In this Series Starter:
- Definition: What exactly is a "Home Lab?"
- The Benefits: Privacy, Ad-blocking, and Career Growth.
- Hardware Tier 1: The "Free" tier (Old Laptops).
- Hardware Tier 2: The "Efficiency" tier (Mini PCs).
- The First Project: What should you host first?
You have likely heard the term "Home Lab" thrown around on Reddit or tech forums. Maybe you pictured a basement full of screaming enterprise servers, blinking lights, and a massive electricity bill.
While that can be a home lab, it is not where you start. A home lab is simply a computer that you own, inside your house, that runs services 24/7. It is about taking control of your data, learning how the internet works, and having a safe place to break things.
Why Do You Need One?
In 2025, we rent everything. We rent our music (Spotify), our movies (Netflix), and even our photo storage (iCloud/Google Photos). A Home Lab allows you to own your digital life again.
Privacy
Host your own password manager and photo backup. Keep your personal data off "The Cloud" (which is just someone else's computer).
Ad Blocking
Run Pi-hole or AdGuard Home to block ads and trackers for every device in your house, even your Smart TV.
Career
Nothing looks better on an IT resume than "I host my own Docker swarm and reverse proxy." It proves you know how to build, not just follow tutorials.
Hardware: Where to Start?
The golden rule of Home Labbing is: Start with what you have. You do not need to buy anything to begin learning today.
Tier 1: The Old Laptop (Free)
Do you have a dusty laptop from 2018 sitting in a drawer? That is the perfect server.
- Pros: Built-in UPS (Battery), built-in Screen/Keyboard (Console), low power usage.
- Cons: Limited expansion, usually only one hard drive slot.
Tier 2: The Mini PC (The Sweet Spot)
In 2025, the "Mini PC" is the king of the home lab. Look for boxes powered by the Intel N100 or N200 chips. They sip power (6 watts idle) but are powerful enough to run dozens of services.
Tier 3: The Raspberry Pi (The Classic)
The Raspberry Pi 5 is powerful, but once you add a case, power supply, and SD card, it often costs more than a used corporate Mini PC (like a Dell Optiplex Micro or Lenovo Tiny).
| Hardware |
Cost |
Power |
Best Use Case |
| Old Laptop |
$0 |
Low |
Learning Linux, Pi-hole, Home Assistant |
| Intel N100 Mini PC |
$150 |
Very Low |
Media Server (Plex/Jellyfin), Docker Containers |
| Used Dell/HP SFF |
$100 |
Medium |
Virtualization (Proxmox), Heavy workloads |
Software: The "Gateway Drugs"
So you have the hardware. What do you install first? In the next part of this series, we will cover the installation, but here is your roadmap.
- The OS: Start with Ubuntu Server or Debian. If you are feeling brave, Proxmox allows you to run multiple virtual machines on one box.
- The Container Engine: Learn Docker. It is how 90% of home lab software is distributed today.
- The Dashboard: Install CasaOS or Cosmos Server. These provide a friendly "App Store" interface to install software with one click.
Conclusion
Your Home Lab journey is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't go out and buy a $500 server today. Go find that old laptop, install Linux on it, and try to get a simple "Hello World" website running. Once you catch the bug, the hardware will follow.
Coming Up in Part 2: We will walk through installing Proxmox and setting up your first Virtual Machine.
Show Off Your Setup
Whether it is a Raspberry Pi taped to a wall or a full server rack, we want to see it. Join Great Meets to find the "Home Lab" group. Trade hardware with locals, ask for help when Docker crashes, and get inspiration for your next upgrade.
Find a Home Lab Group ?