Apple Mac mini M4: A Versatile Home Server Experience

1. Why Choose Mac mini M4?

This March, I acquired an Apple Mac mini M4 (16GB+256GB). After more than a month of intensive use, it completely changed my perception of home servers—low power consumption, zero noise, and high performance, combined with external network penetration and external storage solutions, achieving:✅Download Server (qBittorrent) ✅Home Media Center (Kodi + FTP) ✅Local Large Model (Ollama + LLM) ✅Development Environment (Jupyter + SSH) ✅Photo Management (Immich Private Cloud) ✅Remote Control (Web Terminal)

Final cost:

Mac mini M4 (Student Discount) ¥3749
External Storage Solution (USB4 SSD + Enclosure) ¥1620
Cyber Bodhisattva CL Internal Network Penetration (No Public IP) Free

2. Hardware Configuration and Optimization

1. Is the Basic Version Sufficient?

I chose the 16GB+256GB version, purchased offline for ¥3749 (using my daughter’s student discount). Although 256GB storage is relatively small, it is perfectly resolved with an external SSD:

Akasis USB4.0 Enclosure (¥543) + SK Hynix P44 Pro 2TB SSD (¥1077)
Installed macOS on the external hard drive, running smoothly without lag, with controllable temperature.

💡 Pitfall Reminder: Initially tried the Orico 2T hard drive dock (¥1699), but the plastic casing + fan noise was significant, severely affecting the experience, ultimately returned it.

2. Why Keep It On 24/7?

Standby power consumption is only 10W (≈ phone charger)
Completely silent operation, suitable for long-term use in bedrooms/studies

3. Software Solutions and Practical Applications

1. External Network Access: Cyber Bodhisattva CL Internal Network Penetration

No public IP is needed; remote access is achieved through independent domain + HTTP/SSH tunnel, with simple configuration:

1. Install CL client
2. Create tunnel (e.g., qbittorrent.example.com → localhost:8080)
3. Access the subdomain directly from the external network

2. Download Server: qBittorrent + WebUI

<span><span>brew install qbittorrent</span></span>
Configure WebUI password and map subdomain through CL
Add tasks anytime from mobile/external network, watch them at home

3. Home Media: Kodi + FTP

The Xiaomi TV cannot directly access Mac shared folders, the final solution:

Install FileZilla Server on Mac
Kodi connects via FTP protocol, smoothly playing 4K resources

4. Local Large Model: Ollama + Multi-Model Comparison

Installed 5 mainstream models: Apple Mac mini M4: A Versatile Home Server Experience

Exposed WebUI through CL, allowing external network access to local LLM!

5. Development and Operations

Jupyter Notebook: Interactive programming, tunnel mapping ports
Web Terminal: CL configures SSH tunnel, but the web version has high latency, direct terminal connection is recommended

6. Private Album: Immich

Mac serves as the server, mobile/tablet clients for backup
Alternative to iCloud/Google Photos, excellent privacy

4. Conclusion: The Perfect Positioning of Mac mini M4

✔️ Suitable Audience:

Users needing low power consumption, silent home servers
Geeks looking to integrate download/NAS/AI/development
Those with privacy concerns regarding photo backup needs

❌ Limitations:

Storage expansion relies on external solutions
Some applications (like direct TV connection) require workarounds

If you seek “worry-free + versatile”, the Mac mini M4 is an ideal choice. 🚀