This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/selfhosted by /u/jsiwks on 2025-07-31 18:21:59+00:00.
TL;DR: Pangolin Clients (nicknamed "Olm") are a CLI-based peer-to-peer or relay VPN solution built on a hub-and-spoke model, using Newt as the hub for secure connectivity without opening ports.
- Pangolin - an alternative to Cloudflare Tunnels: https://github.com/fosrl/pangolin
- A short video about the clients
- Check out the docs
We developed Pangolin clients. They’re a simple way to use Newt as a VPN jump point into your networks. We decided to release a basic version to the community to see if it’s something others find useful. If it is, we’ll continue to refine and expand it! If not, that’s fine too. Our focus remains on making Pangolin the best self-hosted remote access tool available.
So, what are Pangolin Clients? They’re a lightweight, VPN solution built on a hub-and-spoke model. Unlike mesh-based systems like Tailscale or NetBird, your Newt site acts as the hub, and the clients are the spokes. Just like how Newt provides browser based connectivity without opening ports, this provides VPN capabilities without opening ports. Right now, the clients are minimal, CLI-only for macOS, Windows, and Linux. They’re yet not tied to users; instead, you define a client much like you define a site in Pangolin with secret credentials.
You can grant a client access to one or more sites (enabled with a --accept-clients in Newt) and control which resources it can address or allow it to access everything on the network. Data relays through Gerbil on your VPS, but using --holepunch you can have them attempt NAT hole-punching for direct connections.
Why should I use this instead of Tailscale?
You probably shouldn't! If Tailscale works for you then use it! It has a much nicer client and is probably just better. If all you are doing is using it to manage your server - maybe give clients a try!
This feature is still in its early stages, but it opens up some interesting use cases: connecting multiple networks (e.g., home, office, or cloud VPCs), using Newt as a jump box for SSH remote management or other remote access, or creating a lightweight VPN alternative for secure connectivity. We’re excited to see how the community uses it and will continue to build on this foundation if it proves valuable. Let us know your thoughts!
You can try clients right now by updating to 1.8.0! Make sure to follow the update guide because you have to update all of the components.
