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diff --git a/content/blog/2020-05-03-homelab.org b/content/blog/2020-05-03-homelab.org index c074f32..9d7c73d 100644 --- a/content/blog/2020-05-03-homelab.org +++ b/content/blog/2020-05-03-homelab.org @@ -5,27 +5,23 @@ * 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 [[https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/][r/homelab]] -subreddit, I decided it was time to jump in and try things out for -myself. +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 [[https://www.reddit.com/r/homelab/][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. +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 -[[https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/][Raspberry -Pi 4]] 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. +Luckily, I had actually purchased a [[https://www.raspberrypi.org/products/raspberry-pi-4-model-b/][Raspberry Pi 4]] 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: @@ -37,12 +33,12 @@ Here are the specifications for the Pi 4: ** 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. +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: @@ -52,111 +48,103 @@ Here are the specifications for the Dell Optiplex 5040: - 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. +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. +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. #+begin_quote -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. +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. #+end_quote ** 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. +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. +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. +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. +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. +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. +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. +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. +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. +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. +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. +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. |