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diff --git a/content/blog/guide-self-hosting.md b/content/blog/guide-self-hosting.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..664080b --- /dev/null +++ b/content/blog/guide-self-hosting.md @@ -0,0 +1,263 @@ ++++ +title = "A 12-year-old's guide to self-hosting" +date = 2025-11-05 +extra.image = "/assets/images/post-image/guide-self-hosting.jpg" ++++ + +Have you ever wanted to self-host your own homelab but didn't know how? + +Let me show you how I, a 12-year-old, built my own setup --- and how you can too. + +### What even *is* self hosting? + +Self-hosting is when you run services on a computer at home that you control instead of using other people/organization's servers such as Google Drive or Discord. + +You can use an old laptop, a [Raspberry Pi](https://raspberrypi.com/) (like me), or even a PC to run things like: +- A website (like this one, which also happens to be self-hosted!) +- A file server for sharing stuff at home --- good if you have an old SSD or hard drive laying around! +- A Minecraft server for you and your friends +- A media server to stream movies, TV shows, and Live TV (as long as you have the media) +- A YouTube downloader +- And tons more! + +### Why self-host? + +The main reasons you'd want to self-host is because: +- You want to learn Linux, networking, and sysadmin +- You want full control over your data +- You don't want Google/other companies tracking you (e.g. self-hosting your own Google Drive alternative to stay away from Google) +- You can make something *yours* --- no subscriptions, no ads + +### What do you need? + +- A computer (even an old laptop or [Raspberry Pi](https://raspberrypi.com/) will work fine) +- An operating system --- preferably Ubuntu for compatibility (or Pi OS if you are using a Pi) +- A network connection (preferably Ethernet, but Wi-Fi will work fine too) +- Access to your router settings (ideally, if you want to make things public) + +## Getting started + +**Warning**: This guide assumes you have some knowledge of computer networking and shell commands. +If you don't, I recommend learning how to interact with SSH and the Linux terminal before reading this guide. + +Alright, enough blabbing --- here comes the actual setup. + +### Installing an OS + +The first step is to install an operating system on your computer of choice. + +If you are using a Raspberry Pi, follow instructions [here](https://www.raspberrypi.com/documentation/computers/getting-started.html#installing-the-operating-system) to install an OS. Make sure to install Raspberry Pi OS **Lite** if you don't plan to use any GUI apps --- which for this setup, we won't. + +If you’re **not** using a Raspberry Pi, you can install [Ubuntu Server](https://ubuntu.com/download/server) on your old laptop or PC. +Just download the ISO, then flash it to a USB stick using [Rufus](https://rufus.ie) (on Windows) or [balenaEtcher](https://etcher.balena.io) (on macOS/Linux) and follow the setup prompts. + +After installing your OS, remember to run the following command to update all packages: + +`sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y` + +### Installing Docker (and Portainer for easy management) + +*Technically*, this step is optional - but it's very important and almost required to follow this tutorial. + +Docker is a piece of software that allows you to place different services in containers/sandboxes. This allows you to easily spin up services and keep them isolated from others, protecting your system installation and providing another layer of security. + +If you are using a Raspberry Pi, I recommend following the instructions from the [pi-hosted GitHub repo](https://github.com/pi-hosted/pi-hosted) to get Docker and Portainer up and running with specialized app templates for Pi devices. This script *may* work on other non-Pi devices, but your mileage may vary and it is not recommended. + +(**Disclaimer**: The repository mentioned above, pi-hosted, is not affiliated nor endorsed by the Raspberry Pi Foundation.) + +If you're **not** using a Raspberry Pi, you can install Docker and Portainer quickly with the following guide(s). + +#### Install Docker on non-Pi devices + +**Note**: This guide and the following do work for Raspberry Pi devices, but it is easier to use the script from the repo above to get up and running quicker. + +1. Refresh the package list: + + ```shell + sudo apt update + ``` + +2. Install the necessary packages: + + ```shell + sudo apt install ca-certificates curl + ``` + + When prompted, press Y and Enter to begin the installation. + +3. Set the necessary permissions for the */etc/apt/keyrings* directory: + + ```shell + sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings + ``` + +4. Use the *curl* command to download the GPG key: + + ```shell + sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc + ``` + +5. Change the permissions of the key file: + + ```shell + sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc + ``` + +6. Add the Docker repo to the APT sources list: + + ```shell + echo \ + "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.asc] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \ + $(. /etc/os-release && echo "${UBUNTU_CODENAME:-$VERSION_CODENAME}") stable" | \ + sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null + ``` + +7. Refresh the package list: + + ```shell + sudo apt update + ``` + +8. Install Docker packages + + ```shell + sudo apt install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-compose-plugin docker-buildx-plugin -y + ``` + +9. Create the `docker` group for non-root user access: + + ```shell + sudo groupadd -f docker + ``` + +10. Add the current user to the docker group: + + ```shell + sudo usermod -aG docker $USER + ``` + + To add a user other than the current user, add their username instead of $USER like so: + ```shell + sudo usermod -aG docker [username] + ``` + +11. Apply the new group membership changes: + + ```shell + newgrp docker + ``` + +12. Reboot your device to ensure all changes have been applied: + + ```shell + sudo reboot + ``` + +#### Install Portainer on non-Pi devices + +Next, we need to install Portainer. +Don't worry, this will be much less complicated than the docker install. + +1. Create the Docker volume for Portainer's data: +```shell +docker volume create portainer_data +``` + + +2. Fetch and start the Portainer Server container: +```shell +docker run -d -p 8000:8000 -p 9443:9443 --name portainer --restart=always -v /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock -v portainer_data:/data portainer/portainer-ce:lts +``` + +Portainer has now been installed. You can check to see whether it has started by running the following command: + +```shell +docker ps +``` + +The output should look somewhat like the following: + +``` +root@server:~# docker ps +CONTAINER ID IMAGE COMMAND CREATED STATUS PORTS NAMES +7963585688a9 portainer/portainer-ce:lts "/portainer" 8 seconds ago Up 8 seconds 0.0.0.0:8000->8000/tcp, [::]:8000->8000/tcp, 0.0.0.0:9443->9443/tcp, [::]:9443->9443/tcp, 9000/tcp portainer +``` + +If the container's status is marked as "Up", congrats! Docker and Portainer are both up and running! + +You can now access the dashboard & admin console at `https://<your-server-ip>:9443`. + +## First apps to try + +Now that you've got Docker and Portainer installed, you're ready to start installing services/apps on your new home server. + +Here's a list of the first apps you should install: + +1. [Pi-hole](https://pi-hole.net/) + + An ad blocker that blocks ads on the network-level, before they even reach your device. + (**Note**: This does not block YouTube ads.) + + Installation instructions: [https://docs.pi-hole.net/docker/](https://docs.pi-hole.net/docker/) + +2. [docker-minecraft-server](https://github.com/itzg/docker-minecraft-server) + + A docker container that contains an easy configurable Minecraft Server with full support for Fabric/Forge/Paper and other server versions. Great for hosting a small server with friends. + (**Note**: It is recommended to use this with an official Pi 5 Active Cooler if using a Pi to make sure it doesn't get too hot.) + + Installation instructions: [https://docker-minecraft-server.readthedocs.io/en/latest/](https://docker-minecraft-server.readthedocs.io/en/latest/) + +3. [MeTube](https://github.com/alexta69/metube) + + A simple YouTube downloader webapp based on yt-dlp. + + Installation instructions: [https://github.com/alexta69/metube](https://github.com/alexta69/metube) + +4. [wg-easy](https://github.com/wg-easy/wg-easy) + + An easy way to get a WireGuard VPN/tunnel up and running. Useful to access your home network/local services when away from home. + + Installation instructions: [https://wg-easy.github.io/wg-easy/latest/getting-started/](https://wg-easy.github.io/wg-easy/latest/getting-started/) + +5. [Caddy](https://caddyserver.com/) + + A simple server/reverse proxy for hosting web apps, sites, and much more. Comes with HTTPS support (via Let's Encrypt) out of the box, making it easier to get up and running fast. + + Installation instructions: [https://caddyserver.com/docs/install](https://caddyserver.com/docs/install) + +6. [Navidrome](https://www.navidrome.org/) + + A lightweight music streaming service for your personal media collection, kind of like a Spotify alternative. + + Installation instructions: [https://www.navidrome.org/docs/installation/docker/](https://www.navidrome.org/docs/installation/docker/) + +7. [Plex](https://plex.tv) + + A media streaming service that allows you to stream your own collection of videos, music, and more content. + + Installation instructions: [https://github.com/plexinc/pms-docker](https://github.com/plexinc/pms-docker) + +8. [Jellyfin](https://jellyfin.org/) + + An open-source media streaming service that allows you to stream your own collection of videos, music, and more content. + + Installation instructions: [https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/installation/container](https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/installation/container) + +9. [Code-Server](https://github.com/coder/code-server) + + A server that allows you to access a full VS Code development environment in your browser. Useful for coding on-the-go, especially when paired with a WireGuard VPN. + + Installation instructions: [https://coder.com/docs/code-server/install#docker](https://coder.com/docs/code-server/install#docker) + +## Wrapping up + +Finally, you're done setting up your home server! +It wasn't as hard as you thought, right? + +Now that you've got a home server up and running, experiment with it! +Have a try installing more apps, or setting up more advanced containers! + +There are so many more apps, containers, and other things to explore on your home server beyond what I've mentioned here. +Just give it a try! + +Happy self-hosting! |