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this post was submitted on 11 Sep 2023
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Wait, is an old laptop also good enough for setting up a home server? I thought you would require a completely separated and dedicated PC box like the ones you can see in studios or offices. That's new to me!
You can use any computer as a server, you just have to realise that low powered computers will be able to do less than something more powerful.
As you get into it more, you might find that you need better hardware, or more network ports etc., but most of us would probably be ok with a decent PC.
Even small SBC like raspberry pi can be a home server. SBC, laptop, SFF PC, office/gaming PC, server rack, ...they are all options with different pros and cons. What hardare you need depends on your use case. Free or cheap hardware is best to start with IMO. You might find you dont even need an upgrade, and if you do, you will probably know what you need
Definitely look into laptop servers. They have the benefit of having a built-in screen, keyboard and battery in case power goes down. IMO, as a fellow newbie, it's an easy way to dip your toes into hosting using existing/cheap resources
Anything with a CPU, RAM, a SSD/HDD and a network port can host something.
Even an old smartphone could do it.
Could it do it well? No. Can you do it? Certainly
It's like with tools: You can use a drill to make holes or use it as a hammer. Is it a good hammer?
At the same time, despite what others have said, ho slow. Don’t fall for the all too easy trap of wanting to get the latest and biggest. I ended up with a 2U quad sock server with 256GB RAM… why? Uncalled for and totally not necessary! Start slow and when you find the services you’re hosting no longer performing the speed you’d like, then gradually scale up.