Use WorkPane away from home
Set up a VPN once (Tailscale's free tier takes about ten minutes) and your iPad reaches your Mac from anywhere, exactly as it does at home. WorkPane has no servers of its own, so remote access rides your own private tunnel; nothing about streaming changes.
Before you start
WorkPane already paired and working at home · a Tailscale account (free), or any WireGuard-compatible VPN you prefer · your Mac awake, with WorkPane Host running.
1 · Pick a VPN
Tailscale's free tier is the easiest path and what this guide uses. Headscale, NetBird, or plain WireGuard work the same way; WorkPane doesn't care which tunnel carries it.
2 · Install it on your Mac and iPad
Sign in to the same Tailscale account on both. They join the same private network, wherever they are.
3 · Note your Mac's address
Tailscale gives every device a stable name and address. Find your Mac's in the Tailscale menu bar item or app.
4 · Connect by address
Away from home your Mac won't appear on its own; automatic discovery works on the local network only. In WorkPane, choose Connect by Address and enter the Mac's Tailscale name or address.
5 · Everything else is unchanged
Same encryption, same pairing, same reconnect. An iPad that has paired before connects straight away.
Planned
A hands-free remote option, with no VPN to set up, is planned. Today, the steps above are the way.
If it didn't work
Check that the VPN app shows both devices online, then try the Mac's numeric address instead of its name. Fix connection problems →
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