This Raspberry Pi project is more useful than my desktop PC
VPNs aren't the most exciting things to self-host, but once I started using one on a Raspberry Pi, it quickly became indispensable. It is lightweight, efficient, and gives me reliable access to all of my self-hosted services.
Without it, I would still be stuck paying for a number of subscription services that I've managed to avoid.
What does WireGuard do?
A lean, modern VPN protocol that creates an encrypted tunnel back to your own network
WireGuard is a VPN server, much like the commercial products that you can buy, but rather than running on someone else's server hosted halfway around the world, it runs on a computer on your home network. It allows you to create a secure, point-to-point connection between your remote device—like a phone or laptop—and your home network. Once the tunnel is active, your device behaves as if it were sitting on your living room couch, even if you're away.
If you've looked into home VPNs before, you've probably seen older options like OpenVPN or IPsec. The important difference is that WireGuard is smaller, lighter, and easier to configure. It isn't some fringe experiment, either. It is a standard, well-supported tool.
You could run WireGuard on your desktop, but that would be a waste. A desktop draws significant power even at idle; a Raspberry Pi will run 24/7 and only cost a few pennies a month in electricity. It's tiny, silent and can be tucked away next to your router rather than taking up valuable desk space.
You don't need the performance of a desktop-class CPU either. Even a Pi Zero 2 W enough horsepower to handle basic VPN usage, and both the Pi 4 and Pi 5 can handle more throughput than an average residential internet plan. .
WireGuard is the service that makes my homelab viable
It guarantees access to everything, without exposing it to the internet
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
By combining a Pi with WireGuard, it becomes the single entry point to my homelab from the outside. Rather than manually forwarding a dozen different ports to make all of my services available—which is practically inviting attacks from bots—I only need one WireGuard port open.
Once I'm connected to the tunnel, all of my internal dashboards, files, Joplin , and media servers all act exactly as they would if I were home. It gives me the convenience of remote access without the security headache of other popular access solutions.
Using a Pi-based VPN allows you to stop relying on subscription cloud storage for simple file access and backups. If you need the heavy lifting of your desktop PC, you can remote desktop into it only when absolutely necessary. By self-hosting the tunnel, you remove the reliance on third-party tunneling services that can change their pricing, alter their terms, or shut down.
If you self-host a lot of different services, it guarantees you can maintain access. I've come to depend on many of my self-hosted services since I use them as full replacements for many professional subscription services.
Setting up WireGuard
WireGuard on a Pi only takes a few commands
To get started, flash a current Raspberry Pi OS lite image onto your microSD card. Make sure to enable access via SSH or Raspberry Pi Connect. You'll need it to install WireGuard later.
After that is done, pop the microsD card into your Pi and power it on, then SSH into it.
I recommend using a guided installer like PiVPN rather than installing WireGuard manually. It handles the tedious parts of key generation and configuration automatically. Once installed, generate your server keys and create a unique client config (or QR code) for every device you plan to connect.
Making WireGuard accessible
Minimize your dependence on external services
To make the tunnel accessible, forward the specific WireGuard UDP port on your router to the Pi's internal IP address.
You'll also find that dynamic home IP addresses can be a nuisance; you'll need to set up a workaround like Dynamic DNS (DDNS) to ensure your devices can always find your home.
Once the configs are loaded onto your phone or laptop, test the connection from outside your network—use mobile data to make sure it's actually working. To keep things stable, get into the habit of patching the OS and backing up your configuration files. You don't want to accidentally create a security vulnerability by missing an important update. If you lose a device, remember to revoke its keys immediately.
One service keeps everything together
My homelab is an essential part of my daily work routine and my personal life; it has replaced at least 6 subscriptions, and I run countless other services that don't have simple paid alternatives. If you're getting into self-hosting, try out WireGuard—it is one of the easiest and most secure ways you can access your home network.
Check out Yahoo's latest VPN advice, based on hands-on testing.
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