Introduction A key goal of my homelab journey is to build and host services using infrastructure that I control. For this project, I wanted to host my own WordPress website while keeping the underlying services inside my home network. The objective was simple: The final result: running from my own infrastructure. The Starting Point The …
Overview Maintaining a consistent desktop background across domain-joined computers is a simple way to reinforce branding and create a more professional user experience. In my home lab, I use Active Directory Group Policy to copy wallpaper images from a central Synology NAS share to each computer before applying the wallpaper. This approach ensures the image …
When managing a Windows Active Directory environment, it’s easy to assume that if a Group Policy Object (GPO) contains both Computer and User settings, everything inside it will apply automatically. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. I recently ran into an issue where a PowerShell startup script copied wallpapers correctly on every Windows 10 machine …
Overview Docker makes it easy to deploy applications without worrying about complex installations. Combined with Portainer, it provides a simple web interface for managing containers. This guide installs both Docker and Portainer on Raspberry Pi OS. Prerequisites Before starting, ensure: Step 1 – Update the System Run: Keeping the operating system updated helps avoid compatibility …
Overview The Raspberry Pi is one of the most versatile computers available for home lab projects. Whether you’re building a smart home controller, web server or automation platform, the first step is getting Raspberry Pi OS installed and enabling remote access. This guide walks through the initial setup so your Pi is ready for future …
Introduction A major goal of Realm Labs is to document the journey of building and experimenting with technology. Rather than using a hosted blogging platform, I decided to run the website using the same principles as the rest of the home lab: self hosting, learning and having full control. This project documents the process of …
Introduction A smart home is not just about connecting devices together. The way information is displayed and controlled is just as important. As Realm Labs expanded, I wanted a dashboard that felt less like a collection of switches and more like a proper control system. This led to the creation of custom Home Assistant dashboards …
Introduction Not every home lab project needs to involve servers, virtual machines or complex infrastructure. Sometimes the most enjoyable projects are the ones that solve a simple problem in a custom way. The Dart Scoreboard project started with the idea of creating a dedicated display that could show scores and information in a clean, modern …
Introduction A home lab is not only about servers and applications. The devices connecting to the infrastructure also need to be managed, maintained and configured consistently. As Realm Labs expanded, manually configuring each Windows machine became inefficient. The solution was to introduce the same technologies used in many business environments: Active Directory and Group Policy. …
Introduction Once a home lab starts growing, simply knowing that everything is powered on is no longer enough. Multiple servers, containers, network devices and services are constantly running, and without visibility it becomes difficult to understand performance, identify problems or plan future upgrades. This led to the introduction of monitoring into Realm Labs. Why Monitor …
