Switching ip addresses doesn’t matter for things on the tailnet using the magic dns https://tailscale.com/docs/features/magicdns

Most n100 new mobos need ddr5, a few older ones only need ddr4 though. Either is unaffordable right now. Better off going for something second hand which uses ddr3. Will use a bit more power but the break even point vs an n100 + ram will probably be a decade at least.

A pi 5 will cost way more than a second hand mini pc.

Don’t forget the power bill, even if they sit idle most of the time. 12 drives * 5 watts * 24 hours * 365.25 days ~= 525 kwh. That would cost me $157 aud a year for electricity.

If I instead bought a 6TB drive brand new I’d break even after 3 years, assuming the 500GB drives are $0.

I’m buying dell and hp laptops? I thought I was the world expert on what I am doing but apparently not.

I never said it couldn’t be done, hell, I’ve done it myself. Try being a human and asking me what my actual argument or suggested approach is, try re-reading what I actually said rather than assuming it is X just so you can dunk on it.

Max TDP is completely irrelevant, that is about cooling capacity which completely sucks in a laptop, hence the chip limit. The relevant factor for a server is idle power draw at the wall outlet.

For my servers I get second hand dell / hp / mini pcs for peanuts. Sips power, still work fine, still going strong, upgradeable storage etc. Second hand laptops of the same era are now useless ewaste.

Ok “bro” damn you’re right and you sure showed my unc self! What an idiot I am!

Pick any laptop model you like and search for “how to remove battery” or look up the model on ifixit. Show me a single one where the battery cannot be removed. I’ll wait.

Batteries are more problematic sitting at full charge than when they are empty. You’re also paying money for features you don’t use (battery, screen, keyboard) and have less ability to upgrade, repair, or add storage.

By all means if you have an old spare laptop lying around use it as a server, I usually take the battery out though.

The battery backup is a more of a liability than a benefit imo, will just turn into a spicy pillow eventually. Especially considering any power loss will hit your router/network too rendering the server’s battery moot. The only thing a laptop battery really protects against is accidental temporary unplugging.