A small secondhand homelab shows practical server tradeoffs
This small homelab is built entirely from secondhand parts. A Netgear Nighthawk R7400 router connects through the main home network and creates a separate subnet.
A Cisco 3560 connects the devices. A 4B handles small long-running tasks, while an old ThinkPad T460 running Debian is used for bigger that change more often.
The home internet is moving from 300 Mbps cable to soon, so the switch may need to be replaced. The switch also runs hot, so a custom case with a fan may be needed.
Key points
- The setup uses only secondhand parts.
- The router creates a separate subnet inside the home network.
- A Cisco 3560 is used to connect devices.
- A 4B handles small long-term tasks, while a Debian ThinkPad handles larger changing .
- A move from 300 Mbps cable to may require a better switch.