I have a Pixel 8.... a PC with Linux Mint. How do I learn to "self host". Mainly for photo storage backup. Where do I start? I know nothing, absolutely nothing
I can confirm that Yunhost is one of the best ways to start learning self-hosting. The only "bad thing" I can say is that sometimes it's so easy that you actually don't learn any thing.
The only "bad thing" I can say is that sometimes it's so easy that you actually don't learn any thing.
I learned a lot. Definitely a whole lot less than if I had done it "from scratch". But also, I never would have done that. I tried and failed several times.
Another +1 for YUNOhost. I went from zero experience self-hosting to having my own email, fediverse instance, file server and several websites on a VPS. I would never have had the patience to figure this out without it.
So, for all you ^5'ing Yunohost, I have a question that's bothered me for years. Like I said, their app catalog beats anything else in it's category, but they also list apps that don't work....separately of course and labeled as such. I've always wondered why. Is it in hopes that someone will fix them? ....or what?
But a great start to get into selfhosting. What's an IP? What is a DNS? How do I connect to via ssh? What's the job of DHCP? Pretty basic stuff, your learning in the process.
Start by searching for how to selfhost a photo storage backup. There are multiple ways to do it and the decision depends on your circumstances and preferences, which only you know.
If you are interested in the photo storage then start..... With the storage.
So pick up a nas or something similar, pay a bit more for the super intuitive fancy gui product and the start from there.
Learn what is nas and how to connect to a pc Thne learn how to do the same with your smartphone Then learn a bit about networking Then... Continuous for the hardest itch and try to Scratch it
And if you need support, come back here, check videos and web pages or even chatgpt, for the basic stuff is quite acceptable
Well for starters if you want something more out-of-the box, just buy a NAS. But what woult be better is to buy a Raspberry Pi 5 and add a micro sd with good amount of storage or maybe some additional external storage and install CasaOS(this is basically a easy UI that allows you to self-host mostly without commands) and install Immich within its App Store, and link it up with your phone(on the Immich app).(If you need any more help DM)
Stop freaking out, you can do this. Don't try to build a full server farm on day one. Start small, get something that actually works, then iterate.
Practical path: plug an external HDD into your Linux Mint box and install Syncthing on both the Pixel 8 and the PC. Syncthing is dead simple for backups, it syncs your phone photos to the PC with no cloud, no port forwarding, and it Just Works. Install with apt on Mint, install the Android app on the Pixel, share the camera/DCIM folder, accept the device link. You'll have automatic backups within an hour and you'll actually learn how files move around.
When you're comfortable, add a second copy or offsite backup (cheap VPS, friend's house, or a rotating drive). If you want a web gallery, user accounts, or calendar/email too, then move to Nextcloud or a small NAS OS like OpenMediaVault or TrueNAS SCALE on a dedicated box or a Raspberry Pi. Use Docker if you want portability, and always put HTTPS and a firewall in front if you expose anything to the internet.
Bottom line, stop reading dozens of guides. Do Syncthing + external drive today, then upgrade. You'll learn a lot faster by doing than by overplanning.
i started in january of this year because i upgraded my wife's computer. that gave me an old computer to tinker with.
i recommend getting an old computer, installing an OS (look up thinks like truenas, proxmox, unraid... there are more and they are different; try them all out if you want to see what you like)
then go onto youtube and search for things like " beginner" and you will get a bunch of tips/tricks/tutorials/etc. for starting out with your favorite.
Immich is a fantastic photo backup service that is a replacement for Google Photos both in form and function.
There's a demo at demo.immich.app to see what it looks like and what you can do with it. As far as self hosting stuff goes it's relatively easy to setup. Work through the setup guide and see if you can understand that to get it running.
What it will do is make it available on any devices on your local (WiFi or wired) network. You will need to open a port on the Linux box's firewall, but that step is easy and I can show you how to do that on Mint. Then you'll be able to connect to it from your phone or any other devices (or right from a browser right on the server).
If you have any questions feel free to ask. I have a few things running on a Mint server I have.
One option you could explore since you didn't list any other equipment, is a cheap VPS. You can pick one up at LowEndBox for cheap. I have a couple VPS test servers that run about $25 a year. That would help you get your feet wet a bit. You could learn how to deploy Linux server along with the standard defense systems in place like Fail2Ban, UFW, etc.
First, Syncthing on the PC and Syncthing-Fork. Now you can sync (and anything else) your photo files from phone to PC and vice versa. Congrats, you have photo storage backup.
Second, either a vpn to your home network so you can backup on the road, or Immich (as elsewhere suggested) for your own google photos experience.
Third, whichever of second you didn't choose.
Fourth, get ye an offsite backup (search 3-2-1 backup). rclone is your friend, but encrypt first locally with Cryptomator, then you don't have to trust your storage provider.
Documentation, take notes on what you setup, ports opened, accounts created. This will be very valuable when you envitally get services setup and forget about them.
Documentation, take notes on what you setup, ports opened, accounts created. This will be very valuable when you envitally get services setup and forget about them.
@Toasted_Breakfast@lemmy.today OP this is advice you can take and apply throughout your selfhosting journey. This advice is worth it's weight in gold right here. I lean heavily on my notes and they are prolific. My memory is shit for a lot of reasons including medical, and my notes have saved my ass many times.
abeorch
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • •Selfhosted reshared this.
irmadlad
in reply to abeorch • • •Xirup
in reply to abeorch • • •artyom
in reply to Xirup • • •I learned a lot. Definitely a whole lot less than if I had done it "from scratch". But also, I never would have done that. I tried and failed several times.
Da Oeuf
in reply to abeorch • • •irmadlad
in reply to Da Oeuf • • •UndergroundGoblin
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •I would personally recommend starting with a Pi-hole. It's easy to set up and provides an immediate improvement to your whole internet experience.
Try to follow the official guide or use a Docker container.
lauha
in reply to UndergroundGoblin • • •UndergroundGoblin
in reply to lauha • • •irmadlad
in reply to UndergroundGoblin • • •HelloRoot
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •thelittleblackbird
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •If you are interested in the photo storage then start..... With the storage.
So pick up a nas or something similar, pay a bit more for the super intuitive fancy gui product and the start from there.
Learn what is nas and how to connect to a pc
Thne learn how to do the same with your smartphone
Then learn a bit about networking
Then... Continuous for the hardest itch and try to Scratch it
And if you need support, come back here, check videos and web pages or even chatgpt, for the basic stuff is quite acceptable
SharkStudios
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •abeorch
in reply to SharkStudios • •Selfhosted reshared this.
irmadlad
in reply to SharkStudios • • •I tried CasaOS. Pretty slick piece of software.
giyila7033
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •Stop freaking out, you can do this. Don't try to build a full server farm on day one. Start small, get something that actually works, then iterate.
Practical path: plug an external HDD into your Linux Mint box and install Syncthing on both the Pixel 8 and the PC. Syncthing is dead simple for backups, it syncs your phone photos to the PC with no cloud, no port forwarding, and it Just Works. Install with apt on Mint, install the Android app on the Pixel, share the camera/DCIM folder, accept the device link. You'll have automatic backups within an hour and you'll actually learn how files move around.
When you're comfortable, add a second copy or offsite backup (cheap VPS, friend's house, or a rotating drive). If you want a web gallery, user accounts, or calendar/email too, then move to Nextcloud or a small NAS OS like OpenMediaVault or TrueNAS SCALE on a dedicated box or a Raspberry Pi. Use Docker if you want portability, and always put HTTPS and a firewall in front if you expose anything to the internet.
Bottom line, stop reading dozens of guides. Do Syncthing + external drive today, then upgrade. You'll learn a lot faster by doing than by overplanning.
turdas
in reply to giyila7033 • • •irmadlad
in reply to turdas • • •AmazingAwesomator
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •i started in january of this year because i upgraded my wife's computer. that gave me an old computer to tinker with.
i recommend getting an old computer, installing an OS (look up thinks like truenas, proxmox, unraid... there are more and they are different; try them all out if you want to see what you like)
then go onto youtube and search for things like " beginner" and you will get a bunch of tips/tricks/tutorials/etc. for starting out with your favorite.
BootLoop
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •Immich is a fantastic photo backup service that is a replacement for Google Photos both in form and function.
There's a demo at demo.immich.app to see what it looks like and what you can do with it. As far as self hosting stuff goes it's relatively easy to setup. Work through the setup guide and see if you can understand that to get it running.
What it will do is make it available on any devices on your local (WiFi or wired) network. You will need to open a port on the Linux box's firewall, but that step is easy and I can show you how to do that on Mint. Then you'll be able to connect to it from your phone or any other devices (or right from a browser right on the server).
If you have any questions feel free to ask. I have a few things running on a Mint server I have.
irmadlad
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •One option you could explore since you didn't list any other equipment, is a cheap VPS. You can pick one up at LowEndBox for cheap. I have a couple VPS test servers that run about $25 a year. That would help you get your feet wet a bit. You could learn how to deploy Linux server along with the standard defense systems in place like Fail2Ban, UFW, etc.
Or even a small NUC or RPi.
LowEndBox - Featuring the Best Cheap VPS Hosting, Dedicated Server and Hosting Deals Daily Plus Much More
LowEndBoxMalReynolds
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •Zeroth, consider GrapheneOS on that Pixel.
First, Syncthing on the PC and Syncthing-Fork. Now you can sync (and anything else) your photo files from phone to PC and vice versa. Congrats, you have photo storage backup.
Second, either a vpn to your home network so you can backup on the road, or Immich (as elsewhere suggested) for your own google photos experience.
Third, whichever of second you didn't choose.
Fourth, get ye an offsite backup (search 3-2-1 backup). rclone is your friend, but encrypt first locally with Cryptomator, then you don't have to trust your storage provider.
rnercle
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •for "photo storage backup", you can simply use syncthing.
unless you want to really learn to "self host" that is.
higgsboson
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •pepperprepper
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •irmadlad
in reply to pepperprepper • • •@Toasted_Breakfast@lemmy.today OP this is advice you can take and apply throughout your selfhosting journey. This advice is worth it's weight in gold right here. I lean heavily on my notes and they are prolific. My memory is shit for a lot of reasons including medical, and my notes have saved my ass many times.
Awesome advice!
net00
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •It doesn't get as easier as this (for photo storage backup):
docs.immich.app/overview/quick…
It has step by step guide, using very simple commands you can just copy and paste for the most part.
Since you are using linux, and you are in the fediverse I do assume you can move your way around setting up Immich with that guide.
Quick start | Immich
docs.immich.appworkerONE
in reply to Toasted_Breakfast • • •