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Self-Hosting Essentials
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items Self-hosting gives you complete control over your data, services, and infrastructure. Whether you're building your first homelab or expanding an existing server, these are the hardware, networking gear, storage, and accessories I recommend for creati...
Sections
8
Servers & Compute
Storage
Networking
Power & Protection
Software & Virtualization
Security & Remote Access
Servers & Compute
Every self-hosted setup starts with reliable computing hardware. These are the systems I recommend for running Docker containers, virtual machines, media servers, and other always-on services.
A compact and power-efficient mini PC that's perfect for running Docker, Home Assistant, Pi-hole, and other always-on self-hosted services.
Beelink Mini S12 Pro Mini PC, Intel 12th Gen N100
An excellent refurbished option for building a capable homelab. Quiet, reliable, and easy to upgrade.
Lenovo ThinkCentre M920q Tiny Desktop i5-8500T
A versatile single-board computer that's great for lightweight services, learning Linux, and experimenting with self-hosting.
Buy a Raspberry Pi 5
A premium mini PC platform that offers excellent performance while remaining compact and energy efficient.
Intel NUC 13Pro ASUS NUC13ANHi5 Core 1340P
Storage
Reliable storage is the backbone of every homelab. From operating system drives to high-capacity NAS storage, these are the drives and storage accessories I trust for keeping data safe and accessible.
A fast and dependable SSD that's ideal for operating systems, containers, and virtual machines.
990 EVO NVMe™ 1TB Internal SSD | Samsung US
Built for 24/7 operation, making it a reliable choice for NAS systems and long-term data storage.
WD20EFPX WD Red Plus Internal NAS HDD 3.5" - 2TB
Turns any compatible NVMe SSD into a fast portable USB-C drive for backups or file transfers.
UGREEN M.2 NVMe SATA SSD Enclosure 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2
A compact and durable flash drive that's perfect for installers, recovery tools, and quick file transfers.
USB Type-C™ Flash Drive MUF-256DA/AM | Samsung US
Networking
Stable networking keeps every service connected and responsive. These networking essentials help build a fast, reliable, and easy-to-manage home network.
A reliable unmanaged switch that instantly expands your wired network without any complicated setup.
TL-SG108 | 8-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch
Delivers strong Wi-Fi performance and excellent value for home labs and modern smart homes.
TP-Link Archer AX55 Dual-Band AX3000 Router
High-quality Ethernet cables that provide reliable gigabit networking with excellent build quality.
Cat6 Snagless Ethernet Patch Cable
Adds a stable wired network connection to laptops and tablets that don't have an Ethernet port.
UGREEN USB C to Ethernet Adapter, Plug & Play
Power & Protection
A stable power setup is just as important as good hardware. These products help protect servers from outages, provide clean power, and keep critical services running.
Protects servers from power outages and gives you time to shut them down safely during unexpected blackouts.
APC Back-UPS | Schneider Electric USA
My favorite USB-C charger for powering laptops and other devices from a single compact charger.
UGREEN Nexode 100W GaN USB C Charger, 4-Port ...
A high-capacity power bank that can even charge laptops, making it a great backup for mobile work.
Anker Prime Power Bank (26K, 300W)
Lets you remotely power cycle servers or monitor energy usage from anywhere.
Smart Plugs
Software & Virtualization
The software layer that makes self-hosting simple and scalable. These tools help deploy applications, manage containers, and maintain servers with confidence.
My preferred way to deploy and manage applications consistently across different environments.
Docker
A clean web interface that makes managing Docker containers much simpler than relying solely on the command line.
GitHub
A powerful virtualization platform that's perfect for running virtual machines and Linux containers on a homelab server.
Proxmox Virtual Environment
An excellent operating system for building reliable network-attached storage with powerful data management features.
TrueNAS Community Edition | Free Open Source Storage
Security & Remote Access
Secure remote access and networking are essential for managing self-hosted services from anywhere. These are the tools I rely on to keep my infrastructure both accessible and protected.
The easiest way I've found to securely access my servers and devices from anywhere.
Tailscale
Securely exposes self-hosted services to the internet without opening ports on your router.
Cloudflare Tunnel
Adds strong hardware-based two-factor authentication to protect important accounts and infrastructure.
USB-A YubiKey 5 NFC Two Factor Security Key
A secure password manager that keeps credentials organized and protected across all of my devices.
Bitwarden Password Manager Pricing & Plans
Backup & Recovery
Backups aren't optional—they're essential. These storage solutions and backup tools help protect important files, application data, and server configurations from unexpected failures.
My preferred portable SSD for backups thanks to its excellent speed, portability, and reliability.
SAMSUNG T7 Portable 1TB External SSD
A rugged portable SSD that's ideal for carrying backups while traveling or working remotely.
500GB Black SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
High-capacity external storage that's perfect for scheduled backups and archiving large amounts of data.
Expansion Desktop with Software - Seagate US
A powerful free backup solution for protecting virtual machines and critical workloads.
Veeam Backup & Replication Community Edition:Our latest gift to ...
Maintenance & Monitoring
Keeping servers healthy requires more than just good hardware. These monitoring and maintenance tools help track performance, troubleshoot issues, and ensure everything continues running smoothly.
Turns server metrics into easy-to-read dashboards, making it simple to monitor the health of my infrastructure.
Grafana ...
My favorite self-hosted uptime monitoring tool with a clean interface and flexible alerting.
Uptime Kuma - A fancy self-hosted monitoring tool · GitHub
Useful for measuring USB voltage, current, and charging performance when troubleshooting power issues.
USB Tester
A comprehensive repair toolkit that's invaluable for upgrading, maintaining, or repairing servers and networking hardware.
iFixit Pro Tech® Toolkit: Computer, Phone, Electronics Repair Kit