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If you can rent a vps you can use it as a relay server. You setup sshd on your home pc and ssh to the vps with the -R flag.
As long as the connection is live you can ssh to the server via relay. If you set GatewayPorts to yes on the relay in sshd_config then it will act as an open port on your home pc and anyone will be able to connect to it over the internet with
so make sure to secure it correctly, only allow ssh keys etc. If you set GatewayPorts to no, then only clients connected to the relay will be able to connect to the server, this is a must have if you're gonna use unsecure protocols like VNC. First ssh to the server
next
or one line, especially useful when combined with -i to point at the home pc's ssh key stored on the client
You can also setup VNC over ssh. Add 2nd -R on home pc with vnc ports
or together
On the client ssh with the -L flag
Now you can connect your VNC client to
Jesus... Just port forward 22 to your system and ssh in directly.
That's not always an option and when it is, setting it up is often more complicated and less secure than using a relay server. Honestly, the fastest (to setup), easiest and most secure option would be ssh server as a tor hidden service. Everything is handled by tor out of the box, .onion domain name, nat hole punching, E2EE, port scanning bots... all taken care of, no need for opening ports, static ip, dns, ddns, fail2ban, worrying that there's a 0 day or that you misconfigured something. No one can exploit you service if nobody knows it exists.
Setting up ssh is nearly trivial. And saying it's "less secure" doesn't mean it's insecure.
It's the primary access point for thousands of systems and for good reason. It's "good enough" for your little homelab.
Depends what you mean by setting up ssh. Installing sshd, sure. Opening up ports, calling your isp to buy dedicated ip if they even offer one, getting a domain, setting up ddns...
Opening ports is also trivial. You don't generally need a dedicated IP if you keep a connection running but YMMV. And you don't need a domain - just remember the IP. This is only for a few weeks.
If you're behind cgnat opening ports on your router won't do you any good. You have to call your isp and ask them for a dedicated public ip, usually for a price if they offer one at all. If that ip is static you can remember it, if not, you need ddns. If you're one of the lucky few not behind cgnat then yeah, your setup will be the simplest possible, but if you are, like the majority of people these days, it's one of the most complicated.
Well yeah, duh.