Firewalla Gold Plus vs. Ubiquiti UDM Pro Max
In the market for a multi‑gigabit firewall/router, two names come up repeatedly: Firewalla Gold Plus and Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro Max (UDM Pro Max). Both cost around $600 USD, sit at or near…
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80,000 GitHub Stars and I’m Just Finding This?! – Immich
Tonight, I stumbled upon Immich, a self-hosted photo and video management solution, and I’m blown away. With Immich, you can back up and organize all your photos and videos on your own server….
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How to Install Docker on Linux and Run Your First Container
Docker is a platform for packaging and running applications in isolated units called containers. Each container bundles an application together with its libraries and dependencies, sharing the host’s Linux kernel instead of a…
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What to buy for your Raspberry Pi 5
Back in January 2014, I ordered my first Raspberry Pi (Model B revision 2). Very soon, I realized that there was a host of options to choose from for the required accessories needed…
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How to Upgrade ThinkPad Firmware on Linux (fwupd)
Two days ago I ran the command hostnamectl status and noticed that my laptop’s firmware date was Tue 2023-08-08. I purchased this ThinkPad T14s laptop 2 years ago. So it seems, since removing…
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Raspberry Pi Not Booting: How to Repair Micro SD Card
I have a Raspberry Pi 4 (2 GB RAM) that’s been running my UniFi Network Controller for about four years without issues. Yesterday it was unresponsive and would not boot at all. The…
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Replace ISP Modem / Router
Many Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like AT&T, Comcast, Xfinity, Cox, Verizon, Spectrum, T-Mobile, and others supply a basic modem/router combo (gateway) to customers. These devices are often adequate to get online, but they…
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Rolling Network Racks: The Ultimate Upgrade for Home Networks
This article focuses on the benefits of rolling network racks for established or expanding home networks. If you’re looking for a comprehensive guide to building your first home lab, read my Home Lab…
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Open-Source AI in New US Policy: What This Means for Linux
It’s not every day that a White House policy document reads like an open-source conference keynote. Yet this week, the Trump administration’s “AI Action Plan” put open-source models and Linux-powered infrastructure at the…
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Network Rack for Small Office (Build Guide)
Last week I walked into an empty 5 × 4 ft storage room. By the end of the week, that blank space held a fully functional network core designed to keep a small…
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20 Best Network Switches Under $100 (2025)
Choosing the right network switch is essential for building a reliable home network, home lab, or small‑office setup. The process can feel deceptively simple until slow file transfers or unexpected upgrade costs remind…
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6 Essential Checks Before Choosing a Network Switch
Choosing a switch can feel deceptively simple, until slow file transfers, port shortages, and similar unexpected upgrade costs remind you otherwise. Before you click “Buy,” it helps to step back and look at…
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pfSense Firewall Config: My Settings with Screenshots – Part 2
Let’s pick up right where Part 1 left off: pfSense Firewall Appliance Unboxing. This isn’t a quick-start guide. It’s my logbook from weeks of fine-tuning pfSense. Weeks, not years, so follow along and…
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My $300 pfSense Firewall Appliance – Part 1: Unboxing
For the past three years, I’ve been putting off an upgrade to my network’s firewall. During that time, I was balancing multiple priorities: maintaining uptime with multiple ISPs, managing VPN performance limitations, and…
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Building an LLM-Optimized Linux Server on a Budget
As advancements in machine learning continue to accelerate and evolve, more individuals and small organizations are exploring how to run language models (LLMs) like DeepSeek, LLaMA, Qwen and others on their home servers. This…
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DeepSeek Local: How to Self-Host DeepSeek (Privacy and Control)
By following this guide, you will be able to successfully self-host your preferred DeepSeek model on a home lab or home office server, harnessing the potential of these AI models in a private and…
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How I Chose the Best Managed Network Switch for My Home Lab
Recently, I started the process of upgrading my home network to give myself more room to experiment and grow. The first major step was replacing my router with a new firewall appliance, which…
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Learn Linux: 4 Devices to boost your Linux skills (2025)
Ready to go on a journey that will take your Linux skills to the next level and beyond what theoretical learning can? The devices in this article will give you hands-on experience and…
