Tailscale Quick Start
Tailscale is a VPN service that makes the devices and applications you own accessible anywhere in the world, securely and effortlessly. It enables encrypted point-to-point connections using the open source WireGuard protocol, which means only devices on your private network can communicate with each other.
Step 1: Sign up for an account
Sign up for a Tailscale account. Get started with a free personal plan or trial for an organizational plan.
Tailscale requires a Single Sign-On (SSO) provider, so you’ll need a Google, Microsoft, GitHub, Okta, OneLogin, or other supported SSO identity provider account to begin.
Step 2: Add a machine to your network
Tailscale helps you connect your devices together. For that to be possible, Tailscale needs to run on your device.
Tailscale works seamlessly with Linux, Windows, macOS, Raspberry Pi, Android, Synology, and more. Download Tailscale and log in on the device.
Step 3: Add another machine to your network
The magic of Tailscale happens when it’s installed on multiple devices. Add more of your devices and share Tailscale with your peers to grow your private network.
Add more machines to your network by repeating step 2 or by inviting others to join your network.
Congratulations! You just created your own private Tailscale network!
Next steps
Tailscale automatically assigns each machine on your network a unique 100.x.y.z IP address, so that you can establish stable connections between machines no matter where they are in the world, even when they switch networks, and even behind a firewall.
What’s next?
- Connect to an existing network with a subnet router.
- Route traffic through a specific device with exit nodes.
- Restrict what users and devices can access with ACLs.
- Share files between your own devices, even across operating systems, with Taildrop.
- Share an existing service with your peers outside of your domain with node sharing.
To manage your network, including your machines and configurations, visit the admin console.
Need some inspiration?
How about you use Tailscale to…
- Keep your internet activities private on an untrusted network, by routing your traffic through an exit node that you run
- Administer a computer remotely, and lock down your connections to a Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) server
- Run a code server and develop remotely from your iPad when you’re on the road
- Quickly share prototype servers with other colleagues without needing to wrangle with firewall settings
- Host a private server for you and your peers to play Minecraft or chat on IRC
- Receive files from a Network Attached Storage server using FTP, and view media files from players like VLC or Plex
Even historically insecure protocols like Telnet, VNC, FTP, HTTP, etc. are protected with Tailscale, since all traffic is encrypted under the hood using WireGuard.
