In this episode, we take a closer look at Tailscale, a modern mesh VPN built on WireGuard, and explain why it has become such a popular alternative to traditional VPN setups.

So we break down how Tailscale works by separating the control plane from the data plane, so your traffic stays peer-to-peer and encrypted, without the usual gateway bottlenecks or messy port forwarding. You'll hear how features like MagicDNS, Exit Nodes, and Tailnet Lock make secure networking far more approachable for home labs, cloud infrastructure, and even IoT devices.

We also dig into the bigger questions. What are the trade-offs of convenience versus control? How does Tailscale compare to self-hosted options like Headscale or decentralised competitors such as ZeroTier? Should concerns about vendor lock-in and data privacy give you pause?

Whether you're running a Raspberry Pi at home, managing Kubernetes in the cloud, or want a simpler way to access your own machines securely, this episode will help you decide if Tailscale fits your idea of digital sovereignty.

This episode uses a bit of AI magic to help shape the research and structure. If you'd ever like to join the show for a fully human interview, drop an email to podcast@beitmenotyou.online.

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Main themes and talking points
• What mesh VPNs are, and why they matter now
• How Tailscale uses WireGuard differently from legacy VPNs
• Control plane vs data plane explained simply
• MagicDNS, Exit Nodes, and Tailnet Lock in real-world use
• Tailscale vs Headscale, convenience vs sovereignty
• Tailscale vs ZeroTier, centralised vs decentralised approaches
• Where Tailscale fits in a self-hosted or home lab setup
• Privacy, trust, and vendor lock-in concerns