Looking to make the most of a mini PC lying around your house? In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to turn a compact computer—like the AceMagic V1—into a fully functioning home server using Proxmox Virtual Environment. With this setup, you can run services such as:
- Home Assistant: to automate your smart home devices
- AdGuard Home: to block ads and trackers across your entire network
- Jellyfin: to manage and stream your personal media library
- Dashy (Dashboard Tool): to keep all your services organized and accessible from one central place
By the end of this guide, you’ll have a mini server running multiple virtualized services—all on a device the size of your palm, consuming less than 10 watts of power!
What You’ll Need
- A mini PC (e.g., AceMagic V1)
- USB Flash Drive (at least 4GB)
- Another computer with internet access
- Proxmox VE ISO
- Rufus (to create a bootable USB)
⚠️ Disclaimer: This guide involves formatting your device’s storage. Ensure you backup any important data before proceeding. This tutorial is geared towards beginners, but caution is still advised.
Step 1: Prepare Your Bootable Proxmox USB
- Download the latest Proxmox VE ISO from the official website.
- Download and install Rufus from rufus.ie.
- Insert your USB drive, launch Rufus, and select the Proxmox ISO.
- Click “Start” and wait for it to complete (ignore any ISOHybrid warnings).
Step 2: Install Proxmox on Your Mini PC
- Insert the bootable USB into your mini PC (e.g., AceMagic V1).
- Boot the device and enter the BIOS (usually by pressing
F2orDEL). - Set the USB as the boot override device and save changes.
- Follow the Proxmox installation wizard. You may:
- Choose a static IP (recommended but optional)
- Set root password and email
- After installation, note the IP address shown (e.g.,
192.168.2.240).
📝 If you wish to restore Windows later, you can always reinstall it manually. In this example, the original SSD was replaced to preserve the factory OS.
Step 3: Access the Proxmox Dashboard
- From any computer on the same network, open a browser.
- Visit
https://<your-proxmox-ip>:8006(e.g.,https://192.168.2.240:8006). - Login using
rootand the password you set.
You now have full control of your new Proxmox home server.
Step 4: Install Essential Services
🏡 Home Assistant
- Open the Proxmox Shell.
- Run the following installation script:
bash -c "$(wget -qLO - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tteck/Proxmox/main/homeassistant.sh)"
- Follow the prompts. After 1–2 minutes, Home Assistant will be ready.
- Access it via
http://<VM-IP>:8123.
🛡️ AdGuard Home
- In the Proxmox Shell, run:
bash -c "$(wget -qLO - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tteck/Proxmox/main/adguardhome.sh)"
- Answer the setup questions. Installation completes in under a minute.
- Copy the assigned IP and access it in your browser.
To apply network-wide ad blocking, set this IP as the DNS server in your router (e.g., OpenWRT, OPNsense, or pfSense).
🎬 Jellyfin
- Run the Jellyfin installer script:
bash -c "$(wget -qLO - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tteck/Proxmox/main/jellyfin.sh)"
- In 2 minutes, Jellyfin will be ready to host your media collection.
- Open it using the assigned IP in your browser.
Step 5: Create a Unified Dashboard (Dashy)
Managing several services with different IPs? Let’s fix that.
- Run the dashboard installer:
bash -c "$(wget -qLO - https://raw.githubusercontent.com/tteck/Proxmox/main/dashy.sh)"
- After installation, access it via its IP.
- Set up a username and password, then start adding widgets:
- Click “Add New Application”
- Set a name, icon, and IP of the service (e.g., Home Assistant, AdGuard, Jellyfin)
- Save and repeat for each app
You can even add external links, such as your Google Drive, network-attached storage, or smart router interface.
Step 6: Assign Static IPs to VMs (Recommended)
To avoid losing track of your services, assign static IPs:
- Go to the VM settings in Proxmox
- Navigate to “Network”
- Set a static IP manually or reserve one via your router’s DHCP
⚠️ If your router restarts before your Proxmox server comes online, it might reassign those IPs. Consider configuring MAC-based DHCP reservations in your router for reliability.
Final Thoughts
In under 15 minutes, you’ve set up:
- A virtualized smart home hub (Home Assistant)
- A private network-wide ad blocker (AdGuard Home)
- Your own personal Netflix (Jellyfin)
- A dashboard to control them all (Dashy)
All this runs efficiently on a mini PC using Proxmox VE, offering a powerful alternative to bulky servers or expensive NAS devices.
Tags
home server, proxmox, mini pc, jellyfin, adguard home, home assistant, diy server, self-hosting, dashy dashboard, ace magic, low power server, media server, smart home
Hashtags
#Proxmox #HomeAssistant #AdGuardHome #Jellyfin #SelfHosting #MiniPC #SmartHome #Dashy #AceMagic #HomeServer
