Over the past few days, I’ve been building and hardening a mobile, battery-powered homelab designed to run off-grid. At the center of this setup is an older Raspberry Pi 4B, connected to a GL.iNet pocket router and powered entirely by an Anker USB battery pack. The goal is to create a budget-friendly, portable, and fully functional platform for practicing cybersecurity, Linux, Docker, and DevOps in the field—especially useful while I prepare for the Security+ (SY0-701) exam.
The Raspberry Pi runs Docker and Docker Compose, with several essential services already in place. Pi-hole handles local DNS and ad blocking, Prometheus gathers metrics via Node Exporter, and everything is being configured to stay secure with systemd user timers, hardened SSH settings, and periodic backups using Restic. All of this is self-contained and not connected to the public internet, making it an ideal playground for secure experimentation and local-only traffic monitoring.
This project is still evolving. I plan to add more services, write detailed hardening reports, and document every technical decision I make. This will eventually form a complete learning series for others looking to build similar environments on a budget.
This homelab may be compact, but it’s already proving to be a powerful tool for learning, iteration, and hands-on cybersecurity practice—on the go.
Think Positive Cyber 
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