MoleTun on BazziteOS
What is BazziteOS?
BazziteOS is an immutable Linux distribution built on Fedora Atomic. Unlike traditional Linux distros, the root filesystem is read-only and packages are managed through rpm-ostree instead of dnf.
This means you cannot use sudo dnf install on BazziteOS. This guide covers the correct installation method.
Installation
Method 1: rpm-ostree (Recommended)
This method layers the package onto your system. A reboot is required after installation.
Download the RPM Package
Download the RPM (.rpm) package from the MoleTun website.
Install with rpm-ostree
Open a terminal and run:
rpm-ostree install ~/Downloads/MoleTun_*.rpm
If you get dependency errors, install the dependencies together:
rpm-ostree install webkit2gtk4.1 libayatana-appindicator-gtk3 ~/Downloads/MoleTun_*.rpm
Reboot
rpm-ostree changes require a reboot to take effect:
systemctl reboot
Grant Network Permissions
After rebooting, open a terminal and run:
sudo setcap cap_net_admin=ep /usr/bin/mole
Launch MoleTun
Find MoleTun in your applications menu or run mole in the terminal.
Method 2: Portable Archive (No Reboot)
If you prefer not to reboot, use the portable tar.gz version.
Download the Portable Archive
Download the portable Linux (.tar.gz) from the MoleTun website.
Extract and Run
cd ~/Downloads
tar -xzf MoleTun_*.tar.gz
sudo setcap cap_net_admin=ep ~/Downloads/MoleTun/mole
cd MoleTun
./mole
The portable method doesn't require rpm-ostree or a reboot, but you'll need to manage updates manually.
Troubleshooting
"Command not found: dnf"
This is expected on BazziteOS. Use rpm-ostree install instead of dnf install.
MoleTun Won't Start
- •Ensure you've run the setcap command:
sudo setcap cap_net_admin=ep /usr/bin/mole - •Or run with sudo:
sudo mole - •Check for missing dependencies by running
molefrom the terminal to see error messages
Missing Library Errors
If you see errors about missing .so files (e.g., libwebkit2gtk, libxkbcommon):
rpm-ostree install webkit2gtk4.1 libayatana-appindicator-gtk3 libxkbcommon xcb-util
systemctl reboot
rpm-ostree Install Fails
- •Make sure you're using the full path to the RPM file
- •Check available disk space:
df -h - •Try cancelling pending deployments:
rpm-ostree cancel
App Disappears After OS Update
BazziteOS updates may occasionally require re-layering packages:
rpm-ostree install ~/Downloads/MoleTun_*.rpm
systemctl reboot
Why can't I use dnf on BazziteOS?▼
BazziteOS is an immutable distribution based on Fedora Atomic. The root filesystem is read-only, and packages must be layered using rpm-ostree. This design improves system stability and makes rollbacks possible.
Do I really need to reboot after rpm-ostree install?▼
Yes. rpm-ostree creates a new system deployment that only becomes active after rebooting. The portable tar.gz method avoids this requirement.
Can I use Distrobox instead?▼
Distrobox is not recommended for MoleTun because it runs in a container with isolated networking. MoleTun needs direct access to your system's network interfaces to create the virtual LAN.
Will this work on other immutable distros?▼
The rpm-ostree method works on any Fedora Atomic-based distro (Universal Blue, Aurora, Bluefin). For other immutable distros, use the portable tar.gz method.