CoopaLoopa

+1 for Mikrotik.

Get one of their routers that have an Arm or x86 processor and you can run PiHole and a DDNS updater on there as containers. Wireguard support (client and server) is built in.

Even their cheapest hardware that runs routerOS has access to all the same features as their enterprise level gear.

Every time I see a Kia Soul in my rearview I know they’re going to be tailgating like an asshole and using turn lanes to pass traffic.

Spent a full day setting up Nextcloud so I could file sync my machines and share files externally. It was slow as hell and didn’t work half the time.

Spent 10 minutes spinning up Syncthing and FileBrowser containers and have had zero issues with them since.

I use an Antec P101. It can fit 8 3.5" drives with a couple 2.5" drives on the back of the MOBO tray.

Fair warning, this thing is fucking huge. Didn’t realize how big it was when I bought it, but I needed the extra drive bays, so its kinda necessary.

I’m surprised more people in the selfhosting community aren’t recommending Mikrotik.

Their cheapest routers have all the same software features as their enterprise gear. They’re also one of the only companies who makes most of their routers and switches capable of being powered with POE in and redundant DC power.

All of their newer ARM based routers support running docker containers natively on the routers extra features. You can run PiHole/AdGuard, nginx, tailscale, etc. directly on your routers hardware.

I’ve been running a hexS for 3 years without any issues. I run multiple VLANs and wireguard directly on it, and it has an SFP port that I can use for an ONT module to get a fiber connection directly to my router from my ISP. I think it cost me $60 when I bought it.

Docker containers running the -arrs and Plex live on the SSDs so they load faster. Downloads are cached to SSDs so that read/write speed isn’t a limit when lots of downloads are running simultaneously. The downloads then get moved to a spinning disk array for long term storage whenever Unraid runs it’s ‘mover’ operation.