You’ve set up a device at home - maybe a media server, a home automation system, a security camera, or any other local service. It works great when you’re connected to your home WiFi. But the moment you leave home and try to access it from your phone using cellular data… nothing. It’s like your device vanished.
Don’t worry - this is completely normal. Your home devices live on a private network that the outside world can’t see. In this guide, we’ll explain why this happens and walk you through several free ways to access your local devices from anywhere in the world.
Understanding the Problem
Why Can’t I Just Access My Device Directly?
Let’s use a real-world example. Imagine your home is an apartment building:
Your Home Network = An Apartment Building
Public IP Address
"123 Main Street"
The building's street address - visible to everyone
Private IP Addresses
"Apt 101, Apt 102, Apt 103..."
Apartment numbers - only visible inside the building
When you’re inside the building, you can easily walk to any apartment. But if someone from outside just knows “123 Main Street,” they have no idea which apartment to go to - or even how to get past the locked front door.
That’s exactly what happens with your network:
✓ When you're at home (on WiFi)
Your Phone
192.168.1.10
Your Device
192.168.1.50
Direct connection - they're in the same building!
✗ When you're away (on cellular/other WiFi)
Your Phone
Different network
Your Router
Blocked!
Your Device
192.168.1.50
The router doesn't know where to send the request!
The Solutions
Here are your options, ranked from easiest to most powerful. Each creates a different way to “get into the building” from outside.
Option 1: Tailscale ⭐ Recommended
Best for most people
Easy setup, secure, free for personal use
Difficulty: Easy • Cost: Free • Setup time: 5-10 minutes
→ Read our complete Tailscale setup guide for step-by-step instructions
What It Does
Tailscale creates a secure, private network that works across the internet. It’s like having a magic tunnel that connects your devices directly to each other, no matter where you are.
How Tailscale Works
You (anywhere)
Your device (home)
Like walkie-talkies on a secret, encrypted channel - works from anywhere in the world!
How to Set It Up
- Sign up at tailscale.com (free account)
- Install Tailscale on your phone/laptop
- Install Tailscale on the device you want to access (or on a Raspberry Pi at home)
- Log in on both devices with the same account
- Done! Your devices can now see each other from anywhere
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- • Dead simple to set up
- • Works internationally
- • End-to-end encrypted
- • Free for up to 100 devices
- • Works on almost everything
✗ Cons
- • Requires app on both ends
- • Need a "bridge" device if your hardware doesn't support it
Option 2: Cloudflare Tunnel
Difficulty: Medium • Cost: Free • Setup time: 15-30 minutes
What It Does
Cloudflare Tunnel creates a secure connection from your home to Cloudflare’s global network. You access your devices through a normal web address (like mydevice.example.com), and Cloudflare handles all the security.
How Cloudflare Tunnel Works
You
Cloudflare
Security check
Your device
Like a trusted courier service - they verify visitors before letting them through
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- • No port forwarding needed
- • Works through any firewall
- • Professional DDoS protection
- • Can require login to access
- • Your home IP stays hidden
✗ Cons
- • Requires a domain name
- • More complex setup
- • Only works for web interfaces
Option 3: WireGuard VPN
Difficulty: Hard • Cost: Free • Setup time: 30-60 minutes
What It Does
WireGuard is a modern VPN that you run yourself. Once connected, your phone acts like it’s physically on your home network with access to everything.
How WireGuard Works
You (anywhere)
Private VPN Tunnel
Your entire
home network
Like digging a private tunnel directly into your house - full access to everything
Pros & Cons
✓ Pros
- • Full network access
- • Extremely fast
- • Open source & audited
- • No ongoing costs
- • No third-party dependency
✗ Cons
- • Requires port forwarding
- • Need static IP or dynamic DNS
- • Most complex setup
- • You handle security updates
Option 4: Port Forwarding
Difficulty: Medium • Cost: Free • Setup time: 10-20 minutes
What It Does
Port forwarding tells your router: “Any traffic that arrives on port X, send it to this specific device.” It’s the most direct way to expose a device to the internet.
How Port Forwarding Works
Internet
Port 8080
Router
Device
192.168.1.50
Like putting a mail slot in your building's door that goes directly to your apartment
⚠️ Security Warning
Port forwarding exposes your device directly to the internet. Only use this if:
- • Your device has strong authentication
- • You keep the firmware updated
- • You're not on CGNAT (check with your ISP)
Quick Comparison
| Method | Difficulty | Security | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tailscale ⭐ | Easy | Excellent | Most users |
| Cloudflare Tunnel | Medium | Excellent | Web interfaces |
| WireGuard | Hard | Excellent | Full network access |
| Port Forwarding | Medium | Risky | Simple setups |
Our Recommendation
Start with Tailscale
For most people, Tailscale is the best choice. It takes 10 minutes to set up, it's secure by default, and it just works. If your device doesn't support Tailscale directly, you can install it on a cheap Raspberry Pi (~$15) as a bridge to your network.
If you need to share access with others who don't want to install an app, consider Cloudflare Tunnel instead.