As a tech enthusiast, it’s important that I can access all of my devices from anywhere in the world. Tailscale is a zero-configuration, WireGuard-based modern virtual private network (VPN) that enables me to achieve this goal with end-to-end encryption across the network using their free tier. Once I fire up the Tailscale client and connect to the VPN, I can access any other mesh nodes as if they were on the same local area network.
Tailscale’s ease of setup and flexibility are the most appealing draws! The platform integrates well with my existing devices running MacOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, Windows, and DSM (Synology). Furthermore, as my homelab mesh grows, the Tailscale scales accordingly without requiring a major overhaul of the network setup.
I can utilize fine-grained access controls to define which devices/users have specific access to resources in my VPNJ. Additionally, Tailscale enables direct, peer-to-peer communication between my devices. This improves the speed and reliability of connections within my homelab. Taildrop (similar to Apple’s AirDrop) allows me to transfer files over encrypted peer-to-peer connections using the fastest path available between nodes without third-party servers in the middle. 🙂
