Mac Hacks: Everyday Tailscale Uses for People Who Aren't Network Administrators
Editor’s Note: The Macintosh Desktop Experience column, exclusively for Club MacStories+ and Premier members, is now Mac Hacks. Why? Well, the old name was too long and amorphous. Mac Hacks feels more “MacStories.“
The simplest way to explain Tailscale is that it’s a modern mesh VPN that allows you to create a secure, peer-to-peer network of Internet-connected devices that you can access effortlessly from anywhere for free. That boils Tailscale down pretty well, but it’s still a lot to unpack and doesn’t answer the question, “Yeah, but what does it do?”
I’m a big fan of Tailscale, but it has two big problems that can make it confusing. The first issue is also one of Tailscale’s greatest strengths: its flexibility. The service has several built-in features that are useful as standalone tools, which is a good place to start. However, the ability to connect a disparate collection of devices without regard for their operating systems opens up a vastly larger universe of possibilities that’s only limited by your imagination. That makes it incredibly powerful – but a lot to wrap your head around, too.