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Core Lab Joe

Core Lab Joe

Canada
Dad, IT guy, Self-Hosting Evangelist! https://www.reddit.com/r/corelabtech/
14
Jul
🧪 What's Up in the Lab? - July 2026

🧪 What's Up in the Lab? - July 2026

This update is a mix of heavy homelab content and something a little lighter for the whole family. With the
4 min read
10
Jul
A screenshot of the Mealie app, showing various recipes and a logged in user (me, Joe).

Mealie Docker Setup Guide (2026): Build a Self-Hosted Recipe Manager Your Whole Family Will Actually Use

Learn how to install Mealie with Docker in 2026. Build a beautiful self-hosted recipe manager with recipe imports, meal planning, shopping lists, and secure remote access.
8 min read
06
Jul
Header image saying "What is a reverse proxy?", stating benefits on the bottom such as Single Entry Point, TLS/SSL Termination, Authentication, Security Filtering, Certs.

What is a Reverse Proxy? Why Every Homelab Needs One (2026 Guide)

Learn what a reverse proxy is, why every self-hosted homelab should use one, and compare SWAG, Traefik, Caddy, Nginx Proxy Manager, HAProxy and NGINX before choosing the right solution.
12 min read
06
Jul
Illustration of the Authelia logo beside a one-time password (OTP) login screen, representing centralized multi-factor authentication protecting self-hosted apps behind a SWAG reverse proxy.

Authelia: Centralized MFA for Self-Hosted Services

Stop exposing unsecured apps. Learn how to deploy Authelia in Docker with a KeyDB backend and SWAG to enforce centralized Multi-Factor Authentication.
9 min read
30
Jun
Screenshot showing CrowdSec WebUI Dashboard in all it's glory - Globally visualized attack data!

CrowdSec Web UI: The Dashboard CrowdSec Should Have Shipped With

CrowdSec told me it was working, but I wanted to see it. Here's how I deployed CrowdSec Web UI for live alerts, geo-mapped attacks, and notifications - without giving up local control.
10 min read
22
Jun
My old rack & setup, it's grown & adapted from here!

Latest from the Lab - Jun 22 '26

Latest posts & updates from the lab! Three big ones dropping this week, and they couldn't be more
6 min read
22
Jun
Prime Day 2026: Homelab, Networking & Budget PC Deals Worth Your Click

Prime Day 2026: Homelab, Networking & Budget PC Deals Worth Your Click

Don't waste hours scrolling through consumer trash. I dug through the active Prime Day catalog to pull out the hardware genuinely worth your click - most of which is currently running inside my own infrastructure.
17 min read
22
Jun
Digital image with a lock and the Canadian flag in the background with a camera overlooking the flag with the caption "Higher Powers. Bigger Risks."

Canada Is Quietly Dismantling Digital Privacy - And You're Probably Not Paying Attention

Buried inside federal Bills C-22, C-34, and C-9 is a sweeping surveillance architecture. Here is what it means for Canadians and how to self-host your way out.
16 min read
16
Jun
Shodan.io map view of Toronto & area, Canada showing detected IPV4 & IPV6 addresses.

🛡️ Auditing the Castle: How to Scan and Pen-Test Your Homelab (2026 Guide)

Stop guessing if your self-hosted infrastructure is secure. Use Shodan, Greenbone OpenVAS in Docker, and Trivy to audit your homelab like a professional.
17 min read
09
Jun
Screenshot of Hydra Game Launcher, showing a library of games for review & download.

New from Core Lab: Linux Gaming Showcas, 1 Year of Running A Tech Blog, more to come

It’s been an intense couple weeks in the Lab, but I've cooked up some great stuff... Today,
4 min read