What You Can Do

All cloud services can be replaced with open source alternatives. Since there are so many, I’ve started with the most popular so you can see progress as fast as possible. To get an idea of what’s out there, take a look at this list

Here are the services that I’ll be going over:

• Ad Blocker -> Pi-hole

What the software is: Pi‑hole is a network‑wide ad‑blocking DNS server. It intercepts DNS queries from every device on your LAN and returns a null address for known advertising, tracking, and malicious domains, effectively silencing unwanted content before it reaches your browsers or apps.

What it can do for you: By centralising ad‑blocking, Pi‑hole speeds up page loads, reduces bandwidth consumption, and protects every connected gadget (phones, tablets, smart TVs, IoT devices) from intrusive trackers. It also provides a clean, easy‑to‑read dashboard where you can see which domains are being blocked and even whitelist or blacklist entries on the fly.

• Netflix -> Jellyfin

What the software is: Jellyfin is an open‑source media‑server platform that aggregates your video, audio, and image collections and streams them to any device via a sleek web interface or native apps for Android, iOS, Roku, SmartTVs, and more.

What it can do for you: Jellyfin replaces commercial streaming services by letting you host your own library of movies, TV shows, music, and photos. It automatically fetches metadata (posters, descriptions, subtitles) and organizes content into beautiful libraries. Because everything lives on your hardware, you retain full ownership of your media and avoid recurring subscription fees.

• Google Drive -> NextCloud

  Nextcloud provides a personal cloud storage solution that lets you sync, share, and collaborate on files just like Google Drive, but the data never leaves your hardware. It supports calendar, contacts, and collaborative editing through integrations such as OnlyOffice.

Getting Started: Hardware Recommendations

The really good thing about getting started today is that it’s never been easier or cheaper to run self hosting applications yourself. Since these services will only have a handful of users (you and your family) the hardware requirements are low. The best thing to use is something you already have.

If you’ve got something that will work, jump to the Software section.

At this point, do not think about the end game. When I got started I was so worried that I was choosing the wrong hardware, that I didn’t make progress. You will redo your work at some point once you climb the learning curve. The most important thing is to start.

If you have an old laptop, or a gaming PC that’s sitting in the closet, use that. Else, there are very inexpensive options available. You do not need an actual rack‑mount server to do this.

Business Think Clients

You’ve seen these PCs at the doctors office, behind cash registers, and in offices. You may have ever used one before. They are a favourite of home lab enthusiasts because they are cheap, powerful enough, and small. I have several Lenovo ThinkCentre M710q running different services in my own home lab. They can run a dozen services, and can be tucked away easily. I got mine from my municipal auction centre, and you can find used ones all over the Internet for $100-$150.

Raspberry Pi

Originally designed to help kids learn about computers in 2012, the Raspberry Pi is now a capable computing platform on it’s own. The Raspberry Pi 5 is a very capable machine. With 16GB of ram and a quad core processor at 2.4GHz, it can be used as a desktop computer capable of surfing the web, watching movies, and checking email.

It’s perfect for your first home server.

Installing Your Operating System

This is where your journey toward digital independence truly begins. You’re about to install Linux—a free, open source operating system that respects your privacy and puts you in control.

I still use Windows. But Microsoft’s recent integration of AI into Windows means your files, screenshots, and activities are being analyzed and potentially shared. So I keep a Windows laptop around just in case there is a windows specific task I need to do, but I use Linux for everything else.

Linux is different. It’s built by communities of developers who believe software should serve users, not corporations. No one is watching what you do, analyzing your files, or changing your system behind your back. Learning Linux is a valuable life skill that gives you complete control over your computing environment. This sounds a little cyberpunk, I know. That’s because we are living in a cyberpunk reality. To quote the pioneer of cyberpunk, William Gibson:

The future is already here — it’s just not very evenly distributed.

Linux allows you to turn a computer into a tool, and allows you to take control of your data. It’s a shift in the distribution of who’s in control of the future.

Don’t worry if you’ve never used Linux before. I was Modern distributions are user friendly and well documented. There is a learning curve, but it’s not as steep as you think. The two options below are specifically chosen because they’re easy to learn while being powerful enough for your home lab needs. Start with either of these two. There are hundreds of Linux versions, so don’t go down that rabbit hole just yet.

Raspberry Pi OS: The easiest path (for Raspberry Pi hardware)

Raspberry Pi OS is Linux designed specifically for Raspberry Pi hardware. It’s polished, stable, and has extensive documentation. If you’re using a Raspberry Pi, this is your best choice. The full documentation is daunting, but it does have everything you will need to know to get you going. There are lots of guides on how to install the OS, so I won’t cover that. But here are some tips and tricks.

What to expect: The installation process uses the official Raspberry Pi Imager tool, which handles everything automatically. You’ll download the imager software, select your Pi model, choose Raspberry Pi OS, and write it to a microSD card. The imager even lets you pre-configure Wi-Fi settings and enable SSH (remote access) before you boot up.

First boot setup: Your Pi will walk you through creating a user account, connecting to Wi-Fi, and updating the system. The desktop interface looks familiar if you’ve used Windows or Mac—there’s a taskbar, file manager, and applications menu. You’ll spend most of your time in the terminal (command line), but having a desktop makes learning easier.

Why this works: Raspberry Pi OS is designed for people new to Linux. Everything is pre-configured to work with Pi hardware, and the vast Raspberry Pi community means solutions to common problems are well documented online.

Linux Mint: For repurposed PCs (desktop edition for beginners)

Linux Mint is built to be familiar for Windows users while offering the power and privacy of Linux. It’s stable, well supported, and perfect for converting old PCs into home lab servers. I’ve been using Linux Mint on my main computer for years, ever since gaming on Linux became viable.

System requirements: Linux Mint will run on most hardware, even hardware that struggles with modern Windows. If your PC has 2GB of RAM and was made after 2007, it can probably run Mint. This is an easy way to breath life into old hardware, and why used hardware is a good choice for a home lab. There are three different versions, and I would recommed going with Cinnamon. If that is running too slow on your hardware, then make the change to Xfce.’

Installation process: You’ll create a bootable USB drive with Linux Mint boot, following the instructions. The installer walks you through partitioning your drive, creating your user account, and basic system setup. The whole process takes about 30 minutes. Don’t get fancy at this point, just install the default configuration.’

Initial setup: After installation, you’ll have a desktop that feels familiar—start menu, taskbar, file manager. Mint includes a software manager for installing programs with point-and-click simplicity, but you’ll gradually learn to use the command line for server tasks. The learning curve is gentle but steady. Jump to Basic Maintenance to learn how to keep your system up to date.

Why Mint beats Windows for this project: Mint doesn’t fight you when you want to run server software. No forced updates, no built-in spyware, no subscription services. It boots faster, uses less resources, and gives you complete control over what runs on your system. Most importantly, the server software we’ll be installing is designed to run on Linux — you’ll have fewer compatibility issues and better performance.