If you run a Mastodon server, you may notice that your local timeline feels quiet or that users complain about seeing only posts from their own instance. A Mastodon relay is a server that forwards public posts from all connected instances to every other connected instance, filling your federated timeline with diverse content. Without a … Read more
When you run a Mastodon instance, you have two primary methods to populate the federated timeline with content from other servers: joining a relay or configuring direct federation with specific instances. The federated timeline shows public posts from instances your server follows. Without either method, your users see only local posts. This article explains how … Read more
Running a Mastodon relay helps instances discover public posts from other instances without each user manually searching for remote accounts. A relay acts as a central hub that receives public posts from subscribing instances and redistributes them to all other subscribers. This guide explains how to set up your own relay using the ActivityRelay software … Read more
When you subscribe to a Mastodon relay, the status often shows “pending” and never changes to “accepted.” This happens because the relay server and your instance cannot complete the required handshake. The relay expects a subscription request from your admin account, but your instance may be blocking the relay or the relay may be inactive. … Read more
Mastodon relays are servers that forward public posts between instances. When you connect your instance to a public relay, it receives boosts from all other instances linked to that relay. This can quickly fill your federated timeline with relevant content. However, not all public relays are reliable. Some are overloaded, poorly maintained, or shut down … Read more
Mastodon relays are tools that broadcast public posts from one server to many others. When you enable a relay, your posts reach a wider audience beyond your instance. However, relays have built-in limits that affect how far your posts actually travel. This article explains what those limits are and how they shape the reach of … Read more
If your Mastodon server is subscribed to a relay, it may pull in public posts from many other instances. This can flood your local timeline with content that is not relevant to your community. A relay subscription is a server-level setting controlled by the instance administrator. This article explains how to unsubscribe from a relay … Read more
Mastodon relays collect public posts from multiple instances and redistribute them to all connected servers. This feature helps small instances discover content from the wider fediverse without manually following every user. However, relays can consume significant bandwidth because every post from every connected instance is pulled into your server. This article explains how relay bandwidth … Read more
When your Mastodon server subscribes to a relay, it receives boosted posts from many remote instances. These boosts can bring unwanted content from domains you do not want your users to see. A relay does not filter content by domain before sending it to your server. To stop a specific domain from reaching your users … Read more
Mastodon relays broadcast public posts from one instance to all connected instances. This can cause a massive influx of federation traffic that overwhelms Sidekiq, the background job processor. When Sidekiq queues fill up, new local posts, notifications, and deliveries slow down or stop entirely. This article explains why relays create Sidekiq backlogs and how to … Read more