DIY networking and home lab enthusiast. Runs a Pi-powered home server; writes about Raspberry Pi projects, network privacy, and practical homelab builds.
Self-Hosting
The Best Self-Hosted Apps for a First Home Server: What to Install in Week One
Sam Chen
October 20, 2026
Homelab
Beelink vs Minisforum Mini PCs for a Homelab: Thermals, BIOS Updates and Support
Sam Chen
October 16, 2026
Homelab
Self-Hosting
How Much RAM Does a Home Server Actually Need?
Sam Chen
September 27, 2026
Smart Home
Thread
Thread Border Router on Raspberry Pi: Stability Wins That Matter in 2026
Sam Chen
April 7, 2026
Smart Home
Mesh Wi-Fi Roaming: Why Your Phone Still Holds the Wrong Access Point
Sam Chen
April 7, 2026
Smart Home Networking
Mesh Router or One Powerful Router: How to Choose Without Regret
Sam Chen
April 6, 2026
DIY & Maker Culture
Why Building a Raspberry Pi Media Server Still Beats Streaming Subscriptions
Sam Chen
March 15, 2026
Networking
Why Your Next Router Should Support WireGuard Natively
Sam Chen
March 15, 2026
DIY & Maker
Building a Raspberry Pi NAS: When It Actually Beats a Synology
Sam Chen
March 7, 2026
Digital Lifestyle
Infrastructure & Systems
Why Personal Cloud Storage Beats Both iCloud and Google for Some People
Sam Chen
March 7, 2026
DIY & Maker Culture
Software Development
The Case for Running Your Own Git Server When GitHub Feels Heavy
Sam Chen
March 7, 2026
Cybersecurity & Privacy
DIY & Maker Culture
Why Your Home Network Should Run Its Own DNS (And How to Do It)
Sam Chen
March 1, 2026
Cybersecurity & Privacy
DIY & Maker Culture
The Case for Building a Personal VPN Server in 2026
Sam Chen
March 1, 2026
DIY & Maker Culture
Infrastructure & Systems
What Running Self-Hosted Email Really Costs You in Time
Sam Chen
March 1, 2026
DIY & Maker Culture
Home Networking
The Case for Building a Pi Hole as Your First Raspberry Pi Project
Sam Chen
March 1, 2026