TailVega

TailVega is an experimental Tailscale client for the 2026 Fire TV Stick HD (2nd Generation) running Vega OS 1.1. It embeds the official open-source Tailscale userspace engine in a Vega React Native app and builds an ARMv7 .vpkg that can be sideloaded in Developer Mode.

Important

TailVega is a userspace tailnet node, not a device-wide VPN. Vega OS does not expose a public VPN or TUN API to third-party apps. TailVega can reach tailnet services through its built-in TCP probe and exposes a password-protected SOCKS5 endpoint to clients that can explicitly use it. It cannot transparently route Fire TV apps, advertise routes, or act as an exit node.

What works

• Joins a tailnet with a one-off Tailscale auth key.
• Persists node identity in the app's private data directory and resumes it on later launches.
• Shows the node name, MagicDNS name, addresses, tailnet, and online peer count.
• Opens TCP connections to tailnet services from the native app.
• Starts a local, password-protected SOCKS5 endpoint from tsnet.
• Stops the embedded node without deleting its saved identity.

The project targets ARMv7, Vega OS 1.1, Vega SDK 0.22.5850, React Native 0.72, Go 1.25.5, and libtailscale commit 80771313ac4127973677c993889fe215abcf1fbd (Tailscale v1.94.1).

Install on Fire TV

1. Download TailVega-<version>-armv7.vpkg and its checksum from the latest release.

2. Install Vega SDK 0.22.5850 on a supported Linux development machine.

3. Enable Developer Mode on the Fire TV Stick and connect it over USB.

4. Verify and install the package:

   sha256sum -c TailVega-<version>-armv7.vpkg.sha256
   vega device list
   vega device install-app --packagePath TailVega-<version>-armv7.vpkg
   vega device launch-app --appName com.looizao.tailvega.main

5. In the Tailscale admin console, create a one-off auth key with the shortest practical expiry. Select Pre-approved only if your tailnet uses device approval. Do not make the key ephemeral, because TailVega persists its node identity.

6. Open TailVega, enter the key, and select Connect. The key is cleared from the UI and native input buffer after configuration.

See the complete setup and installation guide, including Developer Mode activation and troubleshooting.

Build from source

Prerequisites are Node.js 20, npm, Go 1.25.5, a C/C++ toolchain, and Vega SDK 0.22.5850. The SDK's supported host is Ubuntu 22.04.

git clone --recurse-submodules https://github.com/looizao/tailscale-vegaos.git
cd tailscale-vegaos
npm ci --ignore-scripts
npm run verify
source "$HOME/vega/env"
npm run build:release

The package is written under build/armv7-release/. The native host smoke test validates the C ABI and engine lifecycle, while GitHub Actions performs the authoritative Vega ARMv7 package build and validation.

Architecture

Vega React Native TV UI
          |
          v
Kepler Turbo Module (C++)
          |
          v
libtailscale C ABI -> tsnet userspace engine -> tailnet

Read Architecture for the trust boundaries and platform limitations.

Security

Treat the release .vpkg like any other network client. Verify its SHA-256 file, use a one-off key, restrict the node with Tailscale grants or ACLs, and revoke unexpected nodes in the admin console. See SECURITY.md for the threat model and reporting process.

Status and support

This is an independent, community-maintained port. It is not affiliated with or supported by Tailscale Inc., Amazon.com, Inc., or their affiliates. Tailscale is a registered trademark of Tailscale Inc.; Amazon, Fire TV, and Vega are trademarks of their respective owners.

Physical-device validation requires a Developer Mode enabled Fire TV Stick HD (2nd Generation). Please include the Vega OS build, TailVega release, and relevant device logs when filing an issue.

License

TailVega's original code is licensed under the MIT License. The libtailscale submodule and its transitive dependencies retain their own licenses. See THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md.