How to Set Up a Linux Home Server from Start to Finish!

Introduction

In this tutorial, you will learn how to set up a Linux home server from scratch using Debian. We'll cover everything from downloading the Debian ISO to configuring various services like Docker, NGINX, and a Minecraft server. This guide is perfect for anyone looking to create a versatile home server for hosting games, managing files, or running web applications.

Step 1: Download the Debian ISO

• Visit the Debian website.
• Choose the appropriate version for your hardware architecture (usually amd64 for most modern computers).
• Download the ISO file to your local machine.

Step 2: Create Install Media from Linux

• Insert a USB drive (4GB or more).
• Open a terminal and find the drive name using lsblk.
• Use dd to create a bootable USB:

  sudo dd if=/path/to/debian.iso of=/dev/sdX bs=4M status=progress
  

  • Replace /path/to/debian.iso with the actual path to your downloaded ISO.
  • Replace /dev/sdX with the correct drive identifier (be careful to select the right drive).

Step 3: Create Install Media from Windows

• Download a tool like Rufus.
• Insert your USB drive and open Rufus.
• Select the Debian ISO and choose your USB drive.
• Click "Start" to create the bootable media.

Step 4: Install Debian

• Boot your computer from the USB drive.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to install Debian.
• Choose the appropriate options for your system (language, time zone, partitioning).
• Make sure to install the OpenSSH server during setup for remote access.

Step 5: SSH in and Set Up Sudo

• Once installed, log into your server.
• Use SSH to connect from another machine:

  ssh username@your-server-ip
  

• Install sudo if not included:

  apt update
  apt install sudo
  

• Add your user to the sudo group:

  sudo usermod -aG sudo username
  

Step 6: Basic SSH Security Hardening

• Change the default SSH port:
  • Open the SSH configuration file:

    sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
    

  • Change the line Port 22 to a different port.
• Disable root login:
  • Set PermitRootLogin no.
• Restart SSH:

  sudo systemctl restart ssh
  

Step 7: Disk Mirroring and Filesystems

• Install mdadm for RAID support:

  sudo apt install mdadm
  

• Create a RAID array:

  sudo mdadm --create --verbose /dev/md0 --level=mirror --raid-devices=2 /dev/sdX /dev/sdY
  

• Format the new RAID array:

  sudo mkfs.ext4 /dev/md0
  

Step 8: Installing Docker

• Update your package index:

  sudo apt update
  

• Install Docker:

  sudo apt install docker.io
  

• Enable and start Docker:

  sudo systemctl enable docker
  sudo systemctl start docker
  

Step 9: Configuring Web Server with NGINX

• Install NGINX:

  sudo apt install nginx
  

• Start NGINX:

  sudo systemctl start nginx
  

• Configure your server blocks in /etc/nginx/sites-available/ and link them to sites-enabled.

Step 10: Configuring Minecraft Server

• Run the following command to set up your Minecraft server:

  docker run -it -p 25565:25565 --name littleroot-minecraft -v /hdds/swraid/games/mcserver:/hmnt/mcserver -d debian bash
  

Step 11: Configuring File Server with Samba

• Install Samba:

  sudo apt install samba
  

• Configure Samba shares in the /etc/samba/smb.conf file.
• Restart Samba:

  sudo systemctl restart smbd
  

Step 12: Setting Up a Firewall with UFW

• Install UFW:

  sudo apt install ufw
  

• Enable UFW and allow specific ports:

  sudo ufw allow ssh
  sudo ufw allow 25565
  sudo ufw enable
  

Step 13: Setting a Cool Message of the Day

• Edit the MOTD file:

  sudo nano /etc/motd
  

• Add your custom message.

Step 14: Setting a Cool Bash Prompt

• Use the Bash Prompt Generator to create a custom prompt.
• Update your .bashrc with the new prompt settings.

Conclusion

You've now set up a fully functional Linux home server! You've learned to install Debian, set up services like Docker, NGINX, and a Minecraft server, and secured your server with basic firewall settings. For further exploration, consider adding more applications or experimenting with additional configurations to enhance your server's capabilities. Happy hosting!