The homelab
A home network and server setup I built mostly from repurposed hardware and open-source software, and run like a small-office network: monitored, backed up, and documented. It started in July 2026 and is the testbed for the services I plan to offer through LambTech PC.
Building blocks
| Layer | What runs it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Firewall and router | OPNsense on a reused business laptop | Firewall, VLANs, DHCP, traffic shaping, VPN |
| DNS | AdGuard Home on two small servers (one is a Raspberry Pi) | Ad and tracker blocking for every device, with a backup server |
| Wi-Fi | UniFi access points + a wired-in router in access-point mode | Planned channels for less interference |
| Main server | Desktop PC: Ryzen 7 5800X, 80 GB RAM, GTX 1060 | Docker host for the services below, plus local AI |
| Services | Docker: Immich, Jellyfin, Nextcloud, Nginx Proxy Manager, Open WebUI | Photos, media, files, reverse proxy, local AI chat |
| Monitoring | Prometheus, Grafana, Uptime Kuma, a custom Command Center | Dashboards, outage diagnosis, phone alerts |
| Remote access | WireGuard VPN; Cloudflare Tunnel + Access for private web pages | Secure access from anywhere without opening the house up |
Things I'm proud of
- Moved a firewall onto a single network port ("router on a stick", with VLANs) after tracking repeated crashes down to a kernel bug triggered by USB network adapters. It went from 15 crashes in 3 days to none.
- Network-wide DNS filtering that devices can't bypass, including smart TVs that hard-code their own DNS servers.
- A self-written monitoring dashboard that separates the real cause of an outage from its knock-on effects and only alerts on the cause.
- A verified backup routine: every copy is checked by an independent file count and size comparison, never just the copy tool's own "success".
- Rescued and organized a large family photo and music archive from failing drives.
Rules I learned the hard way
- Ping lies. A link can pass every ping while failing under real load. Check error counters and link quality instead.
- Identify hardware by serial number or label, never by drive letter. Letters move.
- Clear the CMOS after every BIOS update. Leftover settings data can break things that loading defaults doesn't fix.
- Never trust a single copy. Make and verify a second copy before any risky step.
What's next
A dedicated NAS for the photo library, a UPS for clean shutdowns, and packaging the monitoring setup as a small-office service through LambTech PC.