You’d need to pay for an external server and domain name, but that’s generally cheaper than paying cloud subscriptions. You can also use Tailscale, which can host the VPN entry infrastructure without being able to see your traffic (depending on how much you trust them).
How is an external server any different from cloud storage, which runs on external servers? You still don’t have control over the machine. Why can’t I just run this off my router?
You can run it off your router, I don’t know why he keeps shilling tailscale. I don’t know about your router specifically, but any non-low tier one should have the functionality (my 60€ mikrotik does, but it’s horrible to set up); or you could use any old raspberry pi.
Doesn’t that require a home server that runs 24/7, or is this something I can do from my TP-Link router without having to flash custom firmware?
You’d need to pay for an external server and domain name, but that’s generally cheaper than paying cloud subscriptions. You can also use Tailscale, which can host the VPN entry infrastructure without being able to see your traffic (depending on how much you trust them).
How is an external server any different from cloud storage, which runs on external servers? You still don’t have control over the machine. Why can’t I just run this off my router?
You can run it off your router, I don’t know why he keeps shilling tailscale. I don’t know about your router specifically, but any non-low tier one should have the functionality (my 60€ mikrotik does, but it’s horrible to set up); or you could use any old raspberry pi.