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homelab truenas networking security

TrueNAS Scale: Beyond Just Storage

Why we switched from Proxmox to TrueNAS Scale for our primary storage cluster and how apps are changing the game.

Installing and Configuring TrueNAS SCALE for Home Use

A practical guide to setting up a home NAS with TrueNAS SCALE, including storage, sharing, remote access, and self-hosted apps.

Why Run a Home NAS?

A home NAS (Network Attached Storage) can replace many cloud services while giving you full ownership of your data. Common use cases include:

  • Centralized file storage
  • Family photo and video backups
  • Media streaming
  • Device synchronization
  • Smart home automation
  • Remote file access
  • DNS-level ad blocking

For many households, self-hosting becomes cost-effective after replacing several recurring subscriptions like cloud storage or media services.

TrueNAS SCALE is a strong option because it combines:

  • ZFS-based storage
  • Easy web administration
  • Docker-based applications
  • SMB/NFS sharing
  • Snapshot and backup features
  • Linux flexibility

Installing TrueNAS SCALE

1. Download the ISO

Download the latest TrueNAS SCALE ISO from the official site and create a bootable USB installer.

Official documentation:

2. Create a Bootable USB on macOS

On macOS, Disk Utility may not correctly create a bootable installer from the ISO image.

Instead, use dd from Terminal.

Find the USB device

diskutil list

Unmount the USB

diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskX

Replace diskX with your actual USB device.

Write the ISO

sudo dd if=truenas.iso of=/dev/rdiskX bs=1m

Wait for the process to complete before ejecting the drive.

Initial Configuration

Choosing a Boot Device

TrueNAS requires a dedicated boot device separate from the storage pool.

A small USB flash drive can work, but flash storage has limited write endurance. To reduce wear:

Move System Dataset to Storage Pool

Navigate to:

System Settings → Advanced → Storage

Set:

System Dataset Pool

to your main storage pool.

Move Logs to Storage Pool

Navigate to:

System Settings → Advanced → Syslog

Enable:

Use System Dataset

Benefits:

  • Fewer writes to the USB drive
  • Better performance
  • Easier OS recovery if the boot drive fails

If the boot media dies, you can reinstall TrueNAS and restore your saved configuration backup.

Backup Configuration

Regularly download configuration backups from:

System Settings → General → Manage Configuration

Creating Storage Pools and Datasets

After installation:

  1. Open the web UI
  2. Create a ZFS pool
  3. Create datasets for organization

Example datasets:

/media
/photos
/backups
/apps
/documents

Using separate datasets improves:

  • Snapshot management
  • Permissions
  • Backup control
  • Performance tuning

File Sharing

SMB Shares

For mixed Windows and macOS environments, SMB is usually the easiest choice.

Create SMB Shares

For each dataset:

  1. Create a dataset
  2. Add an SMB share
  3. Configure permissions

Simplified Permissions

For home environments, permissive ACL settings can simplify setup.

Example approach:

ACL Type: POSIX Open

This avoids complex user/group permission management when sharing files within a trusted household.

Do not use this relaxed permission model in enterprise or untrusted environments.

Migrating Existing Data

If migrating from another NAS (such as Synology), rsync is an efficient option.

Enable rsync Service

Go to:

System Settings → Services

Enable:

rsync

Then configure modules for each dataset.

Example rsync Command

rsync -avh /source/path/ user@nas:/destination

Using rsync locally over LAN or VPN is significantly faster and easier than manually transferring files over SSH.

Avoid exposing rsync directly to the public internet.

Applications on TrueNAS SCALE

One major advantage of SCALE is integrated app management.

Applications are deployed using containerized templates, allowing easy installation and updates through the web UI.

Useful categories include:

  • Media servers
  • File synchronization
  • Photo management
  • Smart home services
  • DNS filtering
  • Remote access

Remote Access with Tailscale

Remote access greatly increases the usefulness of a home server.

Traditional VPNs can be difficult to maintain due to:

  • Dynamic IP addresses
  • Certificate management
  • Router configuration

Tailscale simplifies this using WireGuard-based networking.

Benefits:

  • Easy setup
  • Secure encrypted access
  • Cross-platform clients
  • Remote admin access
  • Works behind NAT

Install Tailscale on:

  • NAS
  • Laptop
  • Phone
  • Desktop devices

Subnet Routing

To avoid changing addresses constantly, configure the NAS as a subnet router.

This allows remote devices to access local network services transparently.

Avoid common LAN ranges like:

192.168.0.0/24

because they may conflict with public Wi-Fi networks.

Recommended Applications

Jellyfin — Media Streaming

Jellyfin is an open-source media server for:

  • Movies
  • TV shows
  • Music

Advantages:

  • No subscription
  • No ads
  • Native apps for many platforms
  • Good performance on home hardware

Compared with Plex, Jellyfin is more privacy-friendly and fully open source.

Syncthing — File Synchronization

Syncthing replaces cloud sync services like Dropbox.

Features:

  • Peer-to-peer sync
  • Incremental transfers
  • Automatic device synchronization
  • Open source

Useful for:

  • Phone photo backup
  • Notes synchronization
  • Personal documents

Immich — Photo Management

Immich provides self-hosted photo backup and AI-powered indexing.

Capabilities include:

  • Face recognition
  • Object recognition
  • Timeline browsing
  • Automatic uploads
  • Mobile apps

It works well as a Google Photos alternative.

Dataset Recommendations

For best compatibility:

  • Use Apps preset for application data
  • Use Generic for PostgreSQL storage

AdGuard Home — Network Ad Blocking

AdGuard Home blocks ads and trackers at the DNS level.

Advantages:

  • Works across all devices
  • Blocks ads inside mobile apps
  • Reduces tracking

To use it effectively:

  1. Point router DNS to AdGuard
  2. Configure upstream DNS providers

Be aware that if the NAS goes offline, DNS resolution may stop working unless fallback DNS is configured.

Home Assistant — Smart Home Automation

Home Assistant centralizes smart home devices and automation.

Possible integrations:

  • Lighting
  • Sensors
  • Cameras
  • Voice assistants
  • Climate control

Container deployment is simpler than running a dedicated Home Assistant OS VM, though some advanced features may be limited.

Recommended dataset layout:

  • Apps preset for app data
  • Generic preset for PostgreSQL

File Browser Access

Older versions of TrueNAS SCALE do not include a built-in web file manager.

A lightweight file browser application can help with:

  • Mobile access
  • Editing configs
  • Quick uploads/downloads

Some community templates may deploy more reliably than official catalog versions.

General Recommendations

Use Separate Pools Carefully

Adding disks to an existing ZFS pool requires planning.

Combining mismatched disks or extending striped pools can increase risk.

When adding new drives:

  • Understand RAID/ZFS layouts first
  • Consider separate pools if redundancy is unclear
  • Always maintain backups

Backup Strategy

A NAS is not a backup by itself.

Recommended practices:

  • Snapshot important datasets
  • Replicate critical data
  • Use offsite backups
  • Backup TrueNAS configuration regularly

Ideal backup structure:

Primary NAS
→ External Backup
→ Cloud or Offsite Backup

Final Thoughts

TrueNAS SCALE is an excellent platform for home self-hosting because it combines:

  • Enterprise-grade storage
  • Modern Linux tooling
  • Easy application deployment
  • Flexible networking
  • Open-source software

A small home server can replace many paid cloud services while giving you greater privacy, control, and long-term flexibility.

Once configured properly, it can serve as:

  • Media center
  • Backup server
  • Family cloud
  • Smart home hub
  • Development lab
  • Remote access gateway

The initial learning curve is worth it for the control and reliability you gain.