How-To Geek

When I first built my homelab, I did what most people do—I put everything on one machine. My NAS, my services, my containers—all of it running on the same box. It made sense at the time: why buy two machines when one can do the job? But eventually, I started to see the issues this supposed “optimization” introduced. Here are the three main reasons I decided to separate my NAS from my homelab.

You may not think of your PC or as a a smart home sensor, but there's a significant amount it can tell you. Your computer knows when you're active, when you're idle, when you're using a particular app, or even when you're on a video call. You can use that information to create some very useful automations in Home Assistant.

I've never assumed any one tool can do everything, and neither should you. These are like apples and oranges, so picking something like Claude over Gemini or Codex isn't something I recommend. These AIs are trying to do the same thing, but they are done in very separate ways. You should be using those strengths to make your own apps better. I used them together to make a calculator in under 10 minutes, and it did exactly what I needed.

While we won’t see the host of brand-new content that we’re used to seeing each month on Paramount+, we are getting a highly anticipated new original show so monumental it deserves all the standalone attention it can get. Additionally, we’ll also see new seasons of several returning, fan-favorite TV shows, including a psychology-driven documentary series centered around couples, a long-standing crime drama full of fresh cases to crack, and the 2026 American Music Awards.

Package managers are an extremely convenient part of Linux operating systems, but Windows, despite being more "user-friendly," doesn't have anything nearly as useful. However, using one free, open-source project and a built-in Windows command line utility, you can get the exact same thing on Windows.

Android Auto is a convenient and useful feature on most modern cars, even if it's a bit underused. By default, most drivers end up using Google Maps even though there are countless solid alternatives. While there's a lot to love about Google Maps, I use Waze with Android Auto instead, and here's why.

There are a lot of uses for 3D printing in science, medicine, and research. From prosthesis to housing, these ideas push the boundaries of what is possible in modern manufacturing.

Almost every Linux command has options to control the way it works, and applies default values when you don’t provide any. But these defaults are very sticky, and what made sense in 1970 doesn’t always make sense today.

This weekend’s homelab project roundup is all about expanding your homelab’s capabilities. From installing Proxmox to spin up virtual machines to setting up a wake-on-LAN server, here are three homelab projects you should try this weekend.

Robotic pool cleaners have steadily moved from niche upgrades to more practical, everyday tools. Cordless designs, smarter navigation, and broader cleaning coverage have made them easier to adopt, especially for users who want to spend less time on manual pool maintenance.

You already know the difference between SATA and NVMe—that part's not the problem. The problem is that knowing that difference can actually make you more confident about a purchase you probably shouldn't be confident about. The spec that actually separates a good SSD from a disappointing one isn't the interface—it's the type of NAND flash inside, and most buyers never consider checking it before buying.

It's no secret that Milwaukee makes some of the best cordless power tools used by professionals everywhere, but that doesn't mean they're always the right choice. Milwaukee tools are often quite expensive, and with several other brands readily available, you have a lot of options. Here are three reasons Milwaukee might not be right for you, along with what to buy instead.

When Antigravity came out, a lot of people were interested enough to ditch VS Code. Unfortunately, plenty left soon after because it is not an easy way to program if you don't know what you're doing. Claude is very similar because it is great at giving an overview of what to do before starting, but that is due to a misconception of how to use Antigravity correctly. If you know what you're doing and can avoid the rate limits, you'll never go back to Claude for coding. At best, Claude will seem like a good way to get your ideas together, but not a good way to implement them.

Are you ready for some fun Raspberry Pi projects to do this weekend? Well, for starters, you definitely need to get a Home Assistant server running if you have’t already. Then, utilize Home Assistant to know when your washer and dryer are done running. Then, kick back and relax while you read your favorite articles with Readeck.

If you're sick of paying a small fortune to subscribe to the ever-growing list of streaming services, there is another option. You can set up a media server, add your media files, and make your own streaming service. This sounds like it might be complicated, but with Jellyfin, it's simple enough even for most non-technical people to set up.

Windows users like to give Linux enthusiasts heat because they love the Terminal so much, but the truth is that even for some everyday tasks it's often better to use a command line interface instead of clicking a bunch of pictures.

You’re getting to the end of a roll of filament, and you’re not confident there’s enough left to justify using it for another print. So you throw it in the drawer, next to the other almost-empty spools from the last time this happened.

AI assistants are quietly becoming the Swiss Army knife no one expected. I’ve already turned ChatGPT into a project management system and a Grammarly Pro replacement. But Claude is different—not only can it do almost everything ChatGPT can, but it also has access to my file system. So when I noticed my storage was nearing 80%, I decided to use Claude to free up some disk space.

Aqara’s latest Doorbell Camera G400 packs a lot of premium features in a budget-friendly package. With on-device AI, power-over-Ethernet (PoE) as a power option, and local recording, this $100 doorbell camera is the one to beat in 2026.

We're just a week away from the big premiere of Taylor Sheridan's newest Yellowstone offshoot, Dutton Ranch, which will undoubtedly draw much attention to the throngs of Paramount+ subscribers hungry for more Duttons. But I believe that a TV diet balanced by a regular dose of realism is healthy, and that's where I come in with your weekly lineup of docuseries.