TailcatBox

Connect computers peer-to-peer with one short code ⭐

Mac

Open Source

Developer Tools

GitHub

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Hi Product Hunt 👋 I'm the maker of Tailcat Box (its Chinese name, 猫砂盆, means "cat litter box" 🐱). I built it because I kept hitting the same wall: what I needed was on another computer. It might be a NAS dashboard at home, a dev server on my laptop that a client wanted to see, or a big folder for a friend. Every route there meant a public IP, router port forwarding, setting up a VPN, or uploading to a cloud drive first. [Personalize this paragraph with your own story.] How it works: install the app on both computers and share a short tc… address or pickup code. Tailcat Box is built on Tailcat (from Tailscale). Connections start through public DERP relays and switch to a direct path when the network allows, and traffic is encrypted with WireGuard. You don't need an account, a server, or any router changes. What people can do with it: 🏠 Open a home or office service (NAS, admin page, router UI) from another network, including other devices on your LAN 👀 Show a client your local dev site. Several people can use the same address at once while you keep coding 📦 Mew Share: drop in files and send a pickup code. Recipients download straight from your disk, up to 10 at a time, and the rest queue 🎧 Private 1:1 rooms with text, voice notes, voice/video calls and screen sharing 🛠️ Help family or a coworker: call, see their screen, and if they allow it, use the built-in SSH shell Honest notes: it's free for noncommercial use (PolyForm Noncommercial, source on GitHub). Builds aren't code-signed yet, so Windows and macOS will ask once on first launch. Android and iOS apps are planned, with no dates yet. I'd really value your feedback. Which use case matters most to you, what was confusing on first run, and what should come next? 🙏