Things I build, break, fix, and write about

22 April 2026
Configuration management prevents home lab drift

Cheap kit only stays cheap if the software side stays disciplined. A home lab software stack turns into a mess the moment settings live in web forms and half the logic sits in your head, which is a rubbish place for infrastructure to live.

22 April 2026
Security Advisory – 20 Apr 2026

Daily security advisory summary for 20 Apr 2026

21 April 2026
Privacy-first car telemetry: monitoring EV charging over

I took a glossy EV launch page and turned the useful bits into a Home Assistant MQTT car charging dashboard, then spent most of the time fighting the...

21 April 2026
Security Advisory – 19 Apr 2026

Daily security advisory summary for 19 Apr 2026

Latest blog posts you might like

27 October 2025
Setting up smart light bulbs for home automation

Learn how to pick, test and connect smart light bulbs for reliable home automation. You get protocol choices, hub pairing steps, scene design tips and troubleshooting checks. Follow practical checks...

26 October 2025
Resolving SSL certificate selection problems in Sophos VPN

I had this problem twice on different Sophos boxes. I installed a signed SSL certificate, tried to assign it to the SSL VPN, and the drop‑down only showed ApplianceCertificate. The firewall would not...

26 October 2025
Weekly Tech Digest | 26 Oct 2025

Stay updated with the latest in tech! This digest covers AI ethics, auto industry shifts, and the impact of politics on technology, exploring today's pressing issues.

26 October 2025
Setting up Sophos Firewall Home Edition for security

Setting up Sophos Firewall Home Edition improves your home network security. This guide gives clear hardware recommendations, installation steps and first configuration tasks. You will secure admin...

25 October 2025
Validating threat intelligence in your firewall setup

Getting Started with Third-Party Threat Feeds Understanding the role of threat intelligence Third‑party threat feeds supply external data the firewall can use to identify malicious IPs, domains or...

25 October 2025
Implementing VLANs in your home lab setup

VLANs let you segment your home lab network. You reduce attack surface and cut broadcast noise. This guide gives step by step setup with VLAN IDs, subnets, switch and router commands, DHCP scopes and...

25 October 2025
Building a multi-boot USB with Ventoy and Linux

Unlock the power of your homelab by creating a versatile Ventoy USB drive. This guide walks you through hardware selection, setup, and testing for multi-boot functionality.

24 October 2025
Integrating SwitchBot S10 with Matter protocol effectively

SwitchBot S10 integration via Matter gives basic start, stop and dock controls. You must check firmware and your app settings, then enable Matter. Use Home Assistant or the SwitchBot cloud API to...

23 October 2025
Navigating cloud storage security in a surveillance state

Cloud Storage Security keeps your keys and backups under your control. Use client-side encryption and hardware-backed MFA. Assume legal orders can target accounts in a single jurisdiction. Audit...

22 October 2025
Testing DoS settings to enhance network throughput

When dealing with DoS flood settings on a Sophos XGS, you might notice several symptoms indicating packet drops. These can manifest as buffering during streaming or lag in online gaming. For example,...