guide

NetBird network

Enroll a machine in the hi5 NetBird network with a setup key that never lands in shell history, and manage the connection afterwards.

NetBird connects hi5 machines in a private network. hi net enrolls a machine without exposing the setup key: it never appears in shell history, process lists, or output.

hi install installs NetBird first; hi net says so if it is missing.

Enroll a machine

hi net
  1. Paste the setup key when asked. Nothing is shown as you type.
  2. Choose the machine’s name in the network. Press Enter to use its hostname.

hi writes the key to a temporary file only you can read, runs netbird up --setup-key-file … --hostname …, and deletes the file whether enrollment succeeds, fails, or is interrupted.

The old form hi net <setup-key> is refused, because it would put the key in your shell history.

Enroll from a script

Provide the key through a protected file or an environment variable:

chmod 600 netbird-key.txt
hi net --setup-key-file netbird-key.txt

HI_NETBIRD_SETUP_KEY="$KEY_FROM_YOUR_SECRET_STORE" hi net

hi refuses a key file that other users can read.

Manage the connection

hi net status       # netbird status, unchanged
hi net down         # disconnect
hi net reconnect    # disconnect and reconnect with the stored enrollment

reconnect does not need the setup key again.

To put a service on this machine on a temporary public address through NetBird, see Share a local service.