Network Dad

24/08/2024

With the three streaming sticks available to me and the monitor currently on the server rack. The media station expansion in the living room will have access to the stick with alongside the Google Chromecast versatility. The Roku will more than likely be placed in the bedroom to accompany the existing there.

The monitor will be placed on the full range TV mount until the kids room receives and upgrade. Opening up their to come out into the living room. The monitor will stay with the Google Chromecast and then be utilized within a media server or other desktop. Chromecast versatility with hardware expansions is pretty neat, and also allows for some exploits. The fire stick also does this, as it is an android based system as well, but I'm honestly mainly using it for the game pass.... 😅

The wire hoard has been segmented into 6 separate salvage piles. AV wires, power chords, chargers for devices, general USB wires, Telco wires and adapters. The 7th pile is trash/scrap.

I have so many God damn cables ranging from obvious s**t tier knock offs to high end case use virtualization specified cables. Alongside various forms of COAX, Eathernet, and adapters galore. The wires I have yet to assess for charging v.s data transfer supported, let alone spotting any knock off brands.

17/08/2024

So I recently repaired my new . Worked around the neighborhood after repairs!

26/07/2024

I have begun to go through the process of cataloging the cables and wires in the wire pile for selling on various platforms. eBay for many of them, marketplace and shopify for others. Including in this growing stock list is also the pile of old tech, including and not limited to; previous generations of game consoles and games, DVD players and Speakers. Along with remaining odds and ends. After cataloging and getting price estimates from research results the sales will begin!

26/07/2024

Upping further exposure to the mobile hotspot I have available. It has occurred to me that I could indeed integrate it into the general home network within a separate LAN and a bridge. If I eventually get to that point and it still makes sense to do so I would, so for now it's a maybe.

26/07/2024

When going into the wilderness, deep into the mountains and woods, beyond the scope of the reach. It is paramount to being the essentials! Like a mobile hotspot, projector and Chromecast dongle. So your kids can be entertained. 😅

Jokes aside, believe it or not I am an avid outdoorsman and to some degree practice survivalist skills and practices. Having explored various environments from forests to mountains to caves from all around the country Both with and without preparations and supplies for survival practice. Being an Eagle scout and a paranoid security weirdo basically puts you one step away from becoming a doomsday prepper.

My trip next week is ....not that . I will be visiting a bear who enjoys pick-a-nick baskets at the Yogi Bear park with my family. As much as I love the wilderness, I won't put my unwilling family through that sometimes hellish path. So we "Glamp" in my eyes with electricity, amenities and more. Including a portable wireless Access point mobile hotspot router modem for the use abroad. Utilizing a 5g uplink, avoiding crowded and insecure public Wi-Fi networks, while also allowing for deployment of devices such as the Chromecast on our projector. Alongside our phones, Nintendo switch and other devices, it also functions as a safety net for communication in the not so wilderness of Glenn NH. 😅 Helpful none the less, the camping networks loadout is set for deployment!

25/07/2024

Edit: ironically I was told today(Friday) was my last day on this site yesterday. After vacation the adventure continues elsewhere!
I am rounding out my first year as an in the with my debue shop. Lighthouse Electric INC. I have had a few main job sites with some travel where hands are needed here and there. Primarily I have worked one rooftop install, one apartment complex, one remodel and system install with a new riser to my current jobsite. Running lots and lots and LOTS of 4" pipe to water chillers located in a lab seated in an enormously long concrete building connected to a port on federal land being a port of entry into the United States.

With each of these jobs, I have gained and expanded skills alongside any knowledge acquisitioned on site or by my studies. This job however has made me more focused on developing my craft and skills, mainly as a result of being more confident in my conceptualization of possible scope covered with the title of . Having read and re-read the code book alongside many other materials to grasp the concept of the field generally, rather than the job itself. Knowing I would learn by necessity for any jobsite within my first year.

But now I must focus on developing my to better represent the itself. So here I sit, under my mudroom looking at my pre-apprenticeship work from the era. At least I know what I have to fix now. And past me actually remembered to segment the coax cable for the OTA Antenna circuit, but NOT to properly support the splitter it requires. 🫠😂

Here is to year two, dedicated to being better at what I do, while I continue to better understand why. In this example, the resulting untangled bundle of wires will give them more play, while also allowing for easier access to any given run. While also segmenting the higher GHZ frequency from the OTA loop from any interference of adjacent cables. All be it that my 6a wire runs are shielded and should be protected, the better presentation helps segment them for future work in a way that helps avoid confusion.

25/07/2024

https://github.com/awesome-selfhosted/awesome-selfhosted
Ignore pic, unrelated interface for server rack I will be setting up.

In the wake of the outage it's a good idea to revisit the practice of services. Not only does doing so help one maintain and control aspects of and , but can also function as an avenue for network processes and functions. In this case, redundancy and layered authorization. This list has everything you could imagine for small business to enterprise level software for self hosting. Categorized so nauseatingly well in the way only computer indexes are capable of.

Primarily I focus on utilizing self hosted network tools to better deploy and manage my network traffic, using on the old 660s SFF mini tower. But everyone can start anywhere with anything as simple as an old laptop. My old Dell studio XPS ran an i7 Q processor and was a phenomenal first test server device to learn on.

01/07/2024

Shenanigans post of things I do when I'm bored. May I humbly present, Chimera Belt!

In my ever loving desire to promote practical repurposing of..... everything. I made a belt out of 3 belts. In my first year as an Electrical Apprentice, I have been given and gifted 3 separate Belts. One being my mother's old apprentice belt, meaning a lot to me having given it over to continue the legacy. The other two are more modern styles of handy work and processing of materials. Truth be told, of it were all leather like my mom's old belt, that would allow me to utilize my leather work skills I can say exist..... So, rather than ruin my mom's precious gift to me, I utilized the very functional tool pouch from her belt in conjunction with the Velcro climbing style belt with double latch secure buckle, adding to its already heavily leveraged loop based design to modular availability and development. The Carharts pouch at first presented an issue. I loved the feel and availability of the larger sections when paired with my leather pouch. But the design, more traditional in its approach brought the task of revitalizing my old handiwork hands on skills from the arsenal of "ADHD fixated induced skills of necessity I learned to better survive the Zombocalypse" having cloths and fabrics of various ranges. I am waiting on some rivet snap in crimp ons for the final support. Relying on the few key stitches and leverage of the belts in function to maintain properly leveled degrees of "Belt" needed. Which, may I just say.....has not been that much, I'm currently running a sizable 4" pipe primarily using the power tools given the size and scope of the job.

Why post this? Because I saw the picture and felt a little more pride and confidence in my long forgotten assortment of hands on capabilities.

Second, to exemplify that we are all past, present and future parts of ourselves as we derive to survive this world in all its unmitigated chaos. Each part holds up the others, giving you access to skills of old to draw from in the journey to develop new skills. We are the testament of our labors, but not defined by them. Take the belt off and touch some grass.

01/07/2024

Be it the ADHD or my sobriety, I am someone who does NOT stop moving, well at least not easily. Last week wrapped up the end of the first set of academic courses in my Electrical Apprentice program. It had been some time since I last had a true academic setting to look towards for data points in my forever growing knowledge Network. Eventually hitting more of my stride by the second half of the semester.

Now, these next few months I will be on break from the schooling schedule, giving me ample time and mental space for projects, research into new topics and professional development. There is a possibility of CDL training come fall, and I am preparing for that likelihood logistically. However, my spare learning time shall be spent grinding in just a few key sectors.

1: Systems and Network Integration. Expanding from my knowledge dive into Home Networks and self hosting. I have just now begun to see the almost endless horizon of solution based deployment & development. My family expresses whole home audio and integrations.

2: Math: There may be more college courses in my future given the nature of how my mind generally works well in the setting. There is a bridge program that the JATC offers alongside Wentworth college. Basically, if I DO decide to apply for possible recommendation into the program, the best thing for me to do personally forgiven my current degrees and work experience, is to test out as much of the moderate level math courses as possible. It's been a decade since I took my last math course.even longer since my last advanced math course. So I'm grinding away, starting with general College Algebra to better ground my foundational math comprehension.

3(and on a bit of a personal note): Home life: family balance is something that I need to do better with, my son's growing older by the second and my weeks now primarily spent 20-40 miles away on a job site. Waking up at (checks clock) 0330 because that's just my internal clock now.

There are of course the endlessly unfinished projects and renovations still in the works, some old, some new, some old ones that got changed along the way. So those will come in due time besides my family's requested projects and timeframes for them during the Summer.

Attached are a picture of some light reading I will be taking in alongside my AC Theory. As well as a picture of the former rack site in shambles running on a skeleton crew to maintain Wifi and Wifi alone. Don't judge it just yet, as I will be moving things around (obviously) to not only neaten up the work, but to allow for more wires I have added, better use of shelf space, additional rack space from the old shelf less 2U Extender bracket I first used and more dedicated devices for the whole home to use. Such as a printer and scanner, as well as a monitor to log into a VM set up for those who are "uninitiated" with the terminal.

05/05/2024

I'll just keep stripping that wire while I see where this chart goes.... 👀👀👀

01/05/2024

Here we have phase 1.5 of "The Great Tech Purge of 2024". I have a smaller bin with just boards and parts in it, but this is still that first set of full bins gathered for disassembly. As you can see, I found my old consoles as well. I plan on testing them before committing to any disassembly of course, but given the area and state that I found them in. It is very unlikely that they will be able to function.

There is actually a lot more stuff I can and plan to take apart as for profit, learning and fun. Multiple old boxtop sets, speakers, stereo systems, networking gear, printers, monitors, TVs, and I kid you not, a tall ass pile of laptops at least 12-15 deep.... Starting with items a bit more rudimentary is just more efficient as I build up pace.

30/04/2024

Finally fixed the kids room up with a proper setup of . With the , and 4. Getting them all hooked up via by drop site ports or the ports off the existing branded . That point has been a saving grace not only for it's position at the most distal corner of the house, but in valuable RF positioning to better segment my airspace from my neighborhood Wifi.

Without going into too much detail, the helps segment data with the use of VLAN, subnetting and SSID deployment. Not to mention the more advanced Radio Frequency tools available. From analysis tools to scrambler settings, this enterprise grade AP has it all. It is however limited to WiFi 5. I will ultimately move the current as an access point in a more centralized location upstairs to allow any devices that would benefit from wifi 6 to be able to do so.

The additional media devices now present in the kids room also have their own integrations by design. The Xbox one with , and Windows integration. As well as functionality. The PS4 and it's local network play, and the Nintendo Switch OLED has a dock in that room as well as the living room. All be it one is from the Original Switch model I need to repair. Each console and the play on the which output digital audio in for a notable boost of audio quality, especially since the sound bar utilizes directionality to help segment ranged noise. I sadly need a replacement subwoofer for that model, as it was a passive subwoofer designed for that specific .

The kids quite literally, LOVE their new hangout space. All credit for interior design and theam choice goes to my lovely wife. I just handle the tech wizardry. And believe me when I say this. The rooms from here on are more involved, each building off the last.

30/04/2024

Kicking the scrap and salvage game into overdrive with the addition of this little bad boy to the arsenal. I made sure to get one that would be able to do service cable and feeders if needed. I am pleased with the results of my late night test on THHN. But I will probably start with other wires, as there are more gains to be had in stripping that. THHN is surprisingly redeemable.

27/04/2024

https://sites.google.com/view/incometaxspreadsheet/home

Please for shameless reach. it's an archeological find from the dark ages I recently spotted on the drydock avenue in Boston. !

I found a new as of last month....

Tax season has just ended, so what better time than now to revisit the tax code and its case use for one's self? I found this site a good basic income tax excel sheet and guide. This is a good starting point.

As my tax scenarios start to change over the next few years, setting up infrastructure and frameworks for better use of leverageable mechanisms within the tax code just makes sense. For example, I plan on starting use of section C soul proprietorship claims in conjunction with the use of the standard personal deduction. Enabling the use of business class tier reductions like mileage and gas costs, parking costs, net loss application to income periods and more.

I plan on using these factors and more until it is such a time where my deductions exceed the limit on that standard deduction. These include things like medical expenses, including copays, travel costs and asset depreciations as a result of. Interest payments on major assets, child care costs and expenses, emergency scenario costs and so on.

These things at first glance definitely seem to be unlikely to add up to the limit placed on a single income duel filling household. But that's where more (what I like to define as) shenanigans steps into play in regards to how the application of various deductions comes into play. From gross income deductions to percentage of gross and annual income deductions. Tax credit applications, and reimbursements on costs that are non taxable. (Medical is a major one but there are others noted) Which I had a great time fine tuning this year as the result of Turbo Tax not allowing me to refile my state return, doing so manually through the DOR step by step until maximum returns were attained. Taking the opportunity to run hypotheticals for federal and state over the past few years available to me paperwork wise.....(Seriously, don't get me started on that rabbit hole)

Federal Income Tax Spreadsheet 1040 Complete your US Federal Income Tax Form 1040 using my Microsoft Excel spreadsheet income tax calculator.

27/04/2024

https://www.microcenter.com/site/content/custom-pc-builder-intel.aspx?load=50ba6ceb-a31c-42cd-86dd-5e530e20945d

A prospective cheapish build using deals and parts already available to me. (I have lots of hard drives.... I don't need to buy a hard drive)

Create a custom PC powered by an Intel® Core™ processor, with Intel-exclusive technologies and software for a better experience. Order online and have it professionally built by your local Micro Center.

30/03/2024

Two year contract with is up, time for the good'ol switcheroo. I also FINALLY got all involved parties on board to cut the cord more concretely in regards to the cable plan! Ultimately with one cavity in regards to a specific channel, only available (cheaply) through blue plan with the added News plus add on. Cutting the cable and Internet bill down substantially. Getting a Netflix at a discount from our service provider. The only thing that would be "lost" as a result is , or rather, , or was it , ? ?. They have grown to be just as silly as is with message applications.

Consolidation of the service end of the equation helps lay the plans more concretely for any additional modifications to the receiving antenna and subsequent circuits and filters the signals are disseminated through. Which will require some work to properly segment out more. I only have the antenna lines run to one TV at the moment. Bypassing the coaxials involved with the soon to be former cable network signal. Allowing for easy detachment and repurposing of the existing wires, as opposed to running new ones to segment the higher bandwidth spectrum usage for OTA Tab signals.

I will however still eventually running some new lines for more ranged bandwidth antenna usage for network expansion into , and development but that's a ways off, and requires a security assessment out of principle before I start breaking out signals over , and other high range, low data reservoirs soon to be available.

An admittedly lofty, and likely not realistic goal would be to have either the future antenna deployment or a secondary dedicated antenna function as a gateway into a secured section of data for a dedicated reason. Possibly starting that section as a , then linked with a type of Point to Point protocol for data retrievals on this end.

28/03/2024

I have done a lot of small projects with this . It's the 4th generation, and has served me well as an introductory device for Debugging Bridge ( ). Flashing Operating systems and utilizing it as an and device.

I am debating trading it in for an updated model, the 5 or 6. Or switching to another smartwatch for strictly purposes like .