What can I do with the nas and truenas scale?

[BaidDSB]

I have successfully tested Immich. I know about Jellyfin as well. Im still looking for a app that can backup/sync my desktop data to the nas automatically.

But what else can i do with this thing?

[will0hlep]

Pi-hole is cool, it blocks ads on other devices on your network

DDNS Updater is useful if you want to use your Jellyfin while away from home (You'll need a domain)

You can also use Wire Guard to make your own VPN to allow you to look like your at home, even when you are not

[BaidDSB]

10 minutes ago, will0hlep said:

 

DDNS Updater is useful if you want to use your Jellyfin while away from home (You'll need a domain)

You can also use Wire Guard to make your own VPN to allow you to look like your at home, even when you are not

can you expand on these? Also how do i get a domain? Is it a paid thing?

[will0hlep]

2 hours ago, BaidDSB said:

can you expand on these? Also how do i get a domain? Is it a paid thing?

Pi-Hole

To understand Pi-Hole, you need to understand DNS servers.

 

The job of a DNS server is to allow computers to look up IP addresses for websites you want to visit, like you'd use a phone book to look up phone numbers for people. For example, say you wanted to open LTTStore.com. You type it into your browser or search engine, and click or press enter. However, at this stage, your PC has no idea how to get to LTTStore.com, just like how your phone couldn't call Bob if all it knew was he was called bob. To go any further, your going to need an IP address (just as your phone needs a phone number). So, before loading LTTStore.com, your computer sends a message to a DNS server (usually chosen by your ISP/router). The DNS server looks up LTTStore.com and finds the associated IP address of LTTStore.com. It then sends that back to your computer. Now, your computer knows the IP addresses and can begin talking to the server that hosts LTTStore.com, allowing your browser to display LTTStore.com.

 

However, not all websites are as sleak and clean as LTTStore.com. Many websites have adverts and other nasty stuff on them. And because ad networks are all connected these days, loading those adverts requires loading stuff from other domains (different to the one your visiting), which requires further DNS lookups.

 

That is where PI-Hole comes in. Pi-Hole is a DNS server that you host yourself and that you can setup as the DNS server your computers, phone and TVs should try first. However, unlike public DNS servers which list every domain/website, a Pi-Hole just lists the ones that no one should want to visit because they are where the Ads and malware load from.

 

When one of your devices asks your Pi-Hole for one of those Domains, it will basically reply with "nope, nothing there, make do without it". Of course, all other quieries get pushed to public DNS servers, so you can browse as normal, just without the Ads.

 

Domains

So Domains are website names, like LTTStore.com. They do cost money to get and keep, but usually not very much. For example, cloudflare will sell you a 10 year lease on "BaidDSB.uk" for $48.20 ($4.82 a year). The reason it is a lease, is that you arn't really paying to own the name. That is what a trademark is for. You are paying for an entry on their DNS server for your Domain and IPAddress, and for that DNS server to direct all the traffic your domain gets to your IPAddress.

 

DDNS Updater

Before continuing, something I skipped over when explaining DNS servers is that IP addresses change quite frequently (unless you have a static IP address, but those are usally expensive and only available to businesses). Accordingly, if you are hosting a domain yourself, it will work for a bit. But, then the IP address of your system/network will change, and the DNS servers will all be pointing to the wrong place.

 

That is where DDNS Updater comes in. It constantly checks your home networks IP address, and when it detects a change, it tells the DNS servers to update their records, keeping your domain accessable.

 

Why would you want this? well, take your Jellyfin server. At the moment you can connect to it at home via "192.168.x.x", and you can connect to it away from home via your external IP address. However, the latter only works if your external IP address hasn't changed since you last checked it. And if it does change, and you happen to be away from home, you'll have no way to find the new external IP address, until you get home.

 

However, if you have your own domain, and your running DDNS Updater, you can simply type in your domain and a port number (for example Bobswebsitecom:12345, don't actually try to go here, I made it up at random and don't know where it might go) on jellyfin, and DDNS Updater will ensure that the DNS servers can always find the correct IP address and get you connected to your jellyfin server.

 

Plus, it isn't just Jellyfin. It works for any service you host on your own network. For example, I also use this for WireGuard, which I'll cover in a moment, and Minecraft, so that I and my friends can always connect to our server and no one ever has to wait for me to look up my IP address.

 

WireGuard

WireGuard is a VPN framework that allows you to host your own VPN. That way when you are away from home, you can route all your internet traffic through your home internet connection. There are 3 advantages to this.

1) You'll be able to access the files on your NAS from anywhere. 2) Whatever hotel or library or whatever internet connection your using won't be able to see what websites your visiting, or what your doing on them. However, they and the websites you visit will be able to see your home IP address. 3) websites will think you are at home which can be very useful when you are abroad.

[BaidDSB]

1 hour ago, will0hlep said:

 

To understand Pi-Hole, you need to

Pi Hole and Wireguard sounds amazing...  but i did hear something about something called tailscale that i can use to connect to jellyfin at home for free????

[will0hlep]

35 minutes ago, BaidDSB said:

Pi Hole and Wireguard sounds amazing...  but i did hear something about something called tailscale that i can use to connect to jellyfin at home for free????

Tailscale is actually built on WireGuard and does the same job. It just replaces the needing a domain part and the needing DDNS updater part with having an account that points your computer to your server. This can be an attractive option, however, their free plan has a limit on users which dosn't work for me. Also, I'm not very trusting and this requires putting alot of trust on Tailscale (WG by contrast is completely open source and completely host yourself). Also, as tailscale is a business, I expect them to water down their free plan at some point to make more money.

 

As for connecting to Jellyfin via Tailscale or WireGuard, It can be done but it makes it more of a hassel than having a domain. For example, if you use Tailscale or WireGuard to connect to Jellyfin, you have to connect to the VPN before you open Jellyfin and disconnect after you close Jellyfin. This is an annoying set of steps to take and isn't very user friendly for less tech savy friends and family. Also, while your connected to wireguard or tailscale (so you can use Jellyfin) all your other internet traffic also has to go through the VPN too, which can greatly impact your internet speeds cause most peoples upload speeds are awful (this can be avoided with good configuration on some devices, but not all). Also, Also, it won't work for TVs and Consoles (to my knowledge).

 

On the other hand, with a domain, any idoit (you give the domain and some account details to) can connect and login, on any device, just as easily as they could login to netflix or check their email. And they only ever have to do it once (so long as you don't start a new server). It is truely set it and forget it, for almost forever.

[BaidDSB]

48 minutes ago, will0hlep said:

Tailscale is actually built on WireGuard and does the same job. It just replaces the needing a domain part and the needing DDNS updater part with having an account that points your computer to your server. This can be an attractive option, however, their free plan has a limit on users which dosn't work for me. Also, I'm not very trusting and this requires putting alot of trust on Tailscale (WG by contrast is completely open source and completely host yourself). Also, as tailscale is a business, I expect them to water down their free plan at some point to make more money.

 

As for connecting to Jellyfin via Tailscale or WireGuard, It can be done but it makes it more of a hassel than having a domain. For example, if you use Tailscale or WireGuard to connect to Jellyfin, you have to connect to the VPN before you open Jellyfin and disconnect after you close Jellyfin. This is an annoying set of steps to take and isn't very user friendly for less tech savy friends and family. Also, while your connected to wireguard or tailscale (so you can use Jellyfin) all your other internet traffic also has to go through the VPN too, which can greatly impact your internet speeds cause most peoples upload speeds are awful (this can be avoided with good configuration on some devices, but not all). Also, Also, it won't work for TVs and Consoles (to my knowledge).

 

On the other hand, with a domain, any idoit (you give the domain and some account details to) can connect and login, on any device, just as easily as they could login to netflix or check their email. And they only ever have to do it once (so long as you don't start a new server). It is truely set it and forget it, for almost forever.

is this all i need to do? that simple?

[will0hlep]

15 minutes ago, BaidDSB said:

is this all i need to do? that simple?

Mostly everything.

 

They do use a special feature of a TP-Link router to skip over the "setting up a domain" and "keeping the DNS records" up to date.

 

If you don't have that TP-Link router, the first steps would be to buy a domain (make sure the vender offers DNS record management), and the second step would be to setup DDNS Updater.

[BaidDSB]

6 hours ago, will0hlep said:

Mostly everything.

 

They do use a special feature of a TP-Link router to skip over the "setting up a domain" and "keeping the DNS records" up to date.

 

If you don't have that TP-Link router, the first steps would be to buy a domain (make sure the vender offers DNS record management), and the second step would be to setup DDNS Updater.

I have a tp link router and already did that par t in the router...

[will0hlep]

9 hours ago, BaidDSB said:

I have a tp link router and already did that par t in the router...

Sounds like you can skip DDNSupdater and getting a domain then