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diff --git a/content/blog/2020-05-03-homelab.md b/content/blog/2020-05-03-homelab.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d02e9e8 --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/2020-05-03-homelab.md @@ -0,0 +1,166 @@ ++++ +date = 2020-05-03 +title = "An Inside Look at My Home Lab" +description = "" +draft = false ++++ + +# What is a Homelab? + +Starting as a developer, I have largely stayed away from hardware-based +hobbies (other than building a gaming desktop). However, as the +quarantine for COVID-19 stretches out further and further, I found +myself bored and in search of new hobbies. After spending the last few +months browsing the [r/homelab](https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/) +subreddit, I decided it was time to jump in and try things out for +myself. + +Since I am a beginner and just recently graduated from college, +everything I\'ve done so far in my homelab is fairly low-budget. + +# Hardware + + + +### Raspberry Pi 4 + +Luckily, I had actually purchased a [Raspberry Pi +4](https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/) before +the quarantine started so that I could try to keep Plex Media Center +running, even while my desktop computer was turned off. I started here, +using the Pi to hold Plex and Pi-hole until I grew tired with the slow +performance. + +Here are the specifications for the Pi 4: + +- Broadcom BCM2711, Quad core Cortex-A72 (ARM v8) 64-bit SoC @ 1.5GHz +- 4GB LPDDR4-3200 SDRAM +- Gigabit Ethernet +- H.265 (4kp60 decode), H264 (1080p60 decode, 1080p30 encode) +- 64 GB MicroSD Card + +## Dell Optiplex 5040 + +Since I wasn\'t happy with the Pi as my main server, I turned to +Craigslist. I know a lot of other homelabbers use Ebay, but I can\'t +seem to ever trust it enough to purchase items on there. So I used +Craigslist and found a Dell Optiplex 5040 desktop computer on sale for +\$90. While this computer might be underpowered, it was one of the few +computers under \$100 that was available during quarantine. + +Here are the specifications for the Dell Optiplex 5040: + +- Intel Core i3 6100 +- 8GB RAM DDR3 +- Intel HD Graphics +- Gigabit Ethernet +- 500GB Hard Drive + +While this hardware would be awful for a work computer or a gaming rig, +it turned out to be wonderful for my server purposes. The only +limitation I have found so far is the CPU. The i3-6100 only has enough +power for a single 4k video transcode at a time. I haven\'t tested more +than three 1080p streams at a time, but the maximum amount of streams +I\'ve ever actually used is two. + +## WD easystore 10TB & 8TB + +Application storage and temporary files are stored on the internal hard +drive of the server, but all media files (movies, tv, games, books, etc) +are stored externally on my WD easystore hard drive. Creating auto-boot +configurations in the `/etc/fstab` file on my server allows +the hard drives to automatically mount whenever I need to restart my +server. + +> Update: In March 2022, I shucked the hard drives out of their external +> cases, put some Kapton tape on the third power pin to prevent power +> shutdowns, and stuck them inside my server tower using internal SATA +> cables. + +## Netgear Unmanaged Switch + +To manage all the ethernet cords used by my homelab, my desktop, and my +living room media center, I purchased an 8-port gigabit ethernet switch +for \$50 at my local computer store. This is probably much more than I +should have spent on an unmanaged switch, but I am comfortable with the +choice. + +## TP-Link Managed Switch + +Since I use the unmanaged switch to group all living room devices +together, I use the managed switch to configure VLANs and secure my +network. + +## Arris TM1602A Modem & Sagecom Fast 5280 Router + +My default modem and router, provided by my ISP, are fairly standard. +The Arris modem supports DOCSIS 3.0, which is something that I +definitely wanted as a minimum. The Sagecom router is also standard, no +fancy bells or whistles. However, it does support DHCP and DHCPv6, which +is something you can use to route all household traffic through a +pi-hole or firewall. + +## TP-Link EAP + +In order to gain better control over the network, I use my own wireless +access point instead of the one included in the Sagecom router above. +Now I can control and organize all of my ethernet connections through +the VLANs on the managed switch and wireless connections through the +VLANS on the EAP. + +## Generic Printer + +The last piece to my homelab is a standard wireless printer. Nothing +special here. + +# Software + +## Ubuntu Server 20.04 + +While the 20.04 version of Ubuntu was just released, I always like to +experiment with new features (and I don\'t mind breaking my system - it +just gives me more experience learning how to fix things). So, I have +Ubuntu Server 20.04 installed on the Dell Optiplex server and Ubuntu +Server 19.10 installed on the Raspberry Pi. Once I find an acceptable +use for the Pi, I will most likely switch the operating system. + +## Docker + +I am *very* new to Docker, but I have had a lot of fun playing with it +so far. Docker is used to create containers that can hold all the +contents of a system without interfering with other software on the same +system. So far, I have successfully installed pi-hole, GitLab, Gogs, and +Nextcloud in containers. However, I opted to delete all of those so that +I can reconfigure them more professionally at a later time. + +## Plex Media Server + +Plex is a media center software that allows you to organize your movies, +TV shows, music, photos, and videos automatically. It will even download +metadata for you so that you can easily browse these collections. + +## Pi-hole + +Pi-hole is an alternative ad-blocker that runs at the DNS level, +allowing you to block traffic when it hits your network, so that you can +reject any traffic you deem to be bad. Pi-hole uses blacklists and +whitelists to decide which traffic block and, luckily, there are a lot +of pre-made lists out there on Reddit, GitHub, etc. + +## Nextcloud + +While I had trouble with the Docker version of Nextcloud, I was very +successful when setting up the snap version. Using this, I was able to +map Nextcloud to a subdomain of a domain I own in Namecheap. +Additionally, Nextcloud has an integration with Let\'s Encrypt that +allows me to issue certificates automatically to any new domain I +authorize. + +## Webmin + +To monitor my servers, and the processes running on them, I use the +Webmin dashboard. This was fairly painless to set up, and I currently +access it straight through the server\'s IP address. In the future, I +will be looking to configure Webmin to use a custom domain just like +Nextcloud. |