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Blog
A digital outlet to talk about everything: projects, recipes, guides and reviews are just a start.
Tech & Office | Audio, Photography & Video | Kitchen | Workshop | Life
![Stream Deck - USB-C connectivity](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1721075128849-SDLV3B5O12ZIXXSTFFOY/Cover_s.jpg)
Stream Deck - USB-C connectivity
The Corsair/Elgato Stream Deck Mk 2 has some peculiar behavior when you try and connect to it using USB-C. Initially I thought that I had wired up my keystones incorrectly, or my USB-C ports were on acting up. Nope — it’s the Stream Deck.
![Build Log: Wall-Desk Mk II](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1719855675193-HBT94GJOM1PUVVNT4C2J/Blog+Covers+-+2024_s.jpg)
Build Log: Wall-Desk Mk II
I built my original wall-desk almost five years ago and after using it for that time, there are a small handful of things I’d like to fix and improve upon. This is more of a retrofit that builds upon the existing setup — no need to ‘reinvent the wall’ so to speak.
![Upgrading my Networking Gear (2024.1)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1668024733779-G7995CSE7SITNOWM8PNU/Logo_Squooshed.png)
Upgrading my Networking Gear (2024.1)
As the network stuff inches towards being the finish line, the updates (hopefully!) get smaller. In this update, I’ve made some small but meaningful upgrades to my network
![Synology NAS Blinking? I found an undocumented cause for it](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1708978435120-PV0IFEBMY3ZVHGQGELBL/Cover_s.jpg)
Synology NAS Blinking? I found an undocumented cause for it
We recently had a longer power outage. Thankfully, I’ve got a pair of UPS units ready to rock and roll but I ran into a bit of an odd case where my NAS units were in a blinking state after the power was restored…
![Build Log: Mini Network Rack Mk III](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1703196817284-Q52T4EN5H5DGQO2J3DAT/Blog+Covers_s.jpg)
Build Log: Mini Network Rack Mk III
My ‘mini’ network rack isn’t so mini anymore. Since living with the rack in its previous configuration for about a year, there are a few things that bother me about it. Here, I set out to tackle them in what was a quicker-than-expected rebuild of the network rack.
![Interim Skype Station Update](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1678072946846-LHMGUOQK7TL41BHDE9MQ/Blog+Covers_Squooshed.jpg)
Interim Skype Station Update
Skype Station has been an incredible success: high marks for usability, reliability and both image and audio quality. What it’s not great for? Being portable.
I’d like to look at a mobile-focused Skype station this year so I need to do a bit of a roundup to see if a specific camera I’m thinking of can live up to the bar set by Skype Station.
![New work laptop…](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1677860074079-C7R4FYHWTTXRWRUY4C7F/Blog+Covers_squooshed.jpg)
New work laptop…
My work laptop was up for a refresh, and not soon enough — my previous laptop no longer wanted to communicate with the battery. For work, we typically use these laptops as if they were desktops — outside of meetings, they are docked to power, external monitors, keyboards, mice, network etc. so I’m going to look at this machine as if it was a desktop.
This laptop is also my first encounter with Windows 11, so that should be fun.
![Security Audit](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1672989781438-TMWV8V3XQED06D2TC8UB/cover_squooshed.jpg)
Security Audit
Over the year-end break, I moved my password manager away from LastPass. I didn’t move for security reasons but more so for usability issues and the security issues were purely an unfortunate coincidence. I used this transition as an opportunity to do a full audit of the credentials and I stumbled across some fun (read: annoying) discoveries.
![Fixing Synology ‘Untrusted Certificate’](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1672847075109-GZ0N9G4XNRCZQLDLRQ5Y/cover_squooshed.jpg)
Fixing Synology ‘Untrusted Certificate’
For the last few years now, every time I log into the management portal for my NAS, I have to click through the annoying ‘this page is untrusted’ warnings from Chrome. Enough is enough, I finally set aside some time to fix this.
Most of the guides online seem to be built around getting LetsEncrypt hooked up (which I don’t want) or they were written with DSM6 in mind…
Sadly, DSM7+ removed the ability to easily generate a self-signed cert so I had to do it ‘the long way’
![Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.4)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1668024733779-G7995CSE7SITNOWM8PNU/Logo_Squooshed.png)
Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.4)
In an earlier installment, I tackled “what if the ISP goes down?” and in this update, I tackle the question “what if the power goes out?” We have a UPS to catch the network for short blips, but what about extended outages? I wanted to get a way to maintain multi-hour uptime without a lot of infrastructure rework/expense all while keeping it super easy to implement.
![Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.3)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1667595467074-6TZWTQX24QXMA7CY6C18/Logo_Squooshed.png)
Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.3)
In the last installment, I tackled redundancy and made preparations for getting the final bits of networking laid down. In this update: the last of the cable has been laid down and all of the major pieces of equipment are in place, so I can take a bit of time to finally give some attention to improving the day-to-day usability of the network.
![A smartwatch as a notification relay](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1663364316590-9EJTA3B7ZKRETF46X7YV/WatchCover_Squooshed.jpg)
A smartwatch as a notification relay
The snappiness of my new phone was a bit out of place with the sluggishness of my old smartwatch so I set out to ‘just take a look’ at what options are on the market. Just looking at the headline features of almost every smartwatch out there, you’d think the user-base consists entirely of olympians and/or sleep-apnea patients. Thankfully my needs are a bit simpler: just reliably relay notifications to my watch.
![A New Phone Adventure](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1662931028537-STM1S6YI0985J3SNJM67/Cover_Squooshed.jpg)
A New Phone Adventure
I’ve been planning on a phone upgrade in the next year or so but my wife had the misfortune of breaking her phone recently. This was a perfect excuse to push that schedule up a bit sooner. It was a bit of an adventure picking out a new phone and then dealing with the various challenges in getting the phone into what I would consider a ‘usable’ state.
![Data Loss](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1659841612874-YU727RJOPD4HRKUAKAQF/DPN01487_squooshed.jpg)
Data Loss
Two is one and one is none, right? Or at least that’s the mantra of preparedness as I understand it. Recently, I had the fun opportunity to have multiple component hardware failures. Now that I’m back up and running, this makes for a good time to take a closer look at my backup strategy and how I can improve it.
![Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.2)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1642693251591-KAPAVTZYZJHU8XFUUWYL/Logo_Squooshed.png)
Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.2)
I made the transition from consumer-centric networking gear to a more purpose-built setup a few months ago and there's nothing quite like living with a setup to highlight all the little fixes, tweaks and upgrades that you'd like to implement. And there definitely been a whole bunch of changes, both visible and behind the scenes and I think we're at a stable enough 'milestone' that I think I can recap where the journey has taken me.
![Build Log: Mini Network Rack Mk II](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1643304830933-ZDXUCYRCF7RY6TGOPDM6/DPN00802-Obfuscated_squooshed.jpg)
Build Log: Mini Network Rack Mk II
With all of the incremental upgrades to my network, I felt it was time to finally revisit the network rack that I had outgrown. Doubling the capacity from a 6U to a 12U should give me a bit more breathing room for all the stuff I need to jam in there and rebuilding the enclosure/stand will give me an opportunity to address a few of the shortcomings and quirks of the original design that I’ve learned over the years.
![Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.1)](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1642693251591-KAPAVTZYZJHU8XFUUWYL/Logo_Squooshed.png)
Upgrading my Networking Gear (2022.1)
I had always intended to make the switch away from consumer-grade networking gear but like all things, there’s ‘never a convenient time’ to up-end your setup. For me, it was IoT devices that was the driving force to finally revisit my networking plans.
![A Somewhat Smart Home](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1635769894998-U0QFFAO6GM5SCP78ZATN/Thumbnail_Squooshed.jpg)
A Somewhat Smart Home
Over the last few years, upgrading to a ‘smart home’ has been all the rage. The typical party-trick automation is pretty cool but in practice, tends to come up a bit short. Perhaps looking at something a bit less ‘smart’ can make for a more effective system.
![Integrating Work-Laptops into a High-Performance Flow](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1632191328064-GAH812BCX9GBIJPQ9ZYW/Thumbnail-Main_Squooshed.jpg)
Integrating Work-Laptops into a High-Performance Flow
Working from home can be a wonderful thing if you have a totally dialed-in workspace but one of the biggest gotchas is that, (generally), at some point -- you're going to have to use a sorry excuse of a computer to get stuff done. Some work machines are better than others, but so, so, soooooo many are mobility focused paper weights.
I took a non-standard approach to integrating the work machine into my flow and because of this, I had to come with some creative workarounds for challenges around meetings and such that popped up.
![Guide: Getting Better Video Calls](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/6020ac0b21a9b86f0577e29e/1616449238826-1VSG4GRXYO07US7763CZ/DPN09273_1500x1283_Squooshed.jpg)
Guide: Getting Better Video Calls
Building Skype Station was the easy part - getting value out of the equipment takes a bit more trial and error. In this post, I talk about three common mistakes holding your video call or streaming setup back.