Linux based file server system

[Rockingit]

Probably right up @Dan 's street.... I'm thinking of ridding myself of all the various cloud storage accounts that seem to be the disease of online life and instead convert a machine into a network file server to sit on my home network, accessible from the outside world. Thirty years ago I used to know how to do that, now I don't (and tech moves on!).

I know I can buy various NAS servers with proprietary software etc, but I just want something that I know I can reliably get to from anywhere world wide, ideally just as a mapped network drive in Windows / iOS, plus I have so many perfectly good machines that just need a scrub and rebuild that I'm loathed to buy yet more hardware whilst simultaneously skipping stuff. I already pay for a fixed IP, so that's also fine.

In my mind I just need to find the right version of Linux, buy a couple of 2TB SSD's, set up a firewall/vpn, sit down and drink beer.

So, who has suggestions for where I should be starting my homework?

 

[plugsandsparks]

1st question is : do you need to download files whilst out?
2nd question do you need a gui or could you manage on command line.
3rd Does it have to be linux

Simplest: VPN directly into your home router, setup your repurposed box with windows desktop, give it a fixed IP and click on remote access via RDP so it allows remote connections. Then whilst in say Chipping Sodbury Grand Hotel, jump on Hotel wifi, VPN into your home, open RDP on your laptop, type in local IP address of windows desktop, username and password and its like you are sat in front on it. Up load download using copy and paste.

 

[plugsandsparks]

If it needs to be linux, there are so many but i tend to stick to one flavour so the commands dont hurt my head between the different flavours, so i use Debian /ubuntu.
Similar to above once you have vpn into your router, head for local machine ip address and SSH into it, like SSH [email protected]. You will have to configure the port 22 to be open and your username to be able to access via SSH. You can google all the commands or get Chatgpt to give them all, then copy paste. You can set it up and test before you leave the house.