In my last update, I was setting up the new Unifi networks and getting the devices migrated. I have now pulled the old Amplifi router off of the network as all of the devices have been migrated to the new Unifi Access Point. There were a few challenges along the way. VPN # A big part of why I wanted to upgrade the network gear was the ability to have an always-on VPN connection to home directly into the router.

I received the Ubiquiti Unifi gear and got it racked and cabled. It consists of a Unifi Security Gateway Pro, a Unifi 24 port managed switch, and a Unifi AC Pro access point. I took the opportunity to finally get around to putting in cable management on the 19" telecom rack I inherited from somewhere. The Unifi system requires a Unifi controller in order to configure and manage it. It required that a device running the Unifi Controller be connected directly to the same layer 2 switch as the devices so they can be configured.

As 2019 comes to a close and I look forward to 2020, it is time to take an inventory of the current state of things. I’m obviously not starting with nothing as I begin this evolution towards a self-hosted and secure world. Those who are further down this journey than I may cringe at the privacy and security problems with the current state, but this is how I start to prioritize what to tackle first.

I haven’t thought of a cool code name yet, but I have been referring to it as “The Project” or the “Self-Hosting Project”. That doesn’t quite cover everything it’s about, but it will do for now until I think of a better name. This project is as much a philosophy and set of guidelines for making technology and lifestyle decisions as anything else. These may change or evolve over time, but here they are in a nutshell:

The Chinese proverb says “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” which means that one cannot end their journey or meet their goal with taking that first step. Technically, this post does not mark the beginning of my journey, but it does mark the beginning of a new phase of my journey. First, just a little about me. Technology Background # I have worked with technology since my first job at 16 years old.