Help accessing my unRAID server via my iPhone and VPN - Tailscale / WireGuard ?

Crystal_Fizz · April 8

(This is essentially a copy and paste from one of my reddit posts about this, but I thought I would try here too as there are some incredibly smart people in this community.
Here is a link to my post in r/tailscale, and here is my post in r/unraid. You can have a little look through these and especially the comments for more context and info that I answered as people asked Qs)

So I just set up my unRAID server literally yesterday, and now I am adding files across and building up my storage. One of the things I wanted to do with my server was be able to access my files like documents and photos whilst out and about via my phone.

Now it has come to that and I am trying to set it up, but nothing at all seems to be working. See this post I made in r/unRAID for some more context.

Basically, I had followed some tutorials for setting up WireGuard VPN to route to my home network whist on mobile data, but it simply refuses to work. I have a feeling the issue lies somewhere with my ISP/network itself, but I cannot figure it out.

A lot of people were saying how easy Tailscale is in comparison, and I had a little look around and it definitely seems more promising so far than the WireGuard setup. I have gotten a little further at least anyways..!

Basically, I can access my unRAID server shares - through the iOS Files app as well as 3rd party FileBrowser GO - on my iPhone when connected to the same WiFi network that my server is connected to via ethernet. Which makes sense. Then once I go on mobile data/4G, I can no longer access the server, which again makes sense.

BUT, I have followed multiple guides on the ibracorp website and YouTube, and other video tutorials to a TEE on how to set up Tailscale on unRAID and also iPhone, and it just does not work !

Strangely, when connected to Tailscale on my phone, I can access Google just fine, and if I Google "What is my IP", the IP it reports is mentioned in the VPN settings of unRAID. So I can browse the internet, use YouTube, Reddit on my phone while connected to Tailscale, but NOT access my server like I can on WiFi.

When I connect to Tailscale on mobile data/4G, as I say I can access Google etc, just not my unRAID shares. This is not the case on WireGuard, where I cannot access anything when enabled on 4G. So with Tailscale enabled, if I Google what is my IP, it reports back an IP address that is mentioned in unRAID.

Now, I have no idea exactly what this means, or if it is significant or not, but it is the only place I can see something even slightly make a bit of sense. This is why I was saying when I feel Tailscale is giving a bit more of a glimmer of hope than WireGuard - as at least there is this.

So, anyone got ANY ideas on what might be going on here. How on earth can I finally get this to work? It is driving me crazy !!

**I should note - based on the comments of the Reddit post, I am basically set on Tailscale Plugin (not docker) over WireGuard. It seems the least fuss to set up. BUT if anyone here has any fixes or reasons for WireGuard, I am all ears ! I do not mind the route as long as something works !!

Here are a couple of Imgur albums that give some more context too. These are also in the comments of my reddit posts too. Set 1, and Set 2. Also my Eero router/ISP/Network settings.