Thinking about building a home lab to level up your IT skills? Follow this journey of building a powerful home network with Proxmox, OPNsense, and more.

It Starts with a Question: “Could I do that?”

It’s funny how big projects start. Mine began with a simple thought while looking into a career change: “I wonder if I could learn networking for real?” Not just plugging in a Wi-Fi router, but the nuts and bolts of how data actually moves.

Reading about it is one thing. Doing it is another.

So, I decided to build a home lab. A small stack of dedicated hardware that would let me experiment, break things, and learn in a hands-on way. What started as a curiosity has turned into a full-blown (and incredibly fun) project that’s teaching me more than any textbook could.

I wanted to share a look inside my setup, not to show off, but to show what’s possible when you’re curious.

What’s in the Rack? A Guided Tour

My setup is a mix of new, used, and even trash-rescued gear. It’s not about having the most expensive equipment; it’s about having the right tools for the job. Here’s a breakdown from top to bottom.

The Core Network & Security

• Firewall: At the top of my rack is a Sophos XG 135 box, but it’s not running the stock software. I installed OPNsense on it. Think of a firewall as the security guard for your entire network. OPNsense is an open-source firewall that gives me incredible control over my network’s security, far beyond what a typical consumer router offers. I can create advanced rules, monitor traffic, and run a VPN.
• Switch: Below that is a Cisco SG300-10. If the firewall is the security guard, the switch is the traffic cop. It directs all the data flowing between the devices on my network. This is a managed switch, which means I can configure it to prioritize certain traffic (like video calls) or segment my network into different zones for security.
• Router: A Cisco 1921 router handles the connection to the wider internet. It’s a solid, reliable piece of enterprise-grade hardware that forms the backbone of the whole operation.

The Brains: Virtualization and Services

This is where things get really interesting. Instead of having a dozen different physical machines for different tasks, I use virtualization.

• Proxmox Host: I have an Intel NUC (a small, powerful computer) running Proxmox. Proxmox is a platform that lets you run multiple, independent “virtual machines” (VMs) on a single physical computer. It’s like having a whole fleet of computers in one tiny box. My plan is to spin up different environments here—maybe a web server, a development environment for coding, or a media server.
• Pi-hole: On an old laptop, I’m running Pi-hole. It’s a network-wide ad blocker. Any device that connects to my network—my phone, my TV, my laptop—has ads blocked at the source. It’s surprisingly effective and one of my favorite parts of the setup.
• Home Assistant: A Raspberry Pi is dedicated to running Home Assistant (HAOS). This is the central hub for all my smart home stuff, allowing me to automate and control everything from one place.
• Network Attached Storage (NAS): For storage, I’m using a Beelink mini PC as my NAS. This is the central file cabinet for the whole network. I’m loading all my important files onto it, which I can then access from any device.

The Best Part: Found in the Trash

My favorite part of this whole setup? The Wi-Fi. I found three Cisco 3720i access points (APs) in the trash. These are enterprise-grade APs, the kind you’d find in an office building.

They were designed to be managed by a central controller, which I don’t have. So, I learned how to “flash” them to autonomous mode. This lets them work independently. It was a fantastic learning experience, and now I have a super-robust Wi-Fi network that covers my entire home, all built from someone else’s garbage.

Why Bother Doing All This?

This project is about more than just tinkering. It’s a career-building tool.

Every piece of equipment is teaching me a valuable, real-world skill.
* Managing the OPNsense firewall is teaching me network security.
* Configuring the Cisco switch and router is teaching me enterprise networking.
* Using Proxmox is teaching me virtualization, a fundamental skill in modern IT.
* Setting up the NAS and other services is teaching me server administration.

This isn’t theoretical knowledge. It’s practical experience. It’s something I can talk about in an interview and put on a resume. I didn’t just read about virtual environments; I’m building them. I didn’t just study network diagrams; I cabled my own.

If you’re curious about IT or networking, I can’t recommend this enough. You don’t need a huge budget. Start with an old computer or a Raspberry Pi. The goal isn’t to build a massive server rack overnight. The goal is to start learning. The rest will follow.