Proxmox on homelab

Gluetun VPN Service

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Gluetun VPN Service#

What Was Established#

Gluetun is a lightweight Docker container acting as a dedicated VPN gateway for other containers.
Implements the sidecar pattern: dependent containers (e.g., qBittorrent, nzbget, prowlarr) share Gluetun’s network namespace via network_mode: "service:gluetun".
AirVPN selected as the provider over ProtonVPN/Mullvad due to superior port forwarding support required for P2P services.
Container-level VPN on the servarr VM is architecturally separate from the network-level UniFi VPN on Helms Deep (VLAN 2).

Deployment Context#

Gluetun runs on the servarr VM (192.168.1.112) as part of the Servarr Docker Compose stack at /docker/servarr/. It is configured via .env file in that directory.

GPU Passthrough for Proxmox LXCs

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

GPU Passthrough for Proxmox LXCs#

What Was Established#

Intel GPU passthrough to Proxmox LXCs requires both host-side module loading and specific LXC device mounts.
vainfo frequently fails with X11/X server errors in headless containers; this is expected and does not indicate a broken passthrough.
intel_gpu_top requires i915 module loaded on the host and accessible debugfs/sysfs paths inside the container.

Key Decisions#

Headless VA-API Testing: When vainfo reports error: can't connect to X server!, set environment variables to bypass X11:
```
export XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=/tmp/runtime-root
export LIBVA_DRIVER_NAME=iHD
vainfo
```
Module Verification: lsmod | grep i915 confirms the driver is loaded inside the container. Presence of i915, drm_buddy, ttm, and drm_display_helper indicates successful module injection.
Device Access: intel_gpu_top failing with No device filter specified... typically points to missing debugfs mounts or host-side i915 parameters, not necessarily a broken /dev/dri/ passthrough.

Current Configuration#

Proxmox LXC Config (/etc/pve/lxc/<container-id>.conf):

Proxmox LXC Storage Mounts

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox LXC Storage Mounts#

What Was Established#

SMB/CIFS shares can be integrated into Proxmox via CLI or the Web GUI.
GUI integration is recommended for Proxmox-native features (backups, ISOs, templates) and automatic retention management.
LXC containers can directly mount Proxmox storage paths using mp0/mp1 directives in the container config file.
Separate CIFS storages should be used for media vs. backups to maintain clean separation of concerns.

Key Decisions#

Storage Content Types: For media-only CIFS shares, select Container templates, ISO images, or Disk image. Explicitly avoid Containers and VZDump backup file to prevent Proxmox from treating the media share as a system storage.
Subdirectory Configuration: Leave the Proxmox storage subdirectory field blank to mount the root of the SMB share, enabling flexible navigation to specific subfolders (e.g., Documents/Movies).
Jellyfin Path Targeting: Point Jellyfin directly to the specific media subfolder (e.g., /media/synology/Documents/Movies) rather than the mount root.

Current Configuration#

LXC Config Path: /etc/pve/lxc/<CT-ID>.conf (e.g., /etc/pve/lxc/100.conf).
Mount Syntax: mp0: /mnt/pve/<Storage-ID>,mp=/media/<mount-name>

Permission Mapping (for unprivileged containers):

lxc.idmap: u 0 100000 65536
lxc.idmap: g 0 100000 65536
lxc.idmap: u 1000 1000 1
lxc.idmap: g 1000 1000 1
lxc.idmap: u 1001 101001 64535
lxc.idmap: g 1001 101001 64535

Jellyfin Setup: Dashboard → Libraries → Add Media Library → Folders: /media/synology/Documents/Movies.

Historical Notes#

Conversation date: 2025-11-07.
Focuses on resolving LXC mount visibility and permission issues for Jellyfin on a Synology NAS.
No major infrastructure changes flagged; patterns remain valid for Proxmox 8.x.

Open Questions#

None.

Sources#

ingested/chats/092-Mount NAS Storage to LXC Containers.md
ingested/chats/091-Mount Synology SMB to Proxmox Guide.md
ingested/chats/090-Mount SMB Share on Proxmox Guide.md
DeepSeek conversation: Mount NAS Storage to LXC Containers (2025-11-07)

Sources#

ingested/chats/092-Mount NAS Storage to LXC Containers.md
ingested/chats/091-Mount Synology SMB to Proxmox Guide.md
ingested/chats/090-Mount SMB Share on Proxmox Guide.md
Historical DeepSeek conversation: “Mount SMB Share on Proxmox Guide” (2025-11-07)

Proxmox Storage Management, Proxmox Systemd Mounts

Proxmox NVMe Partition Management

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox NVMe Partition Management#

What Was Established#

Advanced manual partitioning strategy for separating OS and VM/Container data on a single NVMe drive.
Recommended for test clusters where OS reinstalls are expected without risking data loss on the storage partition.
Uses sgdisk to create distinct partitions that Proxmox treats as independent storage targets.

Key Decisions#

Partition Layout: EFI (1GB), OS (~100GB), Data (remaining ~399GB).
Tooling: sgdisk for GPT partitioning, mkfs.ext4/mkfs.fat for formatting, manual mounting for data.
Storage Integration: Data partition mounted at /mnt/data and added as a Directory storage in Proxmox.

Current Configuration#

Target Hardware: 3x Laptops with 500GB NVMe drives.
Partition Scheme:
- /dev/nvme0n1p1: 1GB EFI System Partition (FAT32)
- /dev/nvme0n1p2: ~100GB Proxmox OS (ext4)
- /dev/nvme0n1p3: ~399GB VM/Container Data (ext4)
Post-Install Mount: Data partition mounted at /mnt/data and auto-mounted via /etc/fstab.

Historical Notes#

As of 2026-02-28, the user opted for the “complex” manual partitioning approach over the installer’s built-in LVM/ZFS options to ensure OS and data appear as totally separate drives.
This method requires dropping to a shell during installation and manually launching proxinstall.

Open Questions#

How does this partitioning scheme interact with future ZFS pool expansions if the laptops are clustered?
Are there specific sgdisk flags needed for NVMe drives in UEFI mode?

Proxmox Storage Management
Proxmox ZFS Storage & Installation Patterns
Proxmox ZFS Storage Setup

Sources#

ingested/chats/013-Set Up Proxmox with LVM and ZFS.md
DeepSeek conversation: Proxmox OS and Storage Separation Guide (2026-02-28)

Proxmox Storage Management

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox Storage Management#

title: Proxmox Storage Management version: 1.2 date: 2026-04-30 namespace: general wiki: homelab tags: [proxmox, storage, smb, cifs, zfs, backups] changes: Crystallized from historical DeepSeek conversation historical: true#

Proxmox Storage Management#

What Was Established#

SMB/CIFS shares can be integrated into Proxmox via CLI or the Web GUI.
GUI integration is recommended for Proxmox-native features (backups, ISOs, templates) and automatic retention management.
Local disk inspection (e.g., sda2) requires verifying mount status and filesystem type to avoid conflicts with active root partitions.

CLI Mounting (Persistent)#

Install utilities: apt update && apt install cifs-utils
Create credentials file: /etc/smb-credentials with chmod 600.
Add to /etc/fstab: //server/share /mnt/smb-share cifs credentials=/etc/smb-credentials,uid=0,gid=0,file_mode=0660,dir_mode=0770,iocharset=utf8 0 0
Test mount: mount -a

GUI Mounting (Proxmox Native)#

Navigate to Datacenter → Storage → Add → SMB/CIFS.
Required Fields: ID, Server, Share, Username, Password.
Content Types (select based on use case):
- ISO images
- Container templates
- VZDump backup files
Advanced Options: Max Backups, Prune Backups, SMB Version (e.g., 3.0), Domain.
Verification: Green checkmark in Storage list indicates active status. Use “Test Connection” if available.

Local Disk Inspection#

Check status: lsblk, blkid /dev/sda2, mount | grep sda2.
Mount temporarily: mount /dev/sda2 /mnt/sda2.
Inspect: ls -la /mnt/sda2, df -h, du -sh /mnt/sda2/*.
Note: sda2 is typically the root partition on Proxmox hosts; avoid modifying if already mounted at /.

Open Questions#

Specific purpose of sda2 on Isengard (192.168.1.69)? (Likely root, but verify with lsblk/blkid).
SMB share usage for LonelyMountain (192.168.1.137) backups vs ISOs? (GUI method preferred for VZDump retention).

Proxmox Systemd Mounts — systemd mount units for NAS shares Proxmox LXC Storage Mounts — LXC bind mounts and permission mapping Proxmox ZFS Storage & Installation Patterns Proxmox NVMe Partition Management TrueNAS (Vairë) - Storage & Backup Server

Proxmox Systemd Mounts

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox Systemd Mounts#

What Was Established#

SMB/CIFS shares can be integrated into Proxmox via CLI or the Web GUI.
GUI integration is recommended for Proxmox-native features (backups, ISOs, templates) and automatic retention management.
System-level mounts (e.g., at /media/synology) are distinct from Proxmox Storage and are used for general file operations accessible by the host OS.
Proxmox automatically mounts SMB shares under /mnt/pve/<storage_id> when configured via the GUI.

Key Decisions#

Maintain both a Proxmox Storage entry (for VM disks/backups) and a system-level mount (for general file access).
Extract credentials from /etc/pve/storage.cfg to avoid hardcoding passwords in multiple places.
Use pvesm status to verify existing storage mounts and avoid conflicts.

Current Configuration#

Synology NAS (LonelyMountain): 192.168.1.137
Proxmox Storage: Configured via Datacenter > Storage (SMB/CIFS) for VM-related content.
System Mount: Targeted at /media/synology for general file operations.

System-Level Mount Methods#

1. Extract Credentials & Create System Mount#

Check existing Proxmox storage: pvesm status
Extract server/share info from /etc/pve/storage.cfg

Create credentials file:

nano /root/.smbcredentials
# Add: username=your_username, password=your_password
chmod 600 /root/.smbcredentials

Add to /etc/fstab:

//192.168.1.137/share_name /media/synology cifs credentials=/root/.smbcredentials,uid=0,gid=0,file_mode=0660,dir_mode=0770,iocharset=utf8 0 0

Test: mount -a

2. Systemd Mount Unit (Recommended for robustness)#

Create /etc/systemd/system/media-synology.mount:

Proxmox VM Boot Troubleshooting

Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox VM Boot Troubleshooting#

What Was Established#

Ubuntu VMs can hang during the boot process at apparmor.service (displayed as “staring apparmor.service - L:oad appArmor profiles…”).
In Proxmox, this specific hang was caused by an iGPU (…)

Coffee Lake iGPU Passthrough Freeze & Recovery#

Issue: Coffee Lake iGPU passthrough to an Ubuntu VM causes the Proxmox VM to freeze on boot.
Immediate Recovery Steps (run from Proxmox host console):
1. Stop the frozen VM: qm stop <VMID> --force or kill -9 <PID> via ps aux | grep qemu.
2. Remove iGPU from VM config: Edit /etc/pve/qemu-server/<VMID>.conf and remove hostpci lines and GPU-related args: lines.
3. Reset host iGPU state: Edit /etc/modprobe.d/pve-blacklist.conf and comment out blacklist i915.
4. Reboot host: update-initramfs -u -k all && reboot.
5. Verify host recovery: lspci | grep -i vga and lsmod | grep i915.
Proper Re-configuration Steps:
1. Enable IOMMU: Update /etc/default/grub with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet intel_iommu=on iommu=pt", then update-grub && reboot.
2. Verify IOMMU Groups: find /sys/kernel/iommu_groups/ -type l.
3. Add iGPU via UI: VM → Hardware → Add PCI Device → Select iGPU → Check “All Functions” & “PCI-Express” → DO NOT check “Primary GPU”.
Advanced/Alternative Configuration:
- GRUB Parameters: quiet intel_iommu=on iommu=pt pcie_acs_override=downstream,multifunction nofb nomodeset video=efifb:off
- Host Blacklist: echo "blacklist i915" >> /etc/modprobe.d/pve-blacklist.conf
- VM Config (args):
```
args: -device vfio-pci,host=00:02.0,addr=0x18,x-igd-gms=1,driver=vfio-pci
args: -device vfio-pci,host=00:02.1,addr=0x18.1,driver=vfio-pci
args: -global ICH9-LPC.acpi-pci-hotplug-with-bridge-support=off
args: -set device.vga.ramfb=off
args: -set device.vga.driver=vfio-pci
```
- VM Hardware Requirements: Machine q35, BIOS OVMF (UEFI), Display Default (not SPICE).
- Ubuntu VM Guest: Install Intel graphics drivers, add i915.enable_guc=2 to kernel parameters, ensure early KMS start.

Sources#

ingested/chats/103-Troubleshooting Coffee Lake iGPU Passthrough on Proxmox.md
ingested/chats/101-Troubleshooting Slow Ubuntu VM Boot.md

TrueNAS (Vairë) - Storage & Backup Server

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

TrueNAS (Vairë) - Storage & Backup Server#

What Was Established#

TrueNAS (Vairë) is deployed as a Proxmox VM to serve as the primary storage and backup server for the homelab. It handles ZFS storage pools, NFS/SMB shares for Proxmox and other VMs, and hosts Collabora Office in an iocage jail.

Key Decisions#

VM Type: Q35 with UEFI firmware (recommended for ZFS stability).
Resources: 16 GiB RAM (fixed, no ballooning) and 2 vCPUs. 32 GB boot disk separate from storage.
Storage: 4TB HDD passed through directly to the VM for ZFS data integrity and performance.
Backup Integration: NFS share (/mnt/tank/backups) configured for Proxmox backups. SMB share available for manual access.
Collabora Office: Deployed in a dedicated iocage jail on port 9980.

Current Configuration#

Hostname: Vairë
IP Address: 192.168.1.100 (NFS) / 192.168.1.133 (SMB)
Proxmox VM ID: [Pending verification]
ZFS Pool: tank (4TB HDD passthrough)
NFS Share: /mnt/tank/backups (Network: 192.168.1.0/24, Maproot: root)
SMB Share: /mnt/tank/backups (Version 3.0)
Collabora Jail: iocage jail, port 9980

Historical Notes#

The conversation notes two different IPs for TrueNAS (192.168.1.100 and 192.168.1.133). Verify which IP is currently assigned to the TrueNAS VM.
TrueNAS CORE uses iocage jails. Ensure jail templates are up to date.
Proxmox backups to NFS require hard,intr,noatime mount options in /etc/fstab.

Open Questions#

Which IP address is currently active for Vairë (192.168.1.100 or 192.168.1.133)?
Is the 4TB HDD currently formatted as a ZFS pool on Vairë?
Has Collabora Office been integrated with a Nextcloud instance?

Sources#

ingested/chats/032-TrueNas - Vairë.md
Historical DeepSeek conversation on TrueNAS VM setup and Proxmox integration.

Windows VM Installation Troubleshooting

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Windows VM Installation Troubleshooting#

What Was Established#

Troubleshooting guide for Windows installation when the local disk does not appear in the partitioning screen during setup.

Key Troubleshooting Steps#

Check disk detection in BIOS/UEFI — If the disk doesn’t appear in BIOS, it’s a hardware issue (loose cable, faulty drive, wrong SATA port).
Load storage drivers — Modern NVMe/RAID controllers may need drivers loaded during setup via Shift + F10 → “Load Driver”.

Proxmox ZFS Storage Setup

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox ZFS Storage Setup#

What Was Established#

Procedures for initializing ZFS pools using multiple drives via the Proxmox Web GUI and configuring them as usable storage for Virtual Machines (VMs) and Linux Containers (LXC).

Key Decisions#

RAID Levels: Selection depends on the number of disks and redundancy requirements:
- Stripe (RAID 0): Maximum capacity, no redundancy.
- Mirror (RAID 1): Redundancy, 50% capacity loss.
- RAID-Z1/Z2: Requires 3+ disks for parity-based redundancy.
Compression: lz4 is the recommended compression algorithm for performance.
Ashift: Set to 12 for modern SSDs/NVMe to ensure proper block alignment.
Thin Provisioning: Enabled for storage pools to allow for flexible disk allocation.

Current Configuration#

1. Initialize ZFS Pools (Web GUI)#

Navigate to: Datacenter → Node → Disks → ZFS

Web Server Architecture on Proxmox

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Web Server Architecture on Proxmox#

What Was Established#

High-level architectural strategies for deploying web development environments on Proxmox, focusing on balancing isolation with resource efficiency.

Key Decisions#

LXC for Services: Use LXC containers for lightweight, single-purpose services (e.g., Nginx, Databases) to minimize overhead.
VM for Complex Workloads: Use full VMs when running Docker, Kubernetes, or when custom kernel modules are required.
Reverse Proxy Pattern: Always use a reverse proxy (Nginx Proxy Manager, Traefik, or C/Caddy) to handle SSL termination and route traffic to multiple internal services.
Database Isolation: Separate databases into their own containers/VMs to improve security and facilitate independent backups.

Current Configuration#

Networking Patterns#

Bridge Mode: Default vmbr0 for services requiring LAN access.
Internal Network: Use secondary bridges (e.g., vmbr1) for isolated communication between web servers and databases.

Storage Patterns#

Local-LVM: Preferred for high-performance VM/container disks.
Directory Storage: Suitable for container volumes and simpler storage needs.

Historical Notes#

This architecture plan was established in March 2025. The preference for LXCs over VMs for simple web services was a primary driver.

Proxmox Network Troubleshooting

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox Network Troubleshooting#

What Was Established#

Troubleshooting steps for resolving connectivity loss to Proxmox nodes, specifically addressing IP conflicts and subnet mismatches.

Key Decisions#

Static IP Reservation: Proxmox nodes should always have a static IP (e.g., 192.168.0.69) that is excluded from the OPNsense DHCP pool.

Current Configuration#

Troubleshooting Workflow#

Verify Connectivity: ping 192.168.0.69.

Check Local Config: Log in via console and verify /etc/network/interfaces:

auto vmbr0
iface vmbr0 inet static
    address 192.168.0.69/24
    gateway 192.168.0.1
    bridge-ports enp3s0

Check for IP Conflicts: Ensure no other device (via DHCP) has been assigned 192.168.0.69.
ARP Cache: Clear local ARP cache if IP conflicts are suspected: arp -d 192.168.0.69.

Historical Notes#

Identified an issue where a DHCP client was assigned 192.168.0.69, conflicting with the Proxmox static IP.

Proxmox Network Configuration

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox Network Configuration#

What Was Established#

Procedures for manually updating the IP address and network interface settings on a Proxmox VE host via the command line.

Key Decisions#

Network configuration is managed via the /etc/network/interfaces file. When changing network parameters, the Linux bridge (vmbr0) must be updated to point to the correct physical interface.

Current Configuration#

To modify the IP, gateway, or interface, edit the configuration file:

nano /etc/network/interfaces

Example of a static configuration for a bridge interface:

Proxmox ZFS Storage & Installation Patterns

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Proxmox ZFS Storage & Installation Patterns#

What Was Established#

Procedures for managing ZFS rpool on single-disk Proxmox installations, including methods for limiting pool size and troubleshooting import failures.

Key Decisions#

Single Disk Size Limitation: When installing Proxmox on a large disk but wanting to limit the ZFS pool to a specific size (e.g., 64GB) to leave room for other partitions, use the hdsize parameter in the Proxmox installer’s Advanced Options.
Custom Partitioning Method: For complex layouts, it is possible to manually partition a drive in Debian and then upgrade the system to Proxmox VE.

Current Configuration#

ZFS Pool Creation (Manual)#

To create a ZFS pool with specific optimizations (ashift=12, compression=lz4) and a size limit:

Web Server Deployment Pattern (Beginner)

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

Web Server Deployment Pattern (Beginner)#

What Was Established#

For a beginner-friendly, lightweight, and scalable homelab setup, a stack consisting of Ubuntu Server LTS and Nginx is the recommended standard. This provides a balance of ease of use, extensive documentation, and low resource overhead.

Key Decisions#

Operating System: Ubuntu Server LTS (chosen for stability, community support, and ease of management).
Web Server: Nginx (chosen over Apache for being lightweight, faster for static content, and better suited for future use as a reverse proxy).
Resource Allocation (Small Site): 1-2 CPU cores, 1-2 GB RAM, 10-2/GB Disk.

Current Configuration#

Nginx Site Configuration#

Default root directory: /var/www/html

Proxmox on homelab

Gluetun VPN Service

Gluetun VPN Service#

What Was Established#

Deployment Context#

GPU Passthrough for Proxmox LXCs

GPU Passthrough for Proxmox LXCs#

What Was Established#

Key Decisions#

Current Configuration#

Proxmox LXC Storage Mounts

Proxmox LXC Storage Mounts#

What Was Established#

Key Decisions#

Current Configuration#

Historical Notes#

Open Questions#

Related Pages#

Sources#

Sources#

Related Pages#

Proxmox NVMe Partition Management

Proxmox NVMe Partition Management#

What Was Established#

Key Decisions#

Current Configuration#

Historical Notes#

Open Questions#

Related Pages#

Sources#

Proxmox Storage Management

Proxmox Storage Management#

title: Proxmox Storage Management version: 1.2 date: 2026-04-30 namespace: general wiki: homelab tags: [proxmox, storage, smb, cifs, zfs, backups] changes: Crystallized from historical DeepSeek conversation historical: true#

Proxmox Storage Management#

What Was Established#

CLI Mounting (Persistent)#

GUI Mounting (Proxmox Native)#

Local Disk Inspection#

Open Questions#

Related Pages#

Proxmox Systemd Mounts

Proxmox Systemd Mounts#

What Was Established#

Key Decisions#

Current Configuration#

System-Level Mount Methods#

1. Extract Credentials & Create System Mount#

2. Systemd Mount Unit (Recommended for robustness)#

Proxmox VM Boot Troubleshooting

Proxmox VM Boot Troubleshooting#

What Was Established#

Coffee Lake iGPU Passthrough Freeze & Recovery#

Sources#

TrueNAS (Vairë) - Storage & Backup Server

TrueNAS (Vairë) - Storage & Backup Server#

What Was Established#

Key Decisions#

Current Configuration#

Historical Notes#

Open Questions#

Related Pages#

Sources#

Windows VM Installation Troubleshooting

Windows VM Installation Troubleshooting#

What Was Established#

Key Troubleshooting Steps#

Proxmox ZFS Storage Setup

Proxmox ZFS Storage Setup#

What Was Established#

Key Decisions#

Current Configuration#

1. Initialize ZFS Pools (Web GUI)#

Web Server Architecture on Proxmox

Web Server Architecture on Proxmox#

What Was Established#

Key Decisions#

Current Configuration#

Networking Patterns#

Storage Patterns#

Historical Notes#