Home networks
Routers, Wi-Fi and mesh, VLANs, local DNS, VPNs, cabling and diagnosing slowdowns.
Bufferbloat and SQM: getting rid of lag when the line is busy
Why video calls and games stutter when someone uploads or downloads files, how to measure bufferbloat and how to fix it with SQM, fq_codel and CAKE.
Casting and printing across separate networks: mDNS and rules
Separate TVs, printers and IoT from the main network without losing casting and printing: an mDNS reflector, targeted firewall rules and return traffic.
Double NAT at home: how to spot it and fix it with bridge or DMZ
When a router behind the provider's modem creates double NAT, what it breaks for ports, games and VPNs, and how to remove it with bridge, DMZ or PPPoE.
Encrypted DNS at home: DoH and DoT without losing network control
The differences between DNS over HTTPS and DNS over TLS, where to encrypt DNS on a home network and how to stop devices from bypassing your home resolver.
Wi-Fi in the garden and garage: outdoor access points and bridges
How to bring the network to the garden, garage or an outbuilding: outdoor access points, IP protection ratings, PoE power and point-to-point bridges.
Guest network and client isolation: separating visitors at home
How to set up your router's guest Wi-Fi network, what client isolation really does, passwords and QR codes, and its limits compared to real segmentation.
Backup Internet at home: 4G or 5G failover with a dual-WAN router
How to keep the Internet up at home when the fixed line fails: dual-WAN routers, 4G or 5G modems, automatic failover, reachability checks and data limits.
Your home network hub: patch panel, rack cabinet and labels
How to organise the spot where your home network cables arrive: rack cabinet, patch panel, switch, patch cords, labels, ventilation and documentation.
Home network inventory: finding and listing every device
How to find which devices are on your home network using the router, the ARP table and nmap, identify them by MAC and keep a simple, current inventory.
iperf3: measuring your home network speed, room by room
How to use iperf3 to measure real speed between two devices at home, separate Wi-Fi problems from line problems and find where the bottleneck sits.
Local names at home: mDNS, .local and the home.arpa domain
Reach your NAS, printers and home servers by name instead of IP: how mDNS and .local work, the router's local DNS and the reserved home.arpa domain.
A whole-home DNS filter with Pi-hole or AdGuard Home
Block ads and tracking on every device at home with a local DNS filter: how it works, Pi-hole and AdGuard Home, blocklists, limits and redundancy options.
Network-level parental controls: schedules, DNS filters and limits
What you can do with parental controls on your home router and DNS, how to set schedules and filters per profile, and which technical limits apply.
Network loops at home: why one extra cable stops everything, and STP
What a network loop is, why a cable between two wall jacks can bring down the whole house, how to spot a broadcast storm and how to prevent it with STP.
OpenWrt: when open source firmware on your home router pays off
What OpenWrt offers compared with factory firmware, how to check whether your router is supported, the risks of installing it and how to handle updates.
Powerline and MoCA: networking where Ethernet cannot reach
Powerline over mains wiring and MoCA over coaxial cable: how they work, realistic performance, limits and when to prefer them to Wi-Fi or range extenders.
Random MAC addresses: effects on DHCP, filters and parental controls
Why phones and computers use private MAC addresses on Wi-Fi, what changes for DHCP reservations, filters and router rules, and how to handle them at home.
Reliable speed tests: measuring your home line properly
Why two speed tests give different results and how to run one that means something: cable, port, server, time of day, device and reading the values.
Backing up your router configuration and updating its firmware
How to save and document your router configuration, update firmware safely, recognise a model at end of support and recover quickly after a reset.
Terminating RJ45 cables and keystone jacks: a practical guide
How to terminate a network cable with an RJ45 plug or on a keystone jack, the T568A and T568B schemes, the tools you need and how to test your work.
Where to place your router at home: walls, height and obstacles
Where to put your router for even Wi-Fi coverage: central spot, height, materials that absorb the signal, antennas and how to check the result properly.
Wi-Fi channels: choosing band, width and reducing interference
How to choose Wi-Fi channels on 2.4 and 5 GHz, which channel width to use, what DFS channels are and how to read a scan to cut down on interference.
Wi-Fi roaming between access points: 802.11k, v and r explained
Why your phone clings to the distant access point, how the 802.11k, v and r standards help and how to tune power and thresholds for smooth roaming.
Wired access points or Wi-Fi extenders: why backhaul matters
The difference between a Wi-Fi extender and a cabled access point: how backhaul affects speed and latency and how to set up several APs in the same home.
WireGuard to reach your home network from outside, securely
Set up WireGuard to reach your NAS and home services from outside: keys, addresses, AllowedIPs, router port, DNS, and choosing a full or split tunnel.