· The Nucleus boots up and I can connect to it in the Roon app without issue, but I have a question about configuration/storage/attached devices
Describe the issue
I have a genuine Nucleus+ Rev A (Serial #94C691125B4E).
Current versions: • Operating System: 1.0 (build 259) production • Roon Server: 2.60 (build 1629) production • Ethernet connected • Internal music storage: Samsung SSD 870 (2TB)
Issue:
The Nucleus is stuck on RoonOS build 259. I performed a Web Admin “Reinstall Operating System”, but it reinstalls build 259 and does not update beyond that.
Because of this, Tailscale does not appear in ARC settings.
My ISP is Starlink, so I am behind CGNAT (100.64.x.x gateway). Traditional port forwarding is not possible, so native Tailscale support is required for ARC to function.
From forum posts, I understand there was a known issue with early Nucleus+ Rev A units where the recovery partition prevents updates beyond build 259.
Could you please advise on the supported method to update this unit to the current RoonOS build (including Tailscale support)? I am happy to provide diagnostics if needed.
Only NUCs that were installed in UEFI mode update the OS beyond build 259, which is required for Tailscale to be available.
This means Nucleus One, Titan, and ROCK installations after Roon OS supported UEFI.
Older Nucleus and older ROCK installations are in Legacy BIOS mode. I suppose it would be possible to reinstall older Nucleus in UEFI mode, but if so, you’d have to do this yourself.
When Tailscale was added, Roon Labs said that they were working on a program to make Tailscale available for older Nucleus, but we have never heard anything about it again.
You have done your research perfectly, and Suedkiez is absolutely right regarding the technical details.
Your Nucleus+ Rev A was originally installed using Legacy BIOS. The native Tailscale integration introduced in later RoonOS builds requires a UEFI boot environment. The “Reinstall” button in the Web Admin interface only fetches the latest firmware for your Roon Software, which is why it firmly stops at build 259.
However, since you are on Starlink and must bypass CGNAT, there is a very reliable network workaround to get ARC running without native Nucleus support.
You can achieve the exact same result by setting up a Subnet Router (essentially an “entry node”) on your local network.
Here is how it works:
You install Tailscale on another device on your home network that is always powered on and connected to your router.
You configure this device to advertise your local home network to your Tailscale account.
When you are away from home, your phone (running Tailscale) connects to this “entry node” device, which then securely bridges the connection locally to your Nucleus.
This completely bypasses the Starlink CGNAT and allows ARC to function exactly as if Tailscale were installed directly on the Nucleus.
Common devices used for this include:
An Apple TV (the easiest method, as it has a native Tailscale app)
A Raspberry Pi
A NAS (Synology, QNAP)
An always-on Windows PC or Mac
Do you happen to have an Apple TV, a NAS, or another always-on device on your network that we could use to set this up? Let me know what hardware you have available, and I can point you toward the right setup instructions!
Here’s Tailscale’s documentation for setting up a subnet router on a separate computer.
This isn’t an officially sanctioned workaround, but let us know if you have any specific questions and we’ll do our best to assist. Please keep in mind that this post will close without any further responses after a few days.