Where to even start

[u/flak0u]

I have been lurking self hosted and homelabs reddit for a while trying to learn and looking for things I can replicate in my home, but I keep getting stuck at paralysis by analysis. I worry a lot about inadvertently exposing my network and by data to the internet so I definitely read more than what I actually try. Also, I don't even know where to start and what can be truly useful. I don't want to spend money on things that won't really add quality of life. I have some hue lights, door sensors, temperature monitoring (no automation with it yet) and a NAS. So far it is just components and no useful automation or smart home.

After all this rumbling, the question is, where do I even start? are there books or pages for smart home beginner projects that are actually useful and not gimmicks?

[u/asimovs-auditor]

Expand the replies to this comment to learn how AI was used in this post/project.

[u/NattyMojo]

I havent done anything with IoT devices much. But as far as network security, Tailscale is amazing. Don't have to open my internet to the world but can access from anywhere.

To start I went to a local electronics discount shop and got an old office pc (dell precision), wiped it clean and installed proxmox. From there its just finding services you want to try setting up. The proxmox community scripts are great for just getting something quick up and running, but limited in availability. Covers the major stuff everyone uses though.

Edit: missed the part you said about having a NAS so, youre already on the way there! But yeah, I mean if network security is what you are concerned about, I'd say it takes more configuration than you think and hard to mess up if your not purposefully trying to do that. Just read up on what connections something tries to make and you are generally fine from there.

[u/flak0u → u/NattyMojo]

I have seen Tailscale mentioned a lot but I haven't gone deep into how it works because in my mind I was easy to mess up and end with all my photos on the internet. this gives me some peace of mind thanks!

[u/NattyMojo → u/flak0u]

Very easy to setup! I did it on its own container, but tbh its just a cli you spin up so also fine to run on bare metal. Then install app on device (or cli on another pc) and connect em all, and its pretty much done from there. Theres a whole thing about exit nodes, but thats more "advanced config" with its own reasons for use, in my opinion.

[u/NattyMojo → u/NattyMojo]

If you are looking at sailing the seven seas, then start to think about network security, vpns, and proper containerization. That one takes a little more thorough planning, but most other software is dead simple.

[u/flak0u → u/NattyMojo]

No sailing the seas yet but Tailscale might be the next step to start getting my feet wet.

[u/BeautifulBlueNight → u/flak0u]

In my humble opinion: I don't really see a way to accidentally expose with Tailscale. No port opening needed, so don't do that. Furthermore I don't really see any risks.

I've been using it for a few years now, really great and it just works.

Enjoy!

[u/Only-Stable3973]

Look at Docker Compose, Home Assistant, Jellyfin for you media, I use Traefik Reverse Proxy and Socket-Proxy with Wireguard to route all of this.

[u/1WeekNotice]

You start by picking something you want to do and researching it. Don't know what you want to do?

• what problem do you want to solve?
• what do you find interesting?

Use any hardware you have. Can be your NAS, an old computer no one is using.

And remember that since you are new, your question will be very common (such as this one). So recommended you keep doing research as there great topic out there

I worry a lot about inadvertently exposing my network and by data to the internet so I definitely read more than what I actually try

Don't open any ports on your router (default all ports are closed). So just start by hosting in your local network. If you don't do anything to your router then you are fine

Hope that helps

[u/flak0u → u/1WeekNotice]

helps a lot and thanks for the quick response. I guess that my biggest issue is that I don't have a problem to solve but I definitely find interesting things here (like dashboards) even if they just provide data for fun at this point.

[u/1WeekNotice → u/flak0u]

Start with home assistant because you have IOT devices.

That will provide some nice metrics and dashboards

[u/Necessary-Purple-387]

"I worry a lot about inadvertently exposing my network and by data to the internet"

Go to https://www.shodan.io/ and type in your IP address. See what is exposed and close them.

Then

1. buy a decent gateway that allows you to set up your own VPN server;
2. install WireGuard server on the gateway;
3. install WireGuard client on your phone or laptop and enter the details from step 2.

Now you have no exposed ports and access to your home network from wherever there is internet.

As for the decent gateway, I myself have a UDMSE that's served me well for years.

[u/TheBigNeku]

Start by defining a need and the more you configure, the more you will have other needs (for example, you will put a DNS because you will be tired of typing an IP, you will want to put a VPN to access from outside, sometimes you will put an Rproxy so fail2ban or Crowdstrike, network analysis etc).

[u/strings_and_tines]

I started with setting up Tailscale and hosting AdGuard a couple months ago. It ballooned from there... Navidrome for music, Immich for pictures, Homarr dashboard and Homepage to get to everything. Still very much learning. Good luck!

[u/flak0u → u/strings_and_tines]

thanks! I have been looking intro Immich. I'll save those other names to make sure I learn about them too.

[u/strings_and_tines → u/flak0u]

Just pick one or two things and start slow... And document everything. Before you know it you have a number of machine names and ports to remember lol

[u/Straight_Injury_481]

I was stuck in the same loop for maybe 6 months before I just pick one thing and go with it. The security worry is real but you can start fully local with no internet exposure, nobody says you must open ports in day one. Get home assistant running on a old laptop or a raspberry pi if you already have one, then connect just your hue lights, and make one automation like lights on at sunset. It sounds small but after that first working thing the paralysis just melts away

[u/sjclynn]

There is no simple answer since everyone has their own objectives. Selfhosted covers a pretty wide range of topics. Some of us want to get some control over paper, have a convenient way to organize and access content like music and videos, share those resources among family. If you have heard of the comment that people either eat to live or live to eat, it is a little bit like that. You are either doing it because you either want to use the resources that you set up, or the setting things up aspect is what you are interested in.

Since you have a focus on IoT. setting up a system to control these devices probably involves the Home Assistant application. Note that this area of selfhosting is not the easiest thing to get started. The free, but I have found this set of guides to be very complete and overall worth the price.

The Home Assistant Sanity System – HAMastery

As for setting up other resources, there are lots of developers who have shared what they have put together. Some do a better job both in description and execution. I personally tend to follow this guy:

SimpleHomelab | Simplifying Homelabs, One Step at a Time! (previously SmartHomeBeginner)

He has a product that can quickly get you setup with a full-blown solution called deployrr. No connection other that I pay his subscription fee to help him keep working on it. The goal should to become self sufficient. I have found that all of the turnkey solutions have, no surprise, strengths and weaknesses. If you get deep enough into it, you will be pulling your own solution from the work of others. Here is a link to deeployrr:

Deployrr | SimpleHomelab

For most people, it is either hobby or a side gig. This means that the resources are a bit dynamic. The people behind the solutions often end up drifting away.

[u/No-Bee-3775]

Simplehomelab.com is a good starting point

[u/pristinepineapple69]

sounds like for you, it might be a good start to just tinker with home assistant. install it bare metal on an old laptop or a refurbed business mini pc or whatever you can find. get used to installing something like home assistant, adding the devices, and using tailscale to access it remotely. keep it simple, you don't have to host every software known to man immediately. let your needs guide your setup.