Guide

Reach your Mac from anywhere.

At home, Porthole finds your Mac on its own. Away from home, you connect through a free VPN. WireGuard on your home router is the most private; Tailscale is the easiest. Pick the one that suits you.

Most private

WireGuard

WireGuard is free, its app collects no data, and your connection goes only through your own home router. You need a router with a WireGuard server, which many ASUS, GL.iNet, UniFi and TP-Link routers have. If yours doesn’t, or your internet provider shares one address among many homes (often 5G home internet and Starlink), use Tailscale instead.

  1. Open your router’s settings (often at 192.168.1.1, or in the router’s app), find VPN Server and turn on WireGuard. If the router offers a free DDNS name for your home, turn that on too.
  2. Add a client (also called a peer or profile) for your iPhone or iPad. The router shows a QR code for it.
  3. On your iPhone or iPad, get WireGuard from the App Store, tap +, choose Create from QR code and scan the code. Tap Allow when asked to add a VPN configuration.
  4. On your Mac, open System Settings › Wi‑Fi and click Details… next to your network. Set Private Wi‑Fi address to Fixed, then note the IP address under TCP/IP, such as 192.168.1.20.
  5. In your router, reserve that address for your Mac (a DHCP reservation or static lease) so it never changes.
  6. In Porthole, add your Mac with that address, or edit the Mac you added at home. It works at home too, so you only need this one address.

Does your router have a WireGuard server?

Many do. Find yours below: where the setting is, and the maker’s own step-by-step guide for steps 1 and 2. Then continue with step 3.

  • ASUSVPN › VPN Server › WireGuard VPN Needs firmware 3.0.0.4.388 or later.
    Guide ↗
  • GL.iNetVPN › WireGuard Server, then Profiles › Add
    Guide ↗
  • TP-Link routersAdvanced › VPN Server › WireGuard On supported models.
    Guide ↗
  • TP-Link DecoIn the Deco app: More › VPN › VPN Server › Add VPN Server › WireGuard VPN On supported models.
    Guide ↗
  • UniFiIn UniFi Network, create a WireGuard VPN server in the VPN settings, then add a client. Needs a UniFi gateway or Cloud Gateway.
    Guide ↗
  • FirewallaIn the Firewalla app: VPN Server › WireGuard, then Setup › Add a Client
    Guide ↗
  • DD-WRTSetup › Tunnels For technical users.
    Guide ↗
  • OpenWrtInstall the WireGuard packages, then add a server interface. For technical users.
    Guide ↗

Usually no WireGuard server: eero, Google Nest Wifi, most NETGEAR routers (they offer OpenVPN instead) and most routers from internet providers. If that’s you, use Tailscale.

Menu names can change with router updates, so the maker’s guide is always the most current.

Easiest

Tailscale

Tailscale gives each of your devices a private address that works from anywhere, on any router. It’s free for personal use. You sign in to a Tailscale account, so Tailscale knows which devices you have; it can’t see your screen or what you type, which stay encrypted between your devices.

  1. Install Tailscale on your Mac and on your iPhone or iPad, and sign in to the same account on both.
  2. On your Mac, click the Tailscale icon in the menu bar and copy the Mac’s address. It looks like one of these:100.101.102.103 mac-mini.your-tailnet.ts.net
  3. In Porthole, tap +, paste the address, and sign in with your Mac account.

No VPN

SSH tunnel

Porthole can carry Screen Sharing inside an SSH connection to your Mac. You need a way to reach the Mac’s SSH port, such as port forwarding on your router.

  1. On your Mac, open System Settings › General › Sharing and turn on Remote Login.
  2. In Porthole, add your Mac, open Advanced, and choose SSH. Enter your Mac user name.
  3. The first time you connect, Porthole shows the Mac’s key. To check it, run this in Terminal on the Mac and make sure the two match:ssh-keygen -lf /etc/ssh/ssh_host_ed25519_key.pub

Tip

Keep your Mac reachable

A sleeping Mac can’t answer. If you connect while you’re away, check these settings on the Mac.

  1. In System Settings › Energy (or Battery › Options on a laptop), turn on Wake for network access.
  2. Leave Screen Sharing on in System Settings › General › Sharing.
  3. Keep a laptop plugged in with the lid open, or connected to a display.

Why not just use my public IP?

Opening Screen Sharing to the internet invites anyone to try your password. Porthole won’t connect to a public address. Use your VPN address or an SSH tunnel instead.

Still stuck? Contact support.