# About GateBeacon

# About GateBeacon

## What GateBeacon Is

GateBeacon is a multi-tenant reverse-tunnel gateway platform. It lets you take an application running on a private device — a laptop, a home server, a small office machine — and publish it to the public internet as a secure HTTPS URL, without opening any inbound firewall port and without a static public IP address.

Once a device is enrolled, it connects **outbound only** to GateBeacon's cloud tunnel infrastructure:

- **Linux devices** connect using a lightweight [Rathole](https://github.com/rapiz1/rathole) client.
- **Windows devices** connect using a native SSH reverse tunnel (`ssh -R`).

From that point on, any local application you choose to publish is reachable through GateBeacon's edge, which terminates TLS and routes traffic back down the tunnel to your device.

## Why It Exists

Traditionally, exposing a self-hosted application to the internet requires:

- A public IP address or port forwarding on your router.
- Manually obtaining and renewing a TLS certificate.
- Firewall changes that widen your attack surface.
- Extra effort if the device is behind CGNAT, a mobile hotspot, or a restrictive corporate network.

GateBeacon removes all of this. The device never accepts inbound connections — it only reaches out — so there is nothing new to open on your firewall, router, or ISP connection.

## Key Benefits

| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| No inbound firewall changes | The device only makes outbound connections to GateBeacon. |
| Automatic HTTPS | TLS certificates are issued and renewed by GateBeacon at the edge — you never touch a certificate. |
| Works behind NAT / CGNAT | No public IP or port forwarding required, including on mobile or carrier-grade NAT networks. |
| Cross-platform | Both Linux and Windows endpoints are supported. |
| One-click application catalog | Dozens of ready-to-run self-hosted applications (Nextcloud, Gitea, Grafana, and more) install with a single click. |
| Multi-tenant isolation | Each customer's devices, published applications, and data are logically isolated from every other customer. |

## Who GateBeacon Is For

GateBeacon is built for individuals, teams, and small businesses who want to self-host applications on hardware they already control — and reach those applications securely from anywhere — without taking on cloud hosting costs, networking expertise, or certificate management.

## Where to Go Next

- New to GateBeacon? Continue to [Prerequisites](/books/gatebeacon-documentation/page/prerequisites) and [Supported Operating Systems](/books/gatebeacon-documentation/page/supported-operating-systems) to confirm your device is compatible.
- Ready to sign up? See [Creating Your GateBeacon Account](/books/gatebeacon-documentation/page/creating-your-gatebeacon-account).
- Already have an account? Jump to [Enrolling a Linux Device](/books/gatebeacon-documentation/page/enrolling-a-linux-device) or [Enrolling a Windows Device](/books/gatebeacon-documentation/page/enrolling-a-windows-device).