Two years ago, I wrote about my humble Raspberry Pi setup tucked under the TV cabinet. It was a great entry point into the world of self-hosting, but as any tinkerer knows, the "good enough" setup eventually hits a ceiling.
Since then, my home lab has seen some serious hardware upgrades and a complete software overhaul. Here is what my home server looks like in 2026.
The Hardware Glow-up
The Raspberry Pi served me well, but I eventually reached a crossroads. When I looked at the market, I realized I could get a significantly more powerful machine for nearly the same price as a new Pi.
I managed to score an Intel NUC11TNKi3 for a bargain—it was previously used as a cash register in a store that went out of business. It’s compact and power-efficient, but leagues ahead of the Pi in performance.
Shortly after, a coworker mentioned he was selling a Synology NAS with 16TB of storage. It was an offer I couldn't refuse. Now, instead of an old hard drive dangling from a USB port, I have a dedicated, redundant storage system. The NUC handles the "brains" (compute), while the Synology handles the "memory" (storage).
Out with the Old, In with the New
Software moves fast, and my stack has evolved to keep up.
- Runtipi instead of CasaOS: I loved CasaOS, but as their focus shifted toward ZimaOS, the maintenance slowed down. I’ve since migrated to Runtipi. It’s a clean, snappy dashboard that makes managing Docker containers incredibly easy without the unnecessary bloat.
- AdGuard Home over Pi-hole: While Pi-hole is a classic, I found AdGuard Home to offer a better UI and more granular control over my network's privacy and ad-blocking right out of the box.
- Eufy Cams replacing MotionEye: My DIY camera setup with the Pi Zero was a fun project, but for reliability, I’ve moved to Eufy. It gives me the convenience of modern smart cams while keeping the data local and subscription-free.
- Homepage: I now use Homepage as my browser’s "New Tab" on all my devices. It acts as a central hub, showing me the status of my services, hardware stats, and quick links in a beautiful, organized grid.
Still the Staples
Some things don't need changing. Plex and Home Assistant remain the heart of the operation. With the Intel NUC, Plex now handles 4K transcoding with ease, so I no longer have to worry about "optimizing for original quality" before watching a movie. Home Assistant continues to bridge the gap between my various smart devices, keeping everything under one roof.
Closing the Gates (Security)
In my last post, I talked about Cloudflare Tunnels. While they are great for accessibility, I’ve moved toward a "zero exposure" policy. I no longer expose any of my apps to the open internet.
Instead, I use OpenVPN configured directly on my router to tunnel into my local network. It’s one extra step to connect when I'm away, but the peace of mind knowing my server is completely invisible to the world is worth the minor friction.
Conclusion
The transition from a "tucked away Pi" to a NUC + NAS combo has made my home setup feel less like a hobby project and more like a professional utility. It’s faster, safer, and has enough storage to last me years.
If you're still on a Pi and feeling the lag, keep an eye on those local "going out of business" listings - you never know when a retired cash register might become the backbone of your digital life.
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