Self Hosted
Home Assistant Server
I rebuilt my smart home setup around Home Assistant running in Docker so it properly fits into my home lab and gives me more flexibility than using a standalone install. This time, I focused on making something that actually works for everyone in the house, not just me.
I started with simple wins like lighting using TP-Link Tapo smart plugs, then expanded into things like integrating the TV with Wake-on-LAN and adding remote-style controls, as well as connecting my Sonos speakers for basic playback. It all worked well, but I started to notice the small annoyances, like setup friction and reliability, that made the system feel less seamless than I wanted.
To improve that, I began moving over to Zigbee devices, starting with a Sonoff Zigbee dongle and motion sensors to create automations like hallway lights that turn on at night and switch off automatically.
I also added a dedicated touchscreen panel powered by a Raspberry Pi 4, which completely changed how the system is used. Instead of relying on phones, everything is just there: simple, fast, and accessible. That shift made the biggest difference, turning the setup from something I built for myself into something the whole house can actually use.
Jellyfin Server
I also run Jellyfin as part of my home lab, providing a fully self-hosted way to organise and stream our media from a system I control.
It includes CDs my family owns that I have ripped and stored on the server, creating a single central library for our music collection. Like the rest of my setup, the focus is on reliability and ease of use, so it feels like a practical family media service rather than another project that needs constant maintenance.
