Tailscale Sheridan Computers Enhances OPNsense with Native Tailscale Plugin

OPNsense, a powerful open-source firewall and routing platform, has long been a popular choice for businesses and home users alike due to its versatility, security features, and active community support. With its latest release, OPNsense 24.7.11, users can now enjoy native support for Tailscale through a dedicated plugin, marking a significant step forward for the platform.

In this blog post, we'll explore what OPNsense and Tailscale are, and why the integration of Tailscale directly into OPNsense via a plugin is such a big deal.

What is OPNsense?

OPNsense is an open-source firewall and router software that offers enterprise-level security and networking features. Based on FreeBSD, it provides a highly configurable and easy-to-use interface, making it a great choice for users who want to secure their network infrastructure without the complexity of traditional enterprise solutions.

With OPNsense, you can manage network traffic, implement firewalls, create VPNs, and much more. It's widely used in both business and personal environments, thanks to its active development, robust community, and the flexibility to scale with your needs.

What is Tailscale?

Tailscale is a modern VPN service that simplifies network connectivity by creating secure connections between devices over the internet. Unlike traditional VPNs that require complex configuration, Tailscale leverages WireGuard to create a simple, zero-config VPN. This allows users to easily connect devices, such as computers, phones, and servers, over a secure private network, even if those devices are scattered across the globe.

What sets Tailscale apart is its ability to work across various platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, creating a seamless and secure mesh network. It’s perfect for users who need to connect remote devices quickly and securely, without the hassle of complex VPN setups.

The Benefit of Tailscale Integration into OPNsense

Before the release of OPNsense 24.7.11, users who wanted to use Tailscale with OPNsense had to manually build and configure the service from source code. While this was certainly possible, it could be time-consuming and tricky for less experienced users. But with the new Tailscale plugin, the process is now streamlined and integrated directly into the OPNsense web interface.

This integration brings several key benefits to OPNsense users:

1. Ease of Use: The Tailscale plugin for OPNsense makes it easier for users to set up and manage Tailscale on their OPNsense system. No longer do you need to manually build Tailscale from source code. Everything is available directly through the intuitive OPNsense web interface.
    
2. Seamless Connectivity: By enabling Tailscale natively within OPNsense, users can now create secure, mesh-based VPN connections between all their devices with minimal configuration. This means no more worrying about complex networking setups — just easy, secure connections.
    
3. Security and Privacy: Tailscale uses WireGuard, known for its simplicity and security, to create encrypted connections between devices. With this integration, users can be confident that their network is protected against unauthorised access, even when devices are operating remotely.
    
4. Time-Saving: The direct integration of Tailscale means users don’t need to spend hours building and troubleshooting the service from source. It's all set up and ready to use via the web interface, allowing you to spend more time on important tasks.

Sheridan Computers: Committed to Open Source

This integration of Tailscale into OPNsense was made possible by the dedicated work of Sheridan Computers, who developed the Tailscale plugin. We're proud to contribute to the OPNsense ecosystem and provide users with improved features and functionality.

In fact, this is not the first time Sheridan Computers has contributed to OPNsense. Earlier this year, we also introduced the Snapshots feature of OPNsense, making it easier for users to back up and restore their OPNsense configurations. This is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the open-source community.

At Sheridan Computers, we don't just sell OPNsense to clients; we actively contribute to its development, ensuring that it continues to evolve and meet the needs of users worldwide. Our goal is to enhance the OPNsense experience for everyone, providing better security and functionality through meaningful contributions to the project.

Conclusion

The OPNsense 24.7.11 release, with its native Tailscale support, is a significant milestone for the platform. It brings seamless, secure VPN connections to the OPNsense community, making it easier than ever to connect remote devices and create private networks.

Thanks to the efforts of Sheridan Computers, this powerful feature is now available with just a few clicks, allowing users to enjoy the benefits of Tailscale without the hassle of manual configuration. Our ongoing contributions to OPNsense reflect our dedication to open-source software and to providing our clients with the best possible tools for securing and managing their networks.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out OPNsense 24.7.11 and experience the power of native Tailscale support for yourself.

Video Demonstation

Before the official release of the Tailscale plugin in OPNsense 24.7.11, Sheridan Computers wanted to ensure that users could easily take advantage of this powerful new feature. To help with this, we created a detailed video demonstrating how to set up and use the Tailscale plugin on OPNsense. This pre-release video was designed to give users a head start and ensure a smooth transition to the new plugin once it was made publicly available.