I use a Homebridge server on the Mac mini to connect all these devices. Lights, doorbells, smart locks, window shades, garages, security cameras, alarm systems, and even the washing machine! HomebridgeĪfter purchasing a home recently, I set out on a mission to smartify all the things. I now have an open source, super fast RSS service accessible (to me) from anywhere on the internet. So I spent a few hours one weekend installing FreshRSS on my Mac mini. I previously used Feedly but then switched to iCloud 6. I use it as my throttled way of consuming the internet (blog posts, youtube videos, podcasts, etc.). I’m sipping coffee in hipster cafes editing my site, then clinging on to dear life in a Muni bus, reading that draft on a phone browser. And because this is just a “local” address & port (courtesy Tailscale), I can connect to it from any of my devices. Hugo picks it up and serves a live preview on a private port on the Mac mini. I then run a hugo server 5 which watches for changes in this folder. Gosh, if only I had a private server that only I could connect to on the internet.įor the technically curious: I edit files directly on a folder on the mini using VSCode 4. But you don’t run your real website like this 3. I typically edit my “draft” blog posts like this, so I can see the changes right away. If I change any part of my website 2, it instantly shows me an up-to-date preview. Hugo has this nifty feature called live reload when you run it on a local machine. I use the static website generator Hugo (& Henry) for this site. Let’s talk about some services you could run leveraging this setup. I could literally connect to the Homebridge server on my Mac mini in California from an Android phone while traveling in India. With the magic of Tailscale ✨, all these devices are now connected like they were on the same network! If that hasn’t sunk in: I install 1 Tailscale on this Mac mini and all the other devices I wish to connect from. This Mac mini is the linchpin of my setup, really. Basic ideaįor me, that “machine” is a souped-up Mac mini sitting on an office shelf at home that is never turned off. Tailscale allows you to connect to a machine at home from anywhere on the internet (securely) from your phone/tablet/laptop. This includes your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop. While all of that might be true, think of it this way: Tailscale allows you to securely connect to a machine at home from anywhere on the internet. Tailscale is marketed as a zero-config VPN built on top of WireGuard that securely connects devices and manages firewall rules etc. Once all libraries are listed, click Next, then Done to complete.I’d like to show you how I use Tailscale and a Mac mini in my office to achieve some nifty things.If a library type you want isn't initially set up, click Add Library, select the type, name it, click Next, click Add Folder, select the folder containing the media, click Add, then Add Library.Manage the libraries to match the content you want to view, such as "Movie," "TV Show," and "Music.".The Basic Setup will ask you to set some essential details about the server, including giving it a memorable name and if you want to "access my media outside my home." Enter these, then click Next. It will first ask you to authenticate your Plex account.
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