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> Finally, the new Tailscale client allows an Apple TV to be an exit node itself for other machines in your tailnet. Pretty huge. Many non-techy users don't li
by judge2020 3y ago
> Finally, the new Tailscale client allows an Apple TV to be an exit node itself for other machines in your tailnet.
Pretty huge. Many non-techy users don't like the idea of keeping a computer on 24/7, but a smart TV is just fine.
Also, the Apple TV 4k only draws 0.5 watts at idle and less than 3 watts when streaming movies[0], so I imagine it pulls less than 1 just tunnelling traffic. Computers pull 15W+ at idle, and that's with low end components.
0: https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/appletv/Apple_TV_4K_PER_Oct2022.pdf#page=9 https://www.apple.com/environment/pdf/products/appletv/Apple...
- aaomidi 3y agoI had not convinced the use case of using this as an exit node. Fuck this simplified so much.
- copperx 3y agoTailscale also runs on Android TV. If you don't have an Apple TV and want a cheap device just to have an exit node, you can buy a $20 Android TV thingy.
- vosper 3y agoBeware that a lot of cheap Android TV boxes come pre-loaded with heaps of malware. You don't want them in your network. Linus Tech Tips has a video about it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vpepaQ-VQQ&themeRefresh=1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vpepaQ-VQQ&themeRefresh=1
- copperx 3y agoThat's true. However, Walmart's $20 Onn 4k Streaming Box has no malware, apparently.
- mjs 3y agoIt … kind of does, but if you filter the reviews by "TV" you'll see there's quite a few issues with it: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tailscale.ipn https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tailscale..... Not sure why the back button issue hasn't been fixed, that makes it very inconvenient to set up. (Also: are you sure it can be used as an exit node? That wasn't supported a few months ago.)
- metadat 3y agoI abandoned the Google TV thingy because it was great when it was new a year or so ago, but now after all the updates it frequently stutters when playing media from Netflix, Disney+, HBO Max, etc. Apple TV is silky smooth and works perfectly. At $200, it was 4x the price, though.
- icelancer 3y agoThe expensive Nvidia Shield Pro is dogshit as well for streaming performance at $150-200. Ridiculous.
- radlad 3y agoWorks great for me?
- nirav72 3y agoYou're the first one I've read that has had issues with streaming performance on the Nvidia Shield. I have the non-Pro nvidia shield and its been rock solid for streaming external content and local content. Including 4k. I even ran it as a plex server for a while. Are you using wireless or plugged into ethernet?
- joshspankit 3y agoIt’s most likely just because of new codecs. If you got a newer cheap device it would probably not stutter (until the next round of codecs, but Apple TV requires the same upgrades)
- metadat 3y agoI don't think so, x264 and x265 haven't changed in the past 12 months, or even the last 2+ years. My suspicion is Elgoog releases Android system updates without thoroughly testing them on existing released hardware. My friends have Apple TVs that don't stutter, for 3+ years.
- joshspankit 3y ago
- e12e 3y agoWhy, apparently it finally does - since when? Last time I checked, I'd have to sideload it on my Nvidia shield?
- jondwillis 3y agoNeat, maybe I can sell my M1 mini server
- 8fingerlouie 3y agoNah, you'll still need that to synchronize iCloud content locally so that you can make backups of it, as Apple stubbornly refuses to allow TimeMachine (or anything else) to actually backup stuff that is only stored in iCloud, and provies no easy, scriptable way, of doing so otherwise. It may just be a problem for me, but as i have ~3TB of photos in iCloud (2 x 2TB), and unless i want to buy laptops with 2TB storage, there is no practical way of backing up the contents of iCloud, so i use a Mac Mini M1 with an external drive, syncrhonize data locally, and then back it up from there.
- yardstick 3y agoI need to backup my iCloud data soon too. How sure are you that the data is all downloaded from the cloud when you copy it to the external drive? Do you use any special tools?
- 8fingerlouie 3y agoI just configure each users account on the Mac Mini to download everything from iCloud, and then backup each users directory. It does require each user to login again every time the mac mini is rebooted, but fortunately that only happens when new releases come around, so 3-4 times every year. I do periodically check if new photos have been downloaded. I care less about documents as the relevant documents are more likely to also be stored on the laptops, and thus backed up through the normal backup routine on the laptops. I do wish Apple would come up with a solution to this problem though. The official instructions[1] feels like something from 2003. [1]: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204055 https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204055
- joshspankit 3y ago> I do wish Apple would come up with a solution to this problem though. That wish is in the opposite direction of Apple’s brand identity: “let us handle everything for you with our white glove service [you can pay, right?]”
- lnxg33k1 3y agoSo far I’ve used it to get vpn on apple tv and i dont think i am going to change, also considering how apple leaks vpns like there’s no tomorrow https://www.amazon.nl/GL-iNet-GL-MT300N-V2-Reiserouter-Repeater-Extender/dp/B073TSK26W/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=LIQT5D75X2J2&keywords=glinet&qid=1695068759&sprefix=glinet%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-5 https://www.amazon.nl/GL-iNet-GL-MT300N-V2-Reiserouter-Repea...
- close04 3y agoCan second the recommendation for the Mango travel router. I always prefer to take the VPN out of the “hands” of the client device to avoid any leaks. With 2 such devices connected via Wireguard VPN any other device I connect to that client router’s WiFi is safely communicating through that VPN. A sort of site to site VPN that works for devices that could never otherwise use a VPN client. But of course this is a different use case and not always an option. Not if you want to use Tailscale. Probably unless that Apple TV is already connected to one of this “VPN WiFi” with Tailscale on top (no idea what the functionality or performance impact is).
- matthewaveryusa 3y agoDon't know about the mango, but the gl.inet I have works with tailscale (albeit still in beta) https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-axt1800/ https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-axt1800/
- sda2 3y agoalso seems to work with 'tailscale up --advertise-exit-node' if you ssh into the router instead of using admin console.
- addsubtract 3y agoOrdered one - I will be traveling and would be nice to switch exit nodes as needed while on the go. Not that I need to hide the fact I’m out of country, but seems like a good way to connect up the work laptop to appear on my home IP. Anyone using glinet routers for that purposes and have any tips?
- MuffinFlavored 3y ago> Many non-techy users Why would a non-techy user want to volunteer to be an exit node?
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- fragmede 3y agoThis isn't Tor, being an exit node just means the non-techy user can access Netflix while travelling internationally.
- userbinator 3y agoBlame Tor for popularising the term "exit node" to mean "public proxy". The terms "VPN gateway" or "VPN server" are still valid and less easily confused with Tor's use of "exit node".
- giobox 3y agoYes and no... A VPN Gateway or VPN server doesn't have to be an exit node, and may route onwards to actual exit nodes. Some nodes may not "exit" at all - see setups where you are just trying to reach your private networks. In a tailscale setup, an "exit node" has specific meaning and the term makes sense as far as I'm concerned: https://tailscale.com/kb/1103/exit-nodes/ https://tailscale.com/kb/1103/exit-nodes/
- Operyl 3y agoIt’s not a public Tor exit node. It’s a personal node you can use to route your own traffic.
- giobox 3y agoI have setup Pis in family member homes to allow me to get residential IP VPN exit node in their respective countries - cheap and easy way to get access to foreign TV streaming services without a monthly fee. I used to run my own exit nodes in AWS/DigitalOcean in those regions, but virtually all streaming services block VPS/cloud service IPs at this point. Having an exit node in an actual "real" residential internet service is vastly more flexible. This potentially would be even easier for me, given they all have Apple TVs already. This isn't a public exit node - it's only available to other users (i.e. people you know and have granted access to) of your own TailScale setup. Same for non-techy folks who have second homes in foreign countries, or even just travel a lot - an Apple TV running this new app back in their main property will allow them for free to browse the web as if they are actually at their main property, including any TV services they enjoy.
- tiffanyh 3y agoHow will this work? My Apple TV constantly goes to sleep. Is Tailscale doing some type of “busy wait” to prevent tvOS from going to sleep?
- lathiat 3y agoIt’s not truly asleep. The display parts are but it’s always connected to wifi to act as a home hub, receive airplay requests, etc.
- crazygringo 3y agoYou can change your Apple TV settings to not to go to sleep.
- angott 3y agoThis is not really necessary, there is no need to change any settings. Even when the device enters sleep mode, VPN apps can remain active, just like on iOS.