Why
Having your own home server means your data does not live in somebody else’s cloud. You can share your media with all your devices and have your own “Netflix”, run your own backup service, sync files between your computers, and control your smart home without a single third-party account in the middle.
The other big advantage is cost: once the hardware is out of the way, a home server only costs the electricity to keep it on, and a used laptop or mini PC uses very little.
Components
All you need is an old laptop, maybe that old one with a broken screen or a dead battery. I say this because I like to disassemble it, give it a new “cover” and place it near the ethernet port, where it can live quietly for years.
Make sure you can access the laptop screen, with an external monitor or its own LCD, at least for the first install.
Another option is buying a mini PC. They are cheap, low power and silent, and they are exactly sized for a corner of your network shelf.
Install Ubuntu Server
I like to install Ubuntu Server because it is a lightweight OS: no desktop, low memory usage, and it keeps running for months without complaining. Download the ISO, burn it to a USB stick, boot the machine from it and follow the installer. It walks you through the disk layout, the network and the initial user.
Give it a stable address
A server that changes IP every reboot is a pain. Log into your router and create a DHCP reservation for the machine’s MAC address so it always gets the same IP (or configure a static IP on the machine). You will use this IP from now on to reach the server, and later for things like port forwarding if you want to reach it from outside.
Useful programs
For running software on the server I recommend Docker: each program gets its own container, updates are easy, and nothing touches the base system. With that in mind, these are the programs I run:
Plex
Plex turns your media files into a streaming service for your whole household: movies, TV shows, music and photos, on any device. It is the closest thing to having your own Netflix. If you want to set it up on this server, follow Build your own home-server – Plex.
Resilio Sync
Resilio Sync syncs and shares folders between your devices without a middleman: you pick the folders, it keeps them in sync, and you decide who can read or write. It is perfect to backup your phone photos to the server.
Home Assistant
Home Assistant is an open source home automation hub: it connects your lights, plugs, sensors and other smart devices in one place, and you can build your own automations and scenes without depending on any vendor’s cloud.
