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Tired of trusting your passwords to third-party services? Vaultwarden (formerly Bitwarden_RS) lets you run your own password manager with full Bitwarden client compatibility. Your passwords stay on your server, under your control. In this guide, we’ll set up Vaultwarden using Docker with HTTPS and automatic backups. Why Vaultwarden? Bitwarden compatible — Use official Bitwarden apps on all devices Lightweight — Runs on minimal hardware (even Raspberry Pi) Full featured — Organizations, attachments, 2FA, and more Free — All premium Bitwarden features at no cost Self-hosted — Your data never leaves your server Prerequisites A server running Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, etc.) Docker and Docker Compose installed A domain name (required for HTTPS) Basic command line knowledge Step 1: Install Docker If you don’t have Docker installed: ...

If you’re looking to break free from Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, Nextcloud is one of the best self-hosted alternatives available. It gives you complete control over your files, calendar, contacts, and more—all running on your own hardware. In this guide, we’ll walk through installing Nextcloud on Ubuntu Server from start to finish. What is Nextcloud? Nextcloud is an open-source, self-hosted file sync and collaboration platform. Think of it as your own private cloud that you fully control. Key features include: ...

SSL Certificates for Self-Hosted Services: Complete Guide to HTTPS Running self-hosted services over plain HTTP is risky. Passwords, session cookies, and personal data travel in cleartext, vulnerable to interception. HTTPS encrypts everything. With free SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt, there’s no excuse to skip it. This guide covers three ways to get SSL certificates for your home server: Nginx Proxy Manager - Easiest, GUI-based Caddy - Automatic HTTPS, zero config Certbot - Manual, maximum control Why SSL Certificates Matter Without HTTPS Passwords visible - Anyone on your network sees login credentials Session hijacking - Attackers steal cookies, impersonate you MITM attacks - Traffic can be intercepted and modified Browser warnings - “Not Secure” labels scare users Modern features broken - Service workers, webcam access, etc. require HTTPS With HTTPS End-to-end encryption - Data scrambled between browser and server Authentication - Certificate proves you’re talking to the right server Trust indicators - Green padlock in browser Full feature support - PWAs, geolocation, notifications work Compliance - Required for many services (OAuth, payment processing) Prerequisites 1. Domain Name You need a domain pointing to your server. Let’s Encrypt validates domain ownership. ...

How to Set Up Fail2ban: Protect Your Server from Brute-Force Attacks If you expose your home server to the internet, automated attacks will find it. Within minutes of opening SSH or a web service, bots start hammering your server with login attempts. Fail2ban is your automated security guard. It monitors logs for suspicious activity (repeated failed logins, exploit attempts) and automatically bans offending IP addresses via firewall rules. In this guide, you’ll learn to install and configure Fail2ban to protect SSH, web services, and more. ...

VPN Options for Accessing Your Home Server Remotely You’ve built an amazing home server with Nextcloud, Jellyfin, Home Assistant, and more. Now you want to access it securely from anywhere—coffee shops, hotels, your phone’s LTE connection. The solution: VPN (Virtual Private Network). A VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and your home network, letting you access everything as if you were sitting at home. In this guide, we’ll compare the top VPN options for self-hosters and walk through setup for each. ...

Securing Your Home Server: Essential Steps Every Self-Hoster Should Take Running a home server gives you control over your data and services, but it also makes you responsible for security. Unlike managed cloud services, you are the sysadmin. One misconfiguration could expose your personal data, family photos, or entire network to attackers. The good news? Securing a home server isn’t rocket science. Follow these essential steps and you’ll be miles ahead of most self-hosters. ...

Pi-hole is a network-wide ad blocker that works at the DNS level. Install it once, and every device on your network — phones, tablets, smart TVs, even IoT devices — gets ad-free browsing without installing anything on them. Why Pi-hole? Network-wide blocking: Works on every device automatically Blocks trackers: Not just ads, but analytics and telemetry too Faster browsing: Blocked requests = less data to load See what’s happening: Dashboard shows all DNS queries Free and open source: No subscriptions or fees Prerequisites You’ll need: ...

Self-hosting is the practice of running your own servers and services instead of relying on third-party cloud providers. Instead of storing your photos on Google Photos, you run your own photo server. Instead of using Dropbox, you run Nextcloud on your own hardware. Why Self-Host? Privacy and Data Ownership When you self-host, your data stays on your hardware. No company can scan your files, train AI on your photos, or sell your information to advertisers. ...