Remote Access to Your Unraid Server Using Tailscale

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If you’re looking for a simple, secure way to remotely access your Unraid server from anywhere, using the Tailscale plugin is a fantastic option. Tailscale sets up a secure VPN, allowing devices to communicate directly over encrypted connections. It’s especially great because it requires minimal configuration, and you don’t have to mess around with complex port forwarding settings. Let’s walk through setting it up!

What You’ll Need:

  • An Unraid server running version 6.9.0 or higher
  • An internet connection (obviously!)
  • An account with Tailscale (don’t worry, it’s free for personal use)
  • The Tailscale plugin installed on your Unraid server

Step 1: Install the Tailscale Plugin

First, you need to install the Tailscale plugin on your Unraid server:

  1. Log into your Unraid server’s web UI.
  2. Head over to the Apps tab (if you don’t have the Community Applications plugin installed, grab that first).
  3. Search for “Tailscale” in the search bar.
  4. Click the Install button on the Tailscale plugin and follow the prompts.

Once installed, you should see Tailscale listed under the Plugins tab.

Step 2: Sign Up and Log In to Tailscale

After installing the Tailscale plugin, follow these steps to create a secure tunnel:

  1. Navigate to the Settings tab in your Unraid web UI.
  2. In the Network Services section, select Tailscale.
  3. Click the button to Log in to Tailscale, which will take you to the Tailscale website.
  4. Sign in using your Tailscale account, or create one if you don’t have it yet.

Once you’re logged in, Tailscale will automatically create a secure tunnel, and you’ll receive a unique IP address to remotely access your Unraid server.

Step 3: Access Your Server Remotely

Now that Tailscale is running, you can access your server from anywhere:

  1. Install Tailscale on your phone, laptop, or any other device you want to use to connect to Unraid.
  2. Log in to Tailscale on those devices using the same account.
  3. Once logged in, you’ll see your Unraid server listed under your devices, along with its Tailscale IP address.

You can now use this IP to access your server’s web UI remotely or even use SSH. Just enter the Tailscale IP in your browser (it’ll look something like 100.x.x.x:PORT).

Step 4: Bonus – Improve Security with Access Control Lists (ACLs)

While Tailscale is already secure, you can take it a step further by setting up ACLs to control which devices have access to your server:

  1. Head over to the Tailscale admin console.
  2. Under the Access controls section, you can define specific rules, such as only allowing certain devices to connect to your Unraid server.

Step 5: Troubleshooting

  • If you can’t connect to your Unraid server remotely, ensure Tailscale is running and that your devices are logged into the same Tailscale account.
  • Check that your firewall isn’t blocking Tailscale connections.
  • Rebooting your server or the Tailscale service can sometimes resolve connectivity issues.

And that’s it! With Tailscale, you now have a secure, private way to access your Unraid server from anywhere without the hassle of setting up a traditional VPN or dealing with complex network settings. Happy remote managing!

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