Imagine saying goodbye to the constant worry of cloud outages disrupting your work and personal life, all while running a powerhouse of digital services from a single, pint-sized device in your own home. It's not just possible—it's transformative. Stick around, because I'm about to dive into how I built my entire home lab on one Proxmox mini PC, and trust me, it's changed everything for me.
Written by João, who's been immersed in tech journalism for over seven years, with a special passion for laptops, the Windows world, and yes, even diving deep into Nintendo gaming whenever the conversation turns that way. Before joining XDA in 2021, he honed his skills at Neowin (https://www.neowin.net/news/poster/jo%C3%A3o-carrasqueira/). Personally, I'm thrilled to share this journey, as it highlights how everyday tech enthusiasts can reclaim control.
These days, it feels like everything hinges on cloud services in some way—think of the massive AWS disruption (https://www.xda-developers.com/aws-major-outage/) just a few weeks back that left countless folks stranded at their desks. Sure, some of that reliance is inevitable, but I've discovered that a surprising amount can be swapped out for self-hosted setups right on your own hardware.
A few months back, I set out on an adventure to swap cloud storage for a personal home server (https://www.xda-developers.com/know-nothing-about-home-labs-nas-set-them-up-anyway-heres-how-went/), and it's evolved into something indispensable in my daily routine. The beauty? It all runs on one compact computer, delivering the storage and computing muscle I need to streamline my life effortlessly.
Proxmox: The beating heart of my setup
A streamlined, efficient virtualization platform
When it comes to operating systems for your own 'home lab'—essentially, a local server hosting various network services—you've got options. As someone relatively new to this, I took advice from fellow techies and chose Proxmox, and wow, was that a smart move.
Proxmox stands out as a lightweight yet robust virtualization environment. It excels at running full-fledged virtual machines (VMs), but it also supports Linux containers (LXC), which are far less resource-intensive for specific tasks. For beginners, think of VMs as complete computer simulations within your PC, while LXCs are like lighter, more efficient isolated spaces—perfect for apps that don't need a full operating system.
In my configuration, Proxmox hosts just three core services: TrueNAS and Home Assistant in VMs, and Jellyfin in an LXC. What struck me was how straightforward the setup felt. I'd previously run Home Assistant directly on an old PC (https://www.xda-developers.com/how-turn-old-pc-into-smart-home-hub/), but migrating it to a VM preserved all my devices, integrations, and customizations with minimal tweaks. This lets me manage my smart home gadgets without relying on those pesky cloud apps from big companies—giving me true control.
Proxmox also simplifies adding new services. When I integrated Jellyfin, a community script handled the LXC container setup flawlessly. I just had to allocate a GPU for hardware-accelerated video conversion, which was a breeze. Plus, I easily linked storage to an SMB share from TrueNAS, keeping my media library seamless during the transition from Jellyfin inside TrueNAS to its new home in Proxmox.
TrueNAS: The hub where most of my services converge
Even though it's nested within Proxmox, TrueNAS acts as the central spot for most of my home services (https://www.xda-developers.com/self-hosted-services-now-love/). Right now, I'm running eight applications on it, such as Nextcloud, Immich, OnlyOffice, Tailscale, Nginx Proxy Manager, and Miniflux, a handy RSS reader.
These tools, particularly Nextcloud and Immich (https://www.xda-developers.com/stopped-using-google-drive-onedrive-could-host-own-files-and-love-it/), have become vital to my workflow. Nextcloud serves as my go-to for storing documents and work files, accessible across devices for as long as needed. It even integrates with OnlyOffice for editing right in a web browser, mimicking those familiar office suites but without the fees. Immich is my archive for cherished memories—photos and videos that capture life's moments without handing them over to external providers.
TrueNAS lets me organize data into specific datasets and schedule backups, which I've set up meticulously. I back up to a Backblaze B2 storage bucket (https://www.xda-developers.com/finally-found-backup-solution-worth-paying-for/), and the pay-as-you-go model keeps costs down while ensuring I can recover everything if a drive fails.
The remaining services add convenience without backup needs. Tailscale enables secure access to my home network from anywhere, and Nginx Proxy Manager simplifies connections with memorable custom URLs instead of juggling IPs. I once had Pi-hole for network-wide ad blocking, but I've switched to AdGuard Home built into my router for better integration.
Despite juggling all these, CPU usage stays low for both TrueNAS and Proxmox unless I'm streaming high-demand content, keeping energy bills reasonable.
Everything powered by one compact machine
Small in size, enormous in capability
All these services, directly or indirectly, operate within a single Proxmox instance on an Asus NUC Pro 14 (https://www.xda-developers.com/asus-nuc-14-pro-review/). This diminutive device packs a laptop CPU and no dedicated graphics card, yet it handles everything with room to spare. I went with a premium model, which isn't cheap, but the consistently low resource use proves you don't need top-tier specs.
For example, you could pick up an older NUC at a discount and have it running smoothly for years. Or opt for a newer, budget-friendly variant to cut costs. Mini PCs like this are affordable overall, with options to upgrade RAM or storage later if needed.
The key takeaway? You can power a suite of essential home services without cloud dependency, using a low-power device that won't inflate your monthly utility bills. Of course, developers of these open-source tools welcome donations to sustain their work, but you contribute on your own schedule when finances allow.
But here's where it gets controversial: Is self-hosting really the superior choice, or does it just appeal to tech purists at the expense of simplicity? On one hand, it hands back privacy and control, avoiding vendor lock-in. On the other, cloud services offer effortless scalability and zero maintenance headaches. What if the 'convenience' of clouds hides a deeper trade-off in data ownership—something worth debating?
And this is the part most people miss: The initial learning curve is steep, involving trial and error (and plenty of online help), but the payoff in autonomy is priceless.
I'm absolutely hooked on my home lab
Transforming my digital existence on a Proxmox mini PC has been nothing short of life-altering—and no, that's not hyperbole. With all my crucial data secured on my own server, available instantly at blazing speeds, and at a lower cost than subscribing to services like Microsoft 365 or Google One, plus avoiding entrusting my files to corporate giants, I've eliminated so many daily hassles.
It demands significant upfront effort and knowledge-building, but if you're willing to invest the time, building a home lab is an enriching endeavor. It doesn't require breaking the bank or a monster machine; even a modest PC can suffice, depending on your needs.
So, what are your thoughts? Do you see self-hosting as the ultimate path to digital freedom, or is the lure of cloud convenience too strong to resist? Is the trade-off in effort worth the privacy gains, or does it just complicate life unnecessarily? I'd love to hear your perspective—agree, disagree, or share your own home lab stories in the comments!
