7 network features I regret not using sooner
…ISP supplies is often terrible, not just because the ISP can control it remotely for firmware updates, but also because it's a combo device with a modem (if you have DSL…
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I moved my Zigbee coordinator off a Raspberry Pi after a year and everything got better
…Real issues cropped up during Home Assistant updates, with most devices and automations freezing. Again, I assumed it was part of the system design and never thought that the Pi might be…
I replaced five smart home hubs with a $30 Zigbee dongle and never looked back
…You aren't waiting for a corporate firmware update that might never come. You know your devices will be compatible with your dongle right away. Mixing brands is the biggest benefit No…
I ran Espressif's OpenClaw-inspired AI agent on an ESP32 with my self-hosted LLM, and it actually works
…It can plan, run a tool, read the result, decide whether to call another, and update its own memory based on the outcome. It's pretty neat. Skills are where the genuinely…
My DIY router has been my DNS, VPN, and ad-blocker for a year, and I'd never use an ISP router again
…After all, they tend to lack advanced features, use outdated firmware, and have the added risk of remote access backdoors, making them a lot worse than custom routers. But if you’re…
I built a touch-enabled ePaper Home Assistant dashboard, and it's better than any tablet
…Seeed quotes up to six months of battery life for these panels at low update intervals, and with its internal battery, it likely can keep going for a number of months if…
My gaming connection was dying until I checked what was under my rug
…a quick router reboot, a firmware update check, and then the same on the other end. I updated my NIC driver, reinstalled the game in question, and confirmed it was a networking…
I upgraded to a fast SSD and my system was still slow — here's what I missed
…I didn’t know driver support, firmware updates, or even BIOS settings could impact performance. Something as simple as not having the right NVMe driver installed prevents the SSD from performing at…
I replaced my smart home hub with a $120 mini PC, and my smart home finally feels responsive
…ESPHome ESPHome is an open-source firmware framework that enables the easy creation of custom smart home devices using WiFi-enabled microcontrollers. It utilizes simple YAML configuration files, integrates seamlessly with Home…
The Flipper One is finally official, but Flipper isn't selling it yet — they're asking for help to build it
…hardware, mechanics, Linux and CPU software, MCU firmware, user interface, documentation, and testing. The repositories themselves are interesting. flipperone-mcu-firmware is the RP2350 codebase, with open issues including features like a…