. **Have you tried these troubleshooting steps?** - [x] Reviewed [client troubleshooting](https://docs.netbird.io/how-to/troubleshooting-client) (if applicable) - [x] Checked for newer NetBird versions - [x] Searched for similar issues on GitHub (including closed ones) - [x] Restarted the NetBird client - [x] Disabled other VPN software - [x] Checked firewall settings

saavagebueno added the triage-needed label 2026-08-05 01:24:12 -04:00

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:24:12 -04:00

@si458 commented on GitHub (Nov 12, 2025):

did you ever find out the issue?
im having the same problem recently weirdly enough
im using netbird 0.59.12 on windows 11 24h2 ARM64

@si458 commented on GitHub (Nov 12, 2025): did you ever find out the issue? im having the same problem recently weirdly enough im using netbird 0.59.12 on windows 11 24h2 ARM64

saavagebueno commented

2026-08-05 01:24:12 -04:00

@Skylark13 commented on GitHub (Nov 12, 2025):

No, I haven't found out the cause or a solution.
Since I have a workaround, and in general Wireguard works well enough for me, I let it be.

@Skylark13 commented on GitHub (Nov 12, 2025): No, I haven't found out the cause or a solution. Since I have a workaround, and in general Wireguard works well enough for me, I let it be.

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main

claude/agent-network-test-cases-p743vw

android/gui-integration

revert/component-types

feat-post_quantum_ml_kem

ice-stun-wg-demux

dependabot/npm_and_yarn/proxy/web/npm_and_yarn-b39864987c

agent-network-setup-poc

dependabot/go_modules/aws-sdk-8f849ebaed

dependabot/github_actions/actions-a940c7c866

dependabot/go_modules/otel-e34c790afd

dependabot/go_modules/testcontainers-de325c0dd6

dependabot/go_modules/wireguard-dbd6b95108

dependabot/go_modules/pion-5f703e1eca

dependabot/go_modules/gorm-2271c8195b

fix-login-needed-check

dependabot/go_modules/google.golang.org/grpc-1.82.1

fix/ui-gtk3-support

enterprise-traefik-and-migration-fixes

disambiguate_p2p_metrics

revert/component-types-hookup

embedded-vnc

feature/ios-ssh

docs/agent-network-docs-update

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/aws/aws-sdk-go-v2/service/s3-1.106.3

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pion/stun/v3-3.1.5

fix-ssh-authorized-users-multi-rule

peer-acl-multi-source

reverse-proxy-crowdsec-appsec

reverse-proxy-allow-match-or

client-local-metrics

lazy-conn-per-peer

lazy-conn-rosenpass

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/gopacket/gopacket-1.7.0

dependabot/go_modules/goauthentik.io/api/v3-3.2026050.6

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pires/go-proxyproto-0.15.0

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/jackc/pgx/v5-5.10.0

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/oapi-codegen/runtime-1.6.0

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/eko/gocache/lib/v4-4.2.4

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/pkg/sftp-1.13.11

dependabot/go_modules/github.com/coreos/go-oidc/v3-3.20.0

ssh-windows-privilege-check

fix/explicit-cors-handling

fix/remove-math-rand

test/gui-memory-leak-fix

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fix/windows-tray-race

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worktree-dns-route-qtype-fallthrough

mdm_integration

mlsmaycon-patch-2

feat/agent-network-ollama

proxy-tunnel-cache-ttl-env

coderabbitai/utg/1e5b0a5

grpc-acl

test/battery-drain

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vertex-guardrails-model-access-e2e

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refactor/relay-foreign-cache

ci/trigger-release-tests

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revert-283-feat-fix-windows-installer

periodic-peer-updates

ebpf

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Reference: DYNR/netbird#9982