u/Sea_Comparison_4007

Hi! I'm new to homelabbing. I picked up a few things in college but not nearly enough to feel confident running internet-facing services securely. I'd love any advice from more experienced people here.

What I've set up so far:

• A Pterodactyl panel deployed and accessible via my own domain (purchased through Cloudflare)
• Cloudflare Tunnel (cloudflared) to expose the panel without directly opening ports
• Tested server deployment through Pterodactyl

What I'm trying to do:

• Run a public vanilla Minecraft server with datapacks (no plugins or mods)
• Self-host a few other services for personal use

Where I'm stuck and what I'd love guidance on:

• IP privacy: I know pointing a DNS record at my home IP isn't enough to hide it. What's the right approach?
• DDoS protection: What are realistic options for a homelab on a budget?
• General network security: Firewalls, hardening, what I should actually worry about as a beginner
• Minecraft server hosting specifically: Best practices for running a vanilla server through Pterodactyl, or whether there's a better approach entirely

My constraints:

• I'd prefer not to rent a VPS if possible, the goal is to homelab this myself
• Budget is limited, so free or low-cost solutions are preferred

Any tips, resources, or pointers in the right direction would be hugely appreciated!