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Advice around setting up two laptops, one as server (self.selfhosting)

submitted 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) by schmorpel to c/selfhosting

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So I have two laptops. Both run Linux Mint.

I need Laptop 1 to work with.

Laptop 2 is an unrepairable POS that starts having a little trouble with keyboard and hinges but works nicely otherwise and has a nice large 1TB disc and a GPU. I want to bury L2 in a shelf(*) and save videos and music on it to access from L1.

I would also like to play with Stable Diffusion on L2, accessing it from L1. Can I do that?

Edit: At some point I want to have my website served from L2 as well but I guess that can be a future project.

(*) Bonus points for ideas about how to have L2 do other useful things when I don't use it and install it as grow tent heating instead of just have it sit in a corner.

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[–] jecht360@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Turn on SSH (text) and VNC (GUI, like Windows RDP) on L2, place wherever you want. Access it remotely to run whatever. Install and use samba to create a file share for your videos and music. Whenever you want to host a website, install apache or nginx as the host software.

If/when you use it to host a website, make sure to harden the security on it. Block SSH and VNC through your router firewall completely so the server cannot be accessed from outside. Block SSH for the root user. Install something like fail2ban to prevent anyone who manages to reach the server from trying passwords endlessly.

[–] schmorpel 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Is only SSH not enough? Does the VNC just add the GUI or anything else?

I did manage to get access to Home folder and even external disk on L2 after much fiddling with sshd_config. Was extra pleased, changed power settings and closed the lid, continued to work fine, was even more pleased. Pulled power plug to set computer up in shelf, plugged again, and it stopped working. Not sure what to try next.

Edit: got back in. Something dodgy happened to L2 and I restarted it

[–] jecht360@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Oh, yes, SSH should be enough. I think I assumed a need for a GUI since you mentioned it had a GPU.

[–] schmorpel 1 points 1 year ago

I mentioned the GPU because of Stable Diffusion - ah only now I understand what RDP means. (It shows that I live in the weird wastelands of 'will try to do anything with a computer' and 'out of the loop peasant hippy'). I guess that might be neat to have.