Built in Tailscale integration has been removed

Announcements
#1

In the latest pre-release, we have disabled and removed the built in Tailscale support. This has been done in the interest of security.

You can still access your Channels DVR Server host perfectly fine with Tailscale installed on your host.

For a while now, due to techcnical difficulties, we have been unable to ensure that the latest version of Tailscale is running inside of Channels DVR Server. In light of the current climate of security concerns happening across the Internet, programming languages, and open systems, we have taken the steps to remove Tailscale rather than let you run a pottentially insecure system.

If you rely on Tailscale for remote streaming, simply install Tailscale directly on the host system your Channels DVR Server is installed on. Connecting to your server will be the same as it was with the built in Tailscale.

We hope you understand why we're doing this and ideally we'll get Tailscale built back into Channels DVR Server soon.

1 Like
Tail scale missing?
#2
#3

Just wanted to chime in and say I really appreciate the due diligence here. Proactive security moves like this aren't always popular when features get pulled, but prioritizing system integrity over convenience is 100% the right call. Thanks for staying on top of it.

4 Likes
#4

It didn't work well anyways. Its a waste of devs' time to support it and I'm shocked this didn't happened sooner. Just give people a guide to install real Tailscale on the main site and then you're done.

I just hope now the devs are more focused on implementing some more important features with this out of the picture

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#5

Should Remote streaming still work if you’ve never enabled Tailscale nor ever used Tailscale?

#6

Yes because that doesn't involve tailscale at all. You're just forwarding a port on your router

If you have CGNAT-d ISP, then you'll need Tailscale

#8

What is this?

#9

I just read your edit and understand what it's for now. I'm not sure why you removed the description of what this tutorial was for, as it's not clear at all without it.

Please remove this from the thread and post it to it's own new topic, as it will be more useful on its own topic, then just simply link to it from here.

3 Likes
#10

See here how to run Channels as a service with Tailscale, which will allow you to use a unique host name as well as tailnet IP address for Channels without having to manually type a port each time you want to access it remotely.

#11

Thank you for this move- better safe than sorry …only took about 15 minutes to get back on Tailscale

1 Like
#12

Any plans to make this work through a reverse proxy?

#13

I don't see how that can really be possible at all.
They would have to essentially allow for the out-of-home streaming that works through forwarding a port to authenticate through a reverse proxy. So there would have to be some way of doing that on their end.
Clients also would have to individually support that as well and recognize your reverse proxy domain as being a legitimate out-of-home domain instead of my.channelsdvr.net, which is what I assume it's coded to. I don't know for sure because it's closed source. The main issue with what you're suggesting is that using a reverse proxy with this is inherently dangerous because there's no authentication unless you use the Channels out-of-home authentication with a code, which obviously would not work in any client. It would just work in the web app. There's also Cloudflare Tunnels, and I believe, I forgot what it's called, but Cloudflare does have an authentication service that can run on top of an app, but that would also break being able to connect to a client, of course.

That's why you need something like Tailscale and the suggestion I implemented with a service which would allow you to use it anywhere you're on your tailnet with a clean hostname and zero trust security, as well as being behind a VPN with no authentication to worry about. It really just needs Tailscale on the host machine, not necessarily on the actual Channels instance itself. As long as this is on the host machine, you just follow my instructions, and it's very simple to do, and you have a domain just for Channels within your tailnet. It's actually better than the other implementation for one reason, particularly being when accessing Channels through the web UI, you get a full HTTPS, which is nice. When accessing Channels through a TV or whatever, it just falls over to HTTP 8089, which is normal.

2 Likes
#14

That’s kinda the reason why I asked if there were plans to make it work with a reverse proxy. Not asking if there’s a way to do it right now. Works with Plex so no reason the devs can’t make it work with Channels.

Plus I think your method violates tailscale’s terms of use. If you’re doing what I think you’re doing.

#15

I think you have no idea what you're talking about. It does not violate Tailscale's terms of use to set up a service. I am not using Tailscale Funnel, I'm using Tailscale Serve. There's a huge difference with that. It's two different things. You have no clue what you're referring to. I'm sorry.

Before accusing someone of violating a TOS, maybe research what you're talking about.

1 Like
#16

Why so hostile? I said if you're doing what I think you are. Which you are not, so cool. All I asked was about using a reverse proxy to the devs. I use it with other stuff so would like to use it with Channels as well. No harm in having other options right?

#17

Channels don't support reverse proxies. I tried to get it working with tsbridge but I couldn't view a channel from it. Other users had the similar struggles.

If you need more security if you're forwarding your ports on your router, then just enable 2FA. Otherwise, you can use tailscale

#18

I have CGNAT so port forwarding isn't an option for me. I've gotten all my services working through Pangolin. Only one I can't so far is Channels. I mean I can but then there's the authentication/token thing so it's not so convenient. I have been using Tailscale. But just wondering if the devs would look into a reverse proxy option that's all. Not trying to cause any trouble.

#19

You'll have to get a vote in on that front by opening a thread in the feature request section

Just note: devs in the past have refused to implement reverse proxies but they (probably) can be swayed if theres enough demand.

1 Like
#20

I have never used Tailscale.
I have only ever used Wireguard VPN back to my home netowrk.
Previously Via PiVPN (u can install in on any Linux distro)
Or lately, since i have Ubiquiti Hardware Gateway, Teleport VPN, or Wireguard VPN option

#21

Just install Tailscale on the same machine you are running the Channels DVR on and access it with the 8089 port.

1 Like