Selfhosting on Techdox

I Rebuilt My Homelab Network with OPNsense, Pi-hole, WireGuard, and NPM

Thu, 28 May 2026 20:27:32 +0000

I Rebuilt My Homelab Network with OPNsense, Pi-hole, WireGuard, and NPM

I’ve been running a homelab for a while now, but after a recent rebuild, I finally have a network setup I’m genuinely happy with.

Why Linux For Selfhosting?

Sun, 11 Aug 2024 08:41:53 +0000

When to Transition from Tinkering to Serious Self-Hosting

Self-hosting often begins with a bit of experimentation on whatever device you have at hand, usually your daily PC running Windows or macOS. Since launching my YouTube channel, I’ve noticed that many people encounter issues when trying to self-host on their main desktop. While there’s nothing wrong with learning and experimenting on your primary machine, when it comes to hosting dedicated services, it’s time to consider setting up a dedicated machine with Linux.

Break Things But Start Small

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:22:22 +0000

I’m a massive advocate for just diving in and breaking things when you start learning something new in the tech world. However, it’s crucial to set achievable goals for yourself.

Why Selfhost?

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 09:01:04 +0000

Self-hosting is pursued for a myriad of reasons, ranging from the desire to control one’s data and avoiding reliance on large corporations, to it being a hobby or a means of acquiring new skills. Personally, my venture into self-hosting encompasses most of the reasons mentioned, with a primary focus on learning. It’s astonishing how deploying even a single service, such as a WordPress blog, can expand your knowledge. When you self-host WordPress, you’re not just learning about WordPress; you delve into everything around it. This includes setting up the server (often Linux, introducing a steep learning curve for novices), understanding Docker and containers if choosing that route for deployment, and learning about network configuration, domain names, and DNS to make your site public. Each project introduces a wealth of learning opportunities, and the journey doesn’t end with deployment. When inevitable issues arise, troubleshooting becomes yet another skill to hone.

Why You Need to Selfhost a Website

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 20:00:00 +0000

If you work in tech, or even if it’s a hobby for you, you’ll understand that it’s an ever-changing field with an endless amount to learn, regardless of your specialization. When you’re trying to acquire knowledge in this dynamic space, it can be challenging to retain what you’ve learned or even gauge whether you’re truly absorbing new information. So, how can you confirm your learning and solidify your understanding?

Umbrel: A Selfhosted Dashboard

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 06:50:19 +0000

Overview

Self-hosting can be intimidating, especially for newcomers to concepts like Docker, Linux, Networking, and storage. Many users who want to enter this space can feel overwhelmed by these services. This is where self-hosted dashboards come in – though I’m not sure if that’s their official name, it’s what I call them.

Embracing Proxmox: Virtualization Adventures in Self-Hosting

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 09:28:34 +0000

Recently, I made the decision to upgrade from hosting my services on a collection of single-board computers, such as my Raspberry Pis, to a dedicated server. Initially, I began by installing Debian and using it as I would with any other server I’ve had. However, after some discussions, it became clear that Proxmox was the way to go. This approach allows me to set up a dedicated server for my services, but in a virtualised environment. With Proxmox, I can run multiple virtual machines, each serving specific purposes, like a dedicated machine for my NFS shares or virtual machines for testing, including a Windows VM and various Linux distributions. It’s also an excellent platform for me to learn more about Proxmox itself.

Selfhosting and Containers

Sun, 23 Jul 2023 08:56:22 +0000

You know how some things just go hand in hand, like peanut butter and jelly or Netflix and chill? Well, in the tech world, there’s a pair that’s making waves: self-hosting and containers!

Securely Backup Docker Volumes: A Step-by-Step Guide (Nextcloud Example)

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 22:21:33 +0000

In containerized applications, Docker volumes play a critical role in persisting data. As such, backing up these volumes is crucial for ensuring data safety and facilitating recovery. This guide will walk you through the process of securely backing up Docker volumes using Nextcloud as an example. By following these step-by-step instructions, you’ll be able to create backups of Nextcloud’s Docker volumes, including both the data and configuration directories. Let’s dive in and safeguard your valuable data today!

Lessons Learned: Backing Up and Restoring Docker Containers on Ubuntu Server

Wed, 10 May 2023 08:30:31 +0000

I’ve been setting up containers on my Zimaboard, which is running the latest version of Ubuntu Server as of writing this. I realized that I had installed all the partitions onto the internal eMMC storage instead of the SSD I had installed. This gave me an opportunity to learn how to back up and restore containers using only Docker commands.

How to Expand Your ZimaBoard Storage with a 1TB SATA SSD

Sun, 02 Apr 2023 11:03:41 +0000

If you’re looking to give your ZimaBoard a storage boost, adding a 1TB SATA SSD is a smart and simple solution. In this tutorial, we’ll guide you through the process of installing and configuring your new SSD, as well as share some expert tips for getting the most out of your expanded storage capacity.

ZimaBoard: The Ultimate Single Board Computer for DIY Projects?

Thu, 30 Mar 2023 04:30:15 +0000

Self-hosting and lightweight single-board computing tend to go hand in hand, which is why Raspberry Pis and NUCs are so popular among the self-hosting community. As a self-hoster myself, I’m always on the lookout for the next best thing to host my services on. That’s why I was delighted when IceWhale, the creators of ZimaBoard, asked if I would be willing to review it. I was more than happy to oblige!

Self-Hosting With a Raspberry Pi 4 and Cloudflare

Tue, 28 Mar 2023 07:25:51 +0000

If you know me personally or have watched my YouTube channel, you’re probably aware of my love for self-hosting and trying out different services on my own rather than relying on paid or free hosting options. One of my favorite tools for self-hosting is the Raspberry Pi - these low-power devices are affordable (or at least they were before the current chip shortage), and when combined with Docker, they can handle a lot of tasks. In particular, the Raspberry Pi 4 - with its quad-core processor and 8GB of RAM - packs a serious self-hosting punch.