Rig Mesh vs a typical private network
Most private networks are a tunnel you configure. Mesh is the private network inside Rig — wake, screen, names, and rules in sentences, on the Macs and Windows PCs you already use.
Who this is for
People with two or more computers who want them to reach each other without a separate VPN app.
The short answer
Use Mesh when the job is your machines reaching each other — wake, screen, file sharing, SSH — from the same app that already runs your projects. Stay with a browsing VPN if you need to appear on another network, or with a dedicated mesh product if you need Linux or hardware that can’t run Rig. Mesh works on Mac and Windows, and the Rig iPhone app can reach your machines. Mesh is not a browsing VPN. Both ends need Rig. Wake needs a second machine running Rig, already awake on the same network, to relay the signal.
Side by side
| Feature | Rig | a typical private network | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary job | Private network between your machines, inside Rig | A tunnel you configure and keep running | |
| Wake a sleeping machine | Yes | No | Needs another machine running Rig awake on that network to relay the signal |
| Screen into another machine | Yes | Partial | Screen Sharing on Mac, Remote Desktop on Windows. Either can ride any tunnel; Mesh starts it from the same window |
| Rules in sentences | Yes | No | Macs tagged studio can reach trusted on Screen Sharing |
| Your range and names | Yes | Partial | Pin a name and address; moving the range keeps the last part where it can. No re-enroll. |
| Projects, logs, MCP in the same app | Yes | No | |
| Browsing VPN / exit node | No | Yes | Mesh connects your own machines. It does not put your laptop on someone else's internet. |
| Linux and hardware without Rig | No | Yes | Both ends need Rig: Mac, Windows, or the Rig iPhone app |
| Undo window after a bad change | Yes | No | Ten minutes. If an awake machine doesn't report in, everything goes back. |
Choose Rig if
- You already live in Rig and have two or more computers
- You want to wake and screen a studio machine from a laptop or your iPhone
- Rules should read as sentences, not a policy file
- You want your own names and range without re-adding machines
Stay with that network if
- You need a browsing VPN or an exit on another network
- You need Linux boxes or NAS hardware on the same overlay
- You only have one computer
Mesh connects Macs and Windows PCs running Rig, plus the Rig iPhone app. Wake still needs a second machine running Rig on that network to relay the signal. It is not a replacement for a browsing VPN.
Running both
A browsing VPN keeps
- Appearing on another network
- Linux and devices that can’t run Rig
- Exit nodes and internet egress
Mesh takes
- Wake and screen between your machines
- Names and addresses you choose
- Rules written as sentences
They solve different jobs. Many people will keep a browsing VPN and add Mesh for the studio machine.