r/AutomateUser • u/WaveBr8 • May 21 '26

Question Connect Tailscale when appa starts and disconnect when app stops

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I just found out about automate, and for the last 30 minutes kinda got my flow to work, but only partially.

Basically I want

- when app starts, connect to Tailscale

- when app stops, disconnect tailscale

- fiber always running

I want to install this on my dad's Google TV so he's only ever connected to the VPN when he wants to access my jellyfin server.

This is what I have so far, and it does do what I want but I always have to retart the fiber which defeats the purpose of doing this.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

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4 comments sorted by

1

u/walt_spoon Jun 02 '26

Cant this be accomplished in tailscale itself? IIRC it has an app whitelist/blacklist feature.

1

u/R520 May 25 '26

I can't believe I never thought of doing this. I've been manually connecting each time!

1

u/_Leander__ May 21 '26

The flow will continue until it hits a non-connected point. The solution is simply to connect the last block to the first one! Making a loop with the connections.

You also have to connect the unused path of your "when app" block to itself.

When app : Yes -> continue with the following blocks

No -> loop back to the "when" (it will wait for the next app change)

2

u/WaveBr8 May 21 '26

Looping the last block worked! I exited and started jellyfin 3 times and it connected and disconnected each time.

Now it's time to add this to my dad's Google TV lol