Blog
Long-form writing, projects, and notes from the lab.
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Caddy + CaddyUI + AdGuard Home DNS setup made simple
🐛 Release + Recipe
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How to Fix VMware Module Errors When Secure Boot Is Enabled on Linux
If you've ever tried to start VMware on a Linux machine and hit an error about vmmon or vmnet modules failing to load, there's a good chance Secure Boot is the culprit. This guide walks you through exactly what's happening and gives you two ways to fix it — the quick-and-easy way and the cleaner lon
Read → -
Watchtower Fork: Fixing Abandoned Docker Auto-Update Tool
If you've ever relied on Watchtower to automatically update your Docker containers, you may have noticed something alarming: the project was officially abandoned in late 2024. The maintainers posted a deprecation notice and walked away, leaving thousands of homelab enthusiasts and self-hosters witho
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Install Docker & Docker Compose on Ubuntu 24.04
Platform: Ubuntu Server 24.04.4 LTS — Intel / AMD (x86_64)
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Speed Up AppImages on Ubuntu: GPU Acceleration Guide
If you are running a powerful Linux setup with an Intel Core Ultra 9 (Evo Edition) paired with an NVIDIA RTX 5050, you expect your apps to open instantly. Yet AppImages often feel surprisingly sluggish — even on high-end hardware. The reason is straightforward: by default, AppImages are compressed S
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Fail2Ban SSH Ban Integration with n8n Webhooks
Document Owner: IT / Network
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Move Docker to Separate Drive on Ubuntu
Every Linux server failure I’ve witnessed from disk issues starts the same way: the root filesystem slowly fills up. No alarms. No drama. Just creeping usage until something breaks.
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Uptime Kuma to Slack Alerts via n8n
Uptime Kuma → n8n → Slack Alert Workflow
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Caddy Reverse Proxy for Mailu: Dual HTTPS Setup
Goal
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ERPNext v15 Slack Notifications for Stock Movements
If you are running ERPNext v15 and want real-time Slack notifications whenever stock movements occur, this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to set up webhook-based alerts for Material Issues, Material Transfers, and Purchase Receipts. You will also learn how to avoid the common Jinja templat
Read →
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Caddy + CaddyUI + AdGuard Home DNS setup made simple
🐛 Release + Recipe
Read → -
How to Fix VMware Module Errors When Secure Boot Is Enabled on Linux
If you've ever tried to start VMware on a Linux machine and hit an error about vmmon or vmnet modules failing to load, there's a good chance Secure Boot is the culprit. This guide walks you through exactly what's happening and gives you two ways to fix it — the quick-and-easy way and the cleaner lon
Read → -
Move Docker to Separate Drive on Ubuntu
Every Linux server failure I’ve witnessed from disk issues starts the same way: the root filesystem slowly fills up. No alarms. No drama. Just creeping usage until something breaks.
Read → -
Uptime Kuma to Slack Alerts via n8n
Uptime Kuma → n8n → Slack Alert Workflow
Read → -
Caddy Reverse Proxy for Mailu: Dual HTTPS Setup
Goal
Read → -
ERPNext v15 Slack Notifications for Stock Movements
If you are running ERPNext v15 and want real-time Slack notifications whenever stock movements occur, this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to set up webhook-based alerts for Material Issues, Material Transfers, and Purchase Receipts. You will also learn how to avoid the common Jinja templat
Read → -
Disable IPv6 on Linux Permanently with sysctl
Disable IPv6 on Linux
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UFW Firewall: Allow TCP Port 8123 from Specific IP
Firewalls are a foundational component of any secure Linux server environment. On Ubuntu and other Debian-based distributions, UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) provides a straightforward yet powerful interface for managing iptables rules without requiring deep knowledge of low-level networking syntax. I
Read → -
Secure WireGuard Homelab: Complete Setup Guide
This page documents the complete, final configuration of a secure homelab environment built around WireGuard, Raspberry Pis, UFW, AdGuard Home, Fail2Ban, n8n workflow automation, and Uptime Kuma. It is structured as a top-to-bottom technical reference, covering design intent, implementation details,
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WireGuard Split-Tunnel VPN: Secure Setup Guide
This document is the final, stable Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for a small production homelab built on WireGuard, AdGuard Home, Docker monitoring, and UFW. It reflects all configuration decisions, corrections, and lessons learned through implementation and testing. It is intended to serve as
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PS4 Jailbreak Guide: Vue-After-Free Exploit
<!-- wp:paragraph --><p>Learn how to jailbreak your PS4 using the Vue-After-Free exploit method. This guide covers USB preparation, system backup downloads, file restoration, and running GoldHEN or HEN without internet access.</p><!-- /wp:paragraph -->
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Secure Raspberry Pi SSH with Fail2ban
1. Update the System
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Managing 5 Cats in Your Garage: Budget-Friendly Care Tips
Can you believe it? It’s been almost a year and a half since my cats moved in with Mom, and they’ve made themselves completely at home in the garage — complete with cozy napping spots, plenty of toys, and fresh food and water always within reach. They’ve truly settled in like
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My Seven Years at Anthem Coffee and Tea
Seven years ago, I walked into Anthem Coffee and Tea for the first time as an employee — and my life hasn’t been the same since. The aroma of freshly ground beans, the steady hum of espresso machines, the electric buzz of a room full of regulars and newcomers alike: it became my world. In some
Read → -
Barback to IT Manager: Unconventional Path to Tech Leadership
When I look back on my career, I am amazed at how each role — even the ones that seemed completely unrelated to where I am now — helped shape who I am today. My path started far from servers and networks, in the fast-paced world of hospitality.
Read → -
Bulk Tablet Setup: Configure 100 Devices in 4 Hours
Starting this new chapter left me speechless and genuinely excited — it truly was a dream come true. I can provision 100 tablets in just four hours, and I love every minute of it. I enjoy preparing tablets for new launches and supporting Joe Coffee partners through system upgrades and improvements.
Read → -
Jasper's Heartwarming Reunion: Dog Returns Home Safe
After months of worry, heartbreak, and uncertainty, I am overjoyed to announce that Jasper is finally home where he belongs. This reunion would not have been possible without some incredibly kind and generous people. Max and Summerlove went out of their way to help bring Jasper home safely — traveli
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Milo's Tribute: Remembering a Beloved Companion
Milo passed away peacefully this morning at 3:30 a.m. He was an absolute joy to be around — the kind of companion who made every ordinary moment feel a little brighter. Losing him is deeply painful, but I find comfort in knowing that he is no longer suffering and that he is now free, running through
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26th Birthday Celebration: Movies, Pancakes & Recovery
Twenty-six years old — I'll take it! My birthday didn't go exactly as planned, but it turned out to be a memorable one nonetheless. On July 30th, the day before my birthday, I started coming down with what felt like a cold or flu. I took a COVID-19 test at home and thankfully it came back negative,
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Anthony's Restaurant Point Defiance: Family Dining Review
I decided to treat Jasmine with a nice dinner, and it was really good once we had time.
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T7 GSC Injector Black Ops 3 GoldHEN PS4 Guide
Purpose
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PS4 Jailbreak Guide: Vue-After-Free Exploit
A massive thank you to EarthOnion for developing and sharing Vue-after-Free for the PS4. Thanks to this ingenious tool, I was able to restore a system backup, launch PS Vue, and successfully run the jailbreak exploit on my console. Everything worked flawlessly — I genuinely appreciate the time, skil
Read →
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Watchtower Fork: Fixing Abandoned Docker Auto-Update Tool
If you've ever relied on Watchtower to automatically update your Docker containers, you may have noticed something alarming: the project was officially abandoned in late 2024. The maintainers posted a deprecation notice and walked away, leaving thousands of homelab enthusiasts and self-hosters witho
Read → -
Install Docker & Docker Compose on Ubuntu 24.04
Platform: Ubuntu Server 24.04.4 LTS — Intel / AMD (x86_64)
Read → -
Speed Up AppImages on Ubuntu: GPU Acceleration Guide
If you are running a powerful Linux setup with an Intel Core Ultra 9 (Evo Edition) paired with an NVIDIA RTX 5050, you expect your apps to open instantly. Yet AppImages often feel surprisingly sluggish — even on high-end hardware. The reason is straightforward: by default, AppImages are compressed S
Read → -
Move Docker to Separate Drive on Ubuntu
Every Linux server failure I’ve witnessed from disk issues starts the same way: the root filesystem slowly fills up. No alarms. No drama. Just creeping usage until something breaks.
Read → -
Uptime Kuma to Slack Alerts via n8n
Uptime Kuma → n8n → Slack Alert Workflow
Read → -
Caddy Reverse Proxy for Mailu: Dual HTTPS Setup
Goal
Read → -
ERPNext v15 Slack Notifications for Stock Movements
If you are running ERPNext v15 and want real-time Slack notifications whenever stock movements occur, this step-by-step guide shows you exactly how to set up webhook-based alerts for Material Issues, Material Transfers, and Purchase Receipts. You will also learn how to avoid the common Jinja templat
Read → -
Disable IPv6 on Linux Permanently with sysctl
Disable IPv6 on Linux
Read → -
UFW Firewall: Allow TCP Port 8123 from Specific IP
Firewalls are a foundational component of any secure Linux server environment. On Ubuntu and other Debian-based distributions, UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall) provides a straightforward yet powerful interface for managing iptables rules without requiring deep knowledge of low-level networking syntax. I
Read → -
Secure WireGuard Homelab: Complete Setup Guide
This page documents the complete, final configuration of a secure homelab environment built around WireGuard, Raspberry Pis, UFW, AdGuard Home, Fail2Ban, n8n workflow automation, and Uptime Kuma. It is structured as a top-to-bottom technical reference, covering design intent, implementation details,
Read →
-
How to Fix VMware Module Errors When Secure Boot Is Enabled on Linux
If you've ever tried to start VMware on a Linux machine and hit an error about vmmon or vmnet modules failing to load, there's a good chance Secure Boot is the culprit. This guide walks you through exactly what's happening and gives you two ways to fix it — the quick-and-easy way and the cleaner lon
Read → -
Move Docker to Separate Drive on Ubuntu
Every Linux server failure I’ve witnessed from disk issues starts the same way: the root filesystem slowly fills up. No alarms. No drama. Just creeping usage until something breaks.
Read → -
Homelab Security: WireGuard VPN & Firewall Setup Guide
Goals Achieved
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N8N Production Server Monitoring & Security Automation
Production Monitoring & Security Automation Runbook
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Deploy 50 D3 Pro POS Terminals: Complete Setup
Deploying 50 brand-new D3 Pro Point of Sale (POS) terminals in a single day is one of those projects that blends physical hustle with methodical technical execution. From hauling hardware out of storage to provisioning each device with Esper MDM and Joe Coffee OS, every step matters when you want a
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My Seven Years at Anthem Coffee and Tea
Seven years ago, I walked into Anthem Coffee and Tea for the first time as an employee — and my life hasn’t been the same since. The aroma of freshly ground beans, the steady hum of espresso machines, the electric buzz of a room full of regulars and newcomers alike: it became my world. In some
Read → -
7 Years at Anthem Coffee: Barback to Leader
<!-- wp:paragraph --><p>From barback to leader in seven years at Anthem Coffee and Tea. Discover how continuous learning, customer relationships, and hands-on expertise shaped one person's journey through espresso machines, IT troubleshooting, and café management.</p><!-- /wp:paragraph -->
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Barback to IT Manager: Unconventional Path to Tech Leadership
When I look back on my career, I am amazed at how each role — even the ones that seemed completely unrelated to where I am now — helped shape who I am today. My path started far from servers and networks, in the fast-paced world of hospitality.
Read → -
Bulk Tablet Setup: Configure 100 Devices in 4 Hours
Starting this new chapter left me speechless and genuinely excited — it truly was a dream come true. I can provision 100 tablets in just four hours, and I love every minute of it. I enjoy preparing tablets for new launches and supporting Joe Coffee partners through system upgrades and improvements.
Read → -
Cottage Getaway: Fix Network Issues & Make Memories
Our cottage getaway was a mix of hands-on technical work and genuinely relaxing downtime — and honestly, that balance made it all the more memorable.
Read →