IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Tailscale Peer Relays is now generally available

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Tailscale delivers fast, hassle‑free networking
Users rave about the instant performance gains and zero‑port‑forward setup.

“I just set this up the other day, and I got my ping to drop from 16 to 10 ms, and my bandwidth tripled…” – tda
“Tailscale simp here, been using this feature since it launched in beta, can't believe it didn't exist earlier.” – yuvadam

2. Concerns over the business model and future stability
Many commenters question whether the free tier is sustainable and warn of a possible acquisition or “rug pull.”

“How does Tailscale make money? I really like their service but I'm worried about a rug pull in the future.” – behnamoh
“It's free for up to 3 users. After that you need to start paying.” – tiernano
“Companies pay for it. And except for their DERP servers, free users don't cost them much.” – eurg

3. Growing interest in open‑source/self‑hosted alternatives
When the risk of a paid model or acquisition looms, users turn to self‑hosted solutions.

“At this point Tailscale is working so well and I'm so happy with it that I'm afraid it's time to start migrating to Headscale.” – nsbk
“I've been smoothly running headscale on a hetzner vps for many months now. Works without issues.” – sureglymop
“As I understand it if everything is working properly you should end up with a peer to peer wireguard connection… There are exceptions….” – vizzier (also links to Headscale and Netbird)

These three themes—performance praise, business‑model anxiety, and the shift toward open‑source alternatives—dominate the discussion.

🚀 Project Ideas

Generating project ideas…

RelayMesh

Summary

  • A lightweight, self‑hosted VPN orchestrator that auto‑configures peer‑to‑peer WireGuard, NAT traversal, and custom relays.
  • Eliminates Tailscale rate‑limit headaches and gives users full control over relay placement and bandwidth.
  • Core value: Zero‑cost, privacy‑first, and fully customizable mesh networking for home and small‑team use.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Home users, small teams, hobbyists who need secure remote access without vendor lock‑in
Core Feature Auto‑discovery, dynamic relay selection, per‑device bandwidth throttling, web UI for device management
Tech Stack Go (WireGuard core), Docker, PostgreSQL, React/Next.js for UI, Docker‑Compose for deployment
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • HN commenters worry about “rate limited on Tailscale” and “lack of features” – RelayMesh gives full control over relay nodes, so no hidden throttling.
  • The “peer relay” discussion shows demand for custom relays; this tool automates that.
  • Practical utility: One‑click setup on a VPS or Raspberry Pi, with optional integration into existing home routers via Docker‑Compose.

RelayHub

Summary

  • A managed, pay‑as‑you‑go relay service that sits between users and open‑source VPNs like Headscale or Netbird.
  • Provides low‑latency, high‑bandwidth DERP‑style relays with SLA guarantees, removing the “free plan” limitations.
  • Core value: Reliable, scalable relays without the need to run your own VPS fleet.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Small businesses, remote teams, hobbyists needing reliable relays
Core Feature Cloud‑hosted relay nodes with auto‑failover, usage‑based billing, API for integration
Tech Stack Kubernetes, Envoy, WireGuard, Go, Stripe API, Grafana for monitoring
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue‑ready: tiered pricing ($0.01 per GB, $10/month for 1TB, etc.)

Notes

  • “Tailscale is free for up to 3 users” – RelayHub offers a free tier for 1 user, then scalable paid plans.
  • Users complaining about “rate limiting” will appreciate SLA‑backed relays.
  • Discussion about “Headscale on Hetzner” shows need for managed alternatives; RelayHub fills that gap.

HomeGate

Summary

  • A zero‑configuration reverse‑proxy + VPN gateway that exposes local services (Jellyfin, Minecraft, AI assistants) behind a single domain with automatic TLS.
  • Integrates with existing VPN solutions (WireGuard, Headscale) to provide secure remote access without manual port forwarding.
  • Core value: Simplifies remote access to home services while keeping them private and secure.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Home users, DIY enthusiasts, small teams needing secure remote access to local services
Core Feature Auto‑discovery of Docker containers, automatic Let's Encrypt certs, VPN tunnel integration, DNS‑based routing
Tech Stack Docker‑Compose, Traefik, WireGuard, Certbot, Go for custom service discovery
Difficulty Low
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • “Node Proxy Manager” and “Nginx Proxy Manager” are mentioned; HomeGate bundles these with VPN integration for a single‑stop solution.
  • HN users who “self‑host a few apps” will love the zero‑config approach.
  • Practical utility: One‑click deployment on a Raspberry Pi, with automatic HTTPS and VPN access for all local services.

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