It transfers across other peers; you don't have to have a direct connection to the recipient, just an eventual connection to them.
TheButtonJustSpins
Docker is your friend. :)
Try Guacamole.
I assume you don't have a TV or a spouse?
I will say, I really want someone* to make a Jellyfin aggregator so you can use multiple servers at once.
*Not me.
100% my experience as well. The external authentication requirement is what made my choose Jellyfin a couple years ago.
I was forcing VPN for a couple years but I've just recently started allowlisting client IPs instead. Not as good but definitely easier.
I love Stirling PDF. I use it probably once a quarter on average. But it's always there, ready to be useful.
I've been making people use VPN, but that's been a huge barrier to entry. I'm in the process of switching to IP allow list in traefik.
I just get alerts over telegram. They're just regular notifications, but you could probably set specific notification behavior and sounds for the app?
Edit: Though that's not a selfhosted solution. Sometimes it's a decision between reliability and selfhosted. e.g., I went back to Tailscale from Headscale when I lost connectivity through Headscale and couldn't figure out how to get it back.
I.. don't actually know. I wouldn't think that would be necessary (at least manually).