Wednesday, August 13, 2025

FreedomBox on Raspberry Pi: Host a Private Server Easily

" FreedomBox is an innovative solution part of the Debian project which allows you to create a private server with minimal setup."

" FreedomBox is a private server for non-experts: it lets you install and configure server applications with only a few clicks. It runs on cheap hardware of your choice, uses your internet connection and power, and is under your control."


Running AI LLMs on older hardware

You Think You Need a Monster PC to Run Local AI, Don't You? — My Seven-Year-Old Mid-range Laptop Says Otherwise
"...  while not what you'd call fast, it's usable. All three are still churning out responses significantly faster than I could type (and definitely faster than I can think). These were all with a 4k context length."
" You could be out and about with a laptop on battery and still getting stuff done. At home or in the office, hooked up to power, even older hardware can be fairly capable."

Tuesday, August 12, 2025

Make Your Own VPN

" Unlike third-party services that may log your data or throttle your speeds, building your own VPN ensures you decide how your data is handled. This is especially critical in an age where privacy concerns are increasing."

3 Methods To Build Your Own VPN From Scratch:
1. Using the Cloud
2. Using Your Own Router (requires an OpenVPN-compatible router)
    "... not all routers have the same hardware features, nor can they all host VPNs."
3. Using a Different Device as a VPN Server (Windows PC, etc.)
"You'll also need to set up port forwarding on your router so that your server is accessible from the internet."

Make Your Own Home VPN – Step-by-step Guide (scroll down to this part)
Uses an Ubuntu remote server($) with OpenVPN

"Test Your VPN:
Now that you've gone through this entire process, it's time to verify your VPN is working! All you have to do is disable your VPN, then go to DNSLeakTest (https://www.dnsleaktest.com/). It should display your current, real location. 
Now enable the VPN and refresh the page. A new IP address should appear, which means you're safe behind a wall of VPN encryption."

How To Make Your Own VPN Server:
Method 1: Router-Based VPN Server Setup
Method 2: Set Up a VPN Server on a Windows, Mac, or Other Devices - 
Method 3: Cloud VPN Server Setup

Install OpenVPN and Easy-RSA on linux ...
"Creating your own VPN offers unparalleled control and customization, but demands significant technical expertise and ongoing maintenance."

"OpenVPN is the ol' faithful of VPN protocols – and it still has use today"
"Put simply, OpenVPN allows two devices – no matter where they are in the world – to connect and communicate with each other in a protected manner. It defines how the data getting sent back and forth is encrypted, and how this information moves between servers and devices.
Part of the reason OpenVPN is such a popular VPN protocol is down to its compatibility with many operating systems. Along with that, it offers both security and flexibility to any VPN user."

"OpenVPN is also slower than some other VPN protocols, such as WireGuard. While they don't have as many features as OpenVPN does, they switch this out for both speed and efficiency. Not the end of the world, but worth keeping in mind if you're looking for the absolute top speeds out of your VPN.
Another place where protocols like WireGuard are better is when it comes to newer encryption protocols. OpenVPN doesn't support some of these newer versions."
"Alternative options such as WireGuard or Lightway are growing quickly in popularity but OpenVPN does remain a reliable option, despite its slower nature."

"OpenVPN (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OpenVPN) is a virtual private network (VPN) system that implements techniques to create secure point-to-point or site-to-site connections in routed or bridged configurations and remote access facilities. It implements both client and server applications."

OpenVPN Connect for Windows (10 or 11):  https://openvpn.net/client/

Linux Clients to Connect to an OpenVPN Server:
 https://openvpn.net/connect-docs/linux-clients.html 
"For Linux, you can use open-source Linux clients to connect to OpenVPN servers:



Make your own encrypted VPN server using Tailscale

Run Tailscale (https://tailscale.com/) on a spare home computer:
" ... you can install Tailscale on your personal devices, such as your laptop or your phone. Install Tailscale, then log into your account. You'll see your computer running at home in the list of devices in your private network."
"When your devices use your home computer as their exit nodes, all internet traffic passes through that exit node."
"Without those private keys, there is no way for anyone else — including Tailscale — to decrypt the data that flows through your VPN tunnel. With this setup, you get all the benefits of an encrypted VPN connection without having to manually generate, distribute, and handle your public keys."
"... you may want to build yourself a dedicated Tailscale device and plug it into your router with an Ethernet cable.  In that case, you could buy a Raspberry Pi, a tiny, cheap, single-board micro-computer. We recommend a Raspberry Pi 4 or Raspberry Pi 5 ..."
As with other solutions, Tailscale can also be installed in a virtual environment ...

Build a firewall & router with OPNsense

NOTE: this can be run on a dedicated mini-PC or as a virtual machine ...

OPNsense is an open source, FreeBSD-based firewall and routing software developed by Deciso, a company in the Netherlands that makes hardware and sells support packages for OPNsense. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OPNsense

The recommended specifications to run all OPNsense® standard features ensure that every feature is functional and suitable for most use cases.

Type                                     Description
Processor                             1.5 GHz multi core cpu
RAM                                     ≥ 4 GB
Install method                       Serial console or video (vga)
Install target                          120 GB SSD

Firewall:   Stateful firewall with support for IPv4 and IPv6 and live view on blocked or passed traffic.

VPN:  Integrated support for IPsec (including route based), OpenVPN as well as pluggable support for Tinc (full mesh VPN) and WireGuard.