Introducing my devices to each other using Tailscale

Now that I’ve successfully installed Ubuntu server, I need to make sure that all my devices can talk to each other, which offers the below advantages:

1. I can SSH to the server so I can use my personal device to work on it (e.g. add new functionality, update, or troubleshoot);

2. I can use the apps I deploy on all of my devices.

Sounds straightforward until we take into account that I do not just want it to work, I want it to work well. Which takes us to the first glaring problem: security.

You see, if the goal simply was for my devices to talk, I can use that through LAN and I’m done. But I want my devices to access the home server even when I’m away from my residence. Opening a port would be the next idea that would pop up into anyone’s mind but that is unnecessarily complex and, to be honest, I do not want to deal with security especially since I plan on hosting some photos there. Which brings us to Tailscale.

To those who do not know, Tailscale is a program that handles device-to-device communication and it handles it well. If your devices are on the same network, it connects the devices directly, if not, it connects it through Tailscale’s server. They handle security and it’s just an install and go system, neat!