My Home Lab Setup for Networking and Offensive Security

When you’re working toward certifications like the CCNA, CCNP Security, or OSCP, your gear can either make you or break you. I started with what I had, and I’m building toward the beast setup I want — one step at a time.

🔧 Current Setup

💻 Main Machine

• CPU: Intel i5
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: 1050RTX
• OS: Windows (with Kali Linux running in a VM)

It gets the job done — barely. Multitasking during labs or running heavier tools like Burp, Wireshark, or even a basic brute force session can push it to the limit. But for now, it keeps me in the game.

🐱 Kali Linux

• Running Kali daily as my offensive security environment
• Used for TryHackMe, exploit dev, and scanning

🧪 Packet Tracer

• Cisco’s Packet Tracer is my go-to tool for labbing out CCNA exercises
• Simulates routers, switches, and allows testing routing protocols without physical hardware

🔥 The Dream Setup (Coming Soon)

What I’m working toward:

💻 Dell G16

• CPU: i7
• RAM: 64GB
• Storage: 4TB NVMe SSD
• GPU: RTX 4060

This rig will let me:

• Run Kali + multiple VMs without choking
• Launch brute-force attacks without worrying about lag
• Practice red teaming scenarios at scale
• Build EVE-NG or GNS3 labs with tons of devices

🧠 Why a Home Lab Matters

You don’t need fancy gear to start — just enough power to get your reps in. But once you’re deep into networking and offensive security, the need for RAM, cores, and SSD speed becomes real.

Every scan, packet capture, and simulation teaches something — and that’s the real win.

💡 Tip: If you’re on a low-resource machine, use Packet Tracer for networking labs and reserve your Kali VM for lighter offensive tasks until you upgrade.

🧱 What’s Next?

Soon I’ll be sharing:

• My TryHackMe and Hack The Box walkthroughs
• Subnetting tips that finally clicked
• A deep dive into setting up Packet Tracer labs

Until then — build what you can with what you’ve got. The grind doesn’t wait for perfect gear.

“Train with constraints. Win with options.”