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Tailscale

What is Tailscale?

Tailscale is a zero-configuration mesh VPN built on the modern, secure WireGuard® protocol. It connects all of your devices — computers, phones, servers and your SKAARHOJ Controller — into a single private network called a tailnet. Once devices are signed in to the same tailnet they can reach each other directly and securely from anywhere in the world, with no port forwarding, firewall changes or public IP addresses required.

On a SKAARHOJ Controller this is especially useful for:

  • Reaching the controller’s web interface remotely — for example to configure or support a system that is at another location.
  • Giving the controller secure access to other devices (video equipment, computers, etc.) that are part of your tailnet.
  • Routing the controller’s traffic through an exit node so it appears to be on another network.

Each device on a tailnet receives a stable private IP address in the 100.x.y.z range and an easy-to-remember MagicDNS name, so you can always reach it at the same address even if its physical network changes.

Installing the Tailscale app on your Controller

Tailscale is delivered as an installable package in SkaarOS. Open the Packages page from the top menu (or browse to /system/), find Tailscale in the list and install it.

[[IMG:packages]]

Click into the package and press Start so its status shows Running, then refresh the page. The Open WebUI button becomes available — click it to open the Tailscale app.

Enable the Show in Menu toggle to add a Tailscale tab to the top menu bar for quick access.

Connecting to your tailnet (login)

Open the Tailscale app and stay on the Status tab. If the controller is not yet connected you will see a Login to Tailscale button.

  1. Click Login to Tailscale. The app prepares a secure login link and opens the Tailscale sign-in page in a new browser tab.
  2. Sign in with your Tailscale account (or create a free account — see below) and authorize this device to join your tailnet.
  3. The app shows “Waiting for authentication…” while it waits, then automatically switches to Connected once the device is approved.

You need a Tailscale account to log in. Creating one is free for personal use — see Tailscale’s free tier below.

Using the app

The app has three tabs in the left sidebar: Status, Peers and About.

Status

The Status tab shows the controller’s connection at a glance:

[[IMG:status]]

  • Status — Connected when the controller is on the tailnet.
  • Hostname, IP (the 100.x.y.z tailnet address) and Tailnet name.
  • Magic DNS — the device’s DNS name, with a copy button so you can paste it into a browser or another tool.
  • Version — the running Tailscale version.

From here you can Refresh the status, open the Tailscale Console (the admin website where you manage your tailnet) or Logout to disconnect the controller.

Peers

The Peers tab lists every other device in your tailnet, with its hostname, tailnet IP, operating system and online status. Use the copy buttons to quickly copy a device’s DNS name or IP address.

[[IMG:peers]]

Exit Node

On the Status tab the Exit Node card lets you route the controller’s internet traffic through another device in your tailnet — select a node and click Set. You can also Enable “Advertise as Exit Node” to let other devices route their traffic through this controller (this must be approved in the Tailscale admin console).

Tailscale’s free tier

Tailscale offers a free Personal plan that is more than enough for typical SKAARHOJ use. It includes:

  • Up to 6 users and a generous number of devices.
  • Secure peer-to-peer connections between all your devices.
  • MagicDNS and split tunnelling.
  • Subnet routers and exit nodes.
  • Access Control Lists (ACLs), Tailscale SSH, Taildrop file sharing and Funnel.

For the current, exact limits see the official Tailscale pricing page.

Install Tailscale on your other devices

To reach your SKAARHOJ Controller remotely, install the Tailscale client on the devices you want to connect from — your laptop, phone or another server — and sign them in to the same tailnet. Official installation guides:

General installation and quick-start documentation is available at tailscale.com/kb/1017/install.

All devices must be signed in to the same tailnet to see each other. You can manage your devices, approve exit nodes and invite users from the Tailscale admin console at login.tailscale.com/admin.

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