Larry Corsini

In this project, I used Cloudflare Tunnel to securely access OPNsense, bypassing traditional VPN solutions. The goal was to establish secure remote network access to my homelab without exposing sensitive infrastructure to the public internet. The Cloudflare Tunnel ensures encrypted communication between my devices and OPNsense while maintaining network privacy.

### **Project Overview:**

By utilizing Cloudflare Tunnel, I was able to create a seamless, secure tunnel that connects my remote devices to OPNsense. This solution avoids the complexity of traditional VPN setups, offering a more straightforward method for accessing my homelab securely from anywhere. The connection is encrypted, ensuring the privacy and integrity of my data while minimizing the risk of unauthorized access.

### **Key Components:**

*   **Cloudflare Tunnel** for secure remote access

*   **OPNsense** firewall for advanced security configurations

*   Integrated **Pi-hole** for network-wide ad blocking

*   **Prometheus & Grafana** for real-time network monitoring

*   Seamless management of multiple virtual machines and services

### **Outcomes & Impact:**

*   Enabled remote access to my homelab without compromising security

*   Improved network performance monitoring through Grafana

*   Enhanced data security with Cloudflare’s encrypted tunnel service

*   Gained hands-on experience in networking and advanced firewall management

This project was pivotal in learning how to leverage Cloudflare Tunnel and OPNsense for practical, secure networking. It represents a real-world solution for remote connectivity in a home or small office environment.


OPNsense Tunnel Setup

In this project, I deployed a Jellyfin media server within Proxmox VE to manage and stream personal media securely. Instead of relying on third-party services, I created a self-hosted solution that allows for full control over content organization, privacy, and streaming quality. The deployment was done within a virtualized environment for enhanced flexibility and scalability.

### **Project Overview:**

I set up **Jellyfin** in a Proxmox virtual machine, utilizing containerized deployments to ensure optimal resource allocation and isolation. Networking and port forwarding were configured to allow secure remote access from any device while maintaining strict security protocols. To streamline content management, I automated the media organization process, along with metadata retrieval, to improve the overall user experience.

### **Key Components:**

*   **Jellyfin** for managing and streaming media

*   **Proxmox VE** for virtualization and resource management

*   Secure **remote access** setup using Cloudflare Tunnel

*   Automated **media organization** and metadata fetching for a better user interface

*   Containerization for **efficient resource management**

### **Outcomes & Impact:**

*   Developed a reliable and scalable self-hosted media server

*   Enhanced the user experience through automated media organization and metadata fetching

*   Gained hands-on experience with **Proxmox VE** and **containerization** for media servers

*   Enabled secure streaming access without relying on third-party cloud services

*   Streamlined the process of managing a growing media library

This project was an exciting challenge in self-hosting and virtualization, as it allowed me to explore and set up an environment that could evolve over time to support more features and services.


Jellyfin Media Server in Proxmox

This project involved designing and implementing a Proxmox VE-based lab environment with a focus on network segmentation and security. I integrated a series of tools to manage and optimize the network's performance while ensuring a high level of security and monitoring. The core components of the lab included an OPNsense firewall/router and centralized monitoring using Pi-hole, Prometheus, and Grafana.

### **Project Overview:**

The lab was designed to simulate a secure and optimized network environment, with strict segmentation between different parts of the network to reduce the risk of vulnerabilities. The **OPNsense firewall** was configured as the central point for routing and security, and services like **Pi-hole** were used to enhance network privacy by blocking unwanted content. Additionally, **Prometheus** and **Grafana** were integrated to monitor system performance, ensuring real-time insights into the health of the network.

### **Key Components:**

*   **Proxmox VE** for managing virtualized environments

*   **OPNsense** for firewall and routing management

*   **Pi-hole** for network-wide ad-blocking and privacy

*   **Prometheus** for system and network monitoring

*   **Grafana** for visualizing system metrics and network performance

*   Network segmentation for enhanced security

### **Outcomes & Impact:**

*   Built a scalable and flexible virtualized network environment

*   Gained practical experience in network security, virtualization, and system monitoring

*   Optimized network performance through centralized monitoring and ad-blocking

*   Ensured network security with proper segmentation and firewall management

*   Created a lab that could evolve to support more complex configurations in the future

This project was an important step in refining my skills in network management, security, and monitoring, helping me create a robust, isolated virtualized lab to test various configurations and network setups.


Projects

OPNsense Tunnel Setup

Jellyfin Media Server in Proxmox

Proxmox VE-Based Home Lab