So I’m introverted and nervous but I’m putting myself out there anyway. I’m setting up my very first home lab. Nothing crazy, except the budget. I’m learning, I’m new at all of this so every step I do I’m doing for the first time. Wanted to get used to sharing publicly so hopefully I can talk to somebody about this new hobby. My biggest point of pride isn’t specs it’s price.

—Wyse 5070 from university surplus $10— Running Debian 13 no desktop. Tailscale installed today

Will be turning this into a router for fun. It needed storage since they pulled it. Got a SATA M.2 from secondhand market. Going to Amazon would have been cheating in my opinion. 256GB $20. DDR4 4GB upgraded to 8GB. Since this only had one NIC on the back I’m using a USB 3.0 to Ethernet adapter I used to get better connection playing Splatoon 3 when it came out

—NETGEAR GS608v4 8-port switch $15— Pawn shop. Bargained from $25. To let me connect multiple things to the soon-to-be router.

—NETGEAR Wifi Range Extender EX6100 $5— Thrift store score In access point mode just to be able to connect wirelessly.

—Mac Mini A1347 $50— MacOS Monterey(Thinking about other options)

By far the most expensive part. I saw it at the surplus and snatched it. It’s my first time owning Apple anything. I am firmly anti apple. But... reviving old computers is what I’ve done since I was a teenager so I took it under my wing. No idea what I’m going to do with it though. I’m thinking network storage just for administrative tasks like config backups and small web dev projects. Idk, open to suggestions.

[Normal home network] <- [Xfinity] -> [Wyse] –> [NETGEAR SWITCH] -> [WIRELESS ACCESS POINT] -> [Mac Mini]

Open to suggestions and feedback. More details available if wanted. Pictures maybe, self conscious from all the glorious lab porn on here

Edit: typos