Old Android phones turned into a tiny home server cluster
Two old Pixel 3a phones were reused instead of being thrown away. was installed on both phones, then K3s was installed to create a small Kubernetes cluster. Some network settings had to be fixed first because the phones could not reach the internet.
A used OnePlus 6T was later bought for €50 and added as a worker device, making the current setup 3 devices in total, including one control device. The setup is slower than a mini PC or a proper server, but it is enough to run 3 and a full Grafana setup. All devices connect to the home network over Wi-Fi.
Two more phones are waiting to be added: a Poco X3 Pro and a Pixel 6a, each bought for €50. The Poco X3 Pro should join soon, but the Pixel 6a cannot be used yet because does not recognize its Wi-Fi chipset.
Key points
- Two Pixel 3a phones were flashed with and used with K3s.
- A €50 OnePlus 6T was added as a worker device, bringing the cluster to 3 devices.
- The cluster is slower than a mini PC, but it can run 3 and a full Grafana setup.
- All devices are connected through Wi-Fi, not wired networking.
- A Pixel 6a is blocked for now because its Wi-Fi chipset is not recognized by .