Welcome to my little corner of the internet! My name is Locuz, and I'm a passionate forty-something who has found his happy place in the digital realm. Almost every day, I retreat into my "digital safe space" at home – not to escape reality, but to create, experiment, and tinker with self-hosted services that make my digital life better, more private, and honestly, just plain fun.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to host your own services instead of relying on big tech companies, or if you're curious about building your own homelab but don't know where to start – you're in the right place.
I've decided to document my homelab journey in a structured, chronological series of blog posts. The goal? To help beginners and intermediate enthusiasts build their own homelab from the ground up, step by step, without feeling overwhelmed.
This isn't just a random collection of tutorials. I'm designing this series so you can follow along chronologically, building a solid foundation before moving on to more advanced topics. Think of it as your guided tour through the wonderful world of self-hosting.
Here's a sneak peek at the roadmap I have planned:
We'll kick things off by setting up one or more Proxmox nodes – the backbone of your homelab. I'll walk you through:
Before we start installing dozens of services, let's get serious about security. You're about to create a LOT of accounts, and we all know you shouldn't use the same password everywhere (yes, I'm looking at you!). We'll set up:
Once you have services running, you'll want to access them securely from anywhere. We'll dive into:
You can't fix what you don't know is broken. We'll set up:
A homelab is only fun when it's running smoothly. We'll explore:
Every household deserves a proper Network Attached Storage solution. We'll build:
Now the fun really begins! We'll set up:
Finally, we'll automate your media management with:
I'm not claiming to be the world's greatest expert – far from it! But that's exactly why this series might be valuable to you. I remember what it's like to be confused by documentation that assumes too much knowledge. I remember the frustration of tutorials that skip crucial steps. And I definitely remember the joy when everything finally clicks and works.
My goal is to share that journey with you, complete with:
I'll be posting regularly, but this isn't a race. Take your time with each post. Experiment. Break things (in a safe way). Learn. That's what homelabbing is all about. Each post will build on the previous ones, so there's no pressure to rush through.
I'm genuinely excited to share this journey with you. Whether you're just curious about self-hosting or you're ready to dive in headfirst, there's something here for you.
The first proper tutorial – setting up your first Proxmox node – is coming soon. In the meantime, feel free to explore, and if you have questions or suggestions for topics you'd like to see covered, don't hesitate to reach out.
Here's to taking control of our digital lives, one container at a time!
— Locuz
P.S. Got a homelab setup already? I'd love to hear about it! And if you're just starting out, welcome aboard – you're in for a treat.