Currently I set up Tailscale in my Synology NAS and I can access selfhosted services on my phone using the Android app. I want to use some services in my work PC too but I’m blocked from installing any software. So my question is, is there any solution that allows me to connect to selfhosted VPN via browser extension? (Just like NordVPN, I can install the browser extension to use it and I don’t need the Windows app.)
I’d be very wary about trying to bypass any workplace restrictions (which includes using a non-company VPN etc. etc.) to access self-hosted services.
Remember, your work computer belongs to the business (unless you’re self employed).
Depending on your line of work this could range from a slap on the wrist onto immediate termination and fines.
I use Cloudflare tunnels for this very reason, you can protect access to the page behind a login (I use azure AD).
It basically acts like a reverse proxy allowing me access to those local resources without anything being installed on the client computer.
This is the right answer.
The only other solution I can think of would be to put a device in the middle (such as this router).
Or you can use the CF Tunnel equivalent from Tailscale, called Funnel.
Maybe look into deploying a Socks5 proxy (e.g. socks5-server)? Then you can use socks5 browser extensions like FoxyProxy
https://shadowsocks.org/ should be a good option, easy to install, encrypted, and password protected
Most “VPN” browser extensions (if not all of them) aren’t actually doing a VPN connection but just change the proxy setting in the browser. This is because as a browser extension they wouldn’t have enough permissions/power to establish a real VPN connection.
So if you want to use a browser extension you have to run a proxy server, or as other said, just use cloudflared as running a proxy server attracts bots from all over the world
https://github.com/MHSanaei/3x-ui plus foxyproxy or Proxy SwitchyOmega if you’re using chromiums
