10 Home Lab Mistakes I Made (and How You Can Avoid Them in 2025)

In this video, I’m sharing the top 10 mistakes I’ve made in my home lab so you don’t have to repeat them. From wiping the wrong server and losing Docker-Compose files, to running everything on a single drive, exposing a Windows VM to the Internet, and forgetting to label cables—these lessons were hard-earned. Check out my full countdown of my personal crash and burns in the home lab!

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Introduction to my top 10 home lab mistakes and lessions - 0:00
1. Reloading the wrong server (ouch!) - 1:16
2. Putting a Windows VM out on the Internet - 2:25
3. Losing all my Docker Compose work - 3:37
4. Not labeling network ports or cables - 5:21
5. Running everything on a single disk - 7:00
6. Skipping snapshots before changing something - 7:48
7. Overcommitting hardware - 8:41
8. Skipping power protection - 9:28
9. Forgetting IPs and VLANs - 10:22
10. Underestimating heat and noise - 11:39