homelab

I share my journey of combining a new Raspberry Pi 4 with a RuuviTag beacon to automatically collect and store home weather data in the cloud. After discovering that my initial Azure Functions prototype was too cumbersome, I pivot to using the free tier of Azure IoT Hub for a more scalable and manageable solution.

I show you how I evolved my Raspberry Pi weather monitoring system to display real-time Azure data on a Sense HAT LED matrix, all housed in a custom LEGO case. By using Azure Logic Apps to retrieve latest temperature readings from a SQL database, I created an efficient setup that alerts me to high temperatures while reviving my passion for building with LEGOs.

Discover how I replaced my cumbersome manual VPN setup with Tailscale to create a seamless, secure mesh network for my homelab and personal devices. I explain why I switched to this zero-config solution and share the initial steps of integrating my server, NAS, and laptop into a unified, encrypted tunnel.

After finding KeePass too isolated and 1Password cumbersome for family use, I discovered Bitwarden as a flexible, cross-platform alternative that supports self-hosting. I decided to bypass the subscription fees by deploying the open-source Bitwarden-rs fork using Docker on my always-on Synology NAS to create a secure, synchronized password manager.

If you struggle with managing dynamic IP addresses at home, you might find my experience building a custom DNS updater useful. I decided to automate the process of updating my Azure DNS records using PowerShell, turning a small, persistent annoyance into a practical solution. This post shares how I leveraged modern cloud tools to solve a common connectivity issue in a simple and secure way.