How to Make a Smart Home Test Bench
Sometimes we DIY smart home people install smart devices and they don’t work. At first, we scratch our heads wondering what went wrong. Did I install it wrong? Is there a loose …
11 Great Choices for pfSense Hardware (Updated for 2024)
If you have read a few of my articles, you know I think running pfSense router software is a great idea. It is probably better than your router software. I rebuilt my …
MQTT With Home Assistant Using Docker & Mosquitto
MQTT is a great protocol to have in your automation arsenal. I previously wrote a similar article about using the Toke Mosquitto container with Home Assistant and Docker. I have since switched …
My Smart Home by Home Assistant: 3 Years Later
Three years ago I was frustrated with my home automation controller, the veralite. In search of a replacement, I stumbled upon Home Assistant. Two hours into trying Home Assistant I was sold. …
BroadLink RM4 Mini: Smart Home Infrared Control
It’s great to have devices in your smart home that you can control over your network or with a smart home/IoT-designed protocol like MQTT, Z-Wave, or Zigbee. But what about the devices …
The Best Free Photoshop Alternatives
Not everyone has the platform or the money for Photoshop, but there are some really good alternatives that anyone can use! In this article I will talk about the best alternatives, and …
Fideco USB 3.0 to SATA Hard Drive Enclosure Review
I usually prefer using internal hard drives. However, there are many good reasons to use external hard drives. Some of these reasons include the convenience of not having to open up your …