Access NAS, media servers, or file shares remotely
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Connect to network attached storage (NAS)
Install the Tailscale client on supported network-attached storage (NAS) devices.
Accessing your home NAS, media library, or file share from outside your network normally means opening firewall ports or running a traditional VPN. Tailscale creates an encrypted, peer-to-peer connection between your devices so you can reach those services from anywhere, without exposing them to the internet.
Install the Tailscale client on your server
Install the Tailscale client on the device that hosts your files or media to connect it to your Tailscale network (known as a tailnet). If you don't already have a tailnet, one will be created automatically when you authenticate.
- Download and install the Tailscale client, then sign in.
- Share the folders you want to access: right-click the folder, open Properties > Sharing, and configure sharing.
- Note the machine's Tailscale hostname or IP address. You'll use this to connect from other devices.
Install the Tailscale client on your devices
Download and install the Tailscale client on every device you'll be connecting from, then sign in with the same account.
Download and install the Tailscale client, then sign in. Tailscale appears in the system tray and your tailnet devices are immediately reachable by hostname or Tailscale IP.
Access your files and services
The device you're connecting from must have Tailscale installed and signed in to the same tailnet as your server. Use the server's Tailscale hostname if MagicDNS is enabled, or find its Tailscale IP address on the Machines page of the admin console.
For file access, open File Explorer and enter \\hostname or \\100.x.y.z in the address bar. To map a persistent drive, right-click This PC > Map network drive, enter the path, and choose to reconnect at sign-in.
For Jellyfin and Emby, go to http://hostname:8096 or http://100.x.y.z:8096. For Plex, go to http://hostname:32400 or http://100.x.y.z:32400.
Further exploration
- Enable MagicDNS to use friendly hostnames instead of IP addresses across your tailnet.
- Use Taildrive to access shared folders directly across your tailnet without configuring SMB.
- Try Taildrop to send files peer-to-peer between any tailnet devices.
- Use Tailscale Serve to expose a local service to other devices on your tailnet.
- Invite users to join your tailnet and access your shared files and media.
- Use the tailnet policy file to restrict which tailnet devices and users can reach your server.