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01 — Connecting to the Z2 Mini

How to access the server from your various devices.

Prerequisites

Before connecting from any device, you need:

  1. Tailscale installed and signed in on that device (same Tailscale account as the Z2)
  2. Tailscale running (toggle "On" in the Tailscale app)

If Tailscale isn't connected, nothing in this doc works. See 03-tailscale.md for Tailscale setup.

SSH from Windows laptop

Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal:

ssh gabriel@z2mini

That's it. Tailscale handles authentication via your tailnet identity (no password prompt because Tailscale SSH is enabled).

If ssh gabriel@z2mini doesn't resolve, fall back to the Tailscale IP:

ssh gabriel@<tailscale-ip>

You can find the IP in the Tailscale app or admin panel.

File access from Windows

The shares are auto-mapped at login as drive letters:

  • Z: → \\z2mini\files (read-write — your main file area)
  • Y: → \\z2mini\backup (read-only — backup snapshots)

If they're not mapped or were disconnected:

  1. Open File Explorer
  2. Right-click "This PC" → "Map network drive"
  3. Drive letter: Z (or Y)
  4. Folder: \\z2mini\files (or \\z2mini\backup)
  5. ✅ "Reconnect at sign-in"
  6. ✅ "Connect using different credentials"
  7. Enter:
  8. Username: gabriel
  9. Password: (your Samba password — not your laptop password)
  10. ✅ "Remember my credentials"

File access from iPhone

In the Files app:

  1. Tap the ••• (three dots) in upper right
  2. Tap Connect to Server
  3. Server: smb://z2mini (or fall back to smb://<tailscale-ip> if hostname doesn't resolve)
  4. Tap Connect
  5. Choose Registered User
  6. Username: gabriel
  7. Password: your Samba password
  8. ✅ Remember in Keychain
  9. Tap Next

For the backup share, repeat with smb://z2mini/backup.

Both shares appear in the Files app sidebar under "Shared." Tap to browse.

Note: the iPhone needs Tailscale running (toggle on in the Tailscale app) for this to work. If it suddenly stops working, check Tailscale first.

File access from macOS

In Finder:

  1. Press Cmd+K (or Go menu → "Connect to Server")
  2. Server address: smb://z2mini
  3. Click Connect
  4. Authenticate as gabriel with Samba password
  5. ✅ "Remember this password in my keychain"

To make it auto-mount at login: System Settings → Users & Groups → click your user → Login Items → drag the mounted share into the list.

Troubleshooting connection issues

"Cannot connect" / timeout: - Verify Tailscale is connected on both devices - Check that the Z2 is actually online (try pinging from another tailnet device) - Try the Tailscale IP instead of hostname

"Authentication failed": - Samba uses its own password database (separate from your Linux login). The Samba password may differ from your SSH password. - To reset the Samba password: SSH in and run sudo smbpasswd gabriel

iPhone "Socket is not connected": - Almost always Tailscale isn't running on the phone. Check the Tailscale app first.

Slow performance: - On home Wi-Fi: should be fast (peer-to-peer over LAN) - On cellular / different network: slower (going over the internet via Tailscale) - See 10-system-reference.md for expected speeds