Blog

Blog

Practical Linux, DevOps, and self-hosting writing delivered from Directus in a more editorial layout.

Archive

More articles

1/7/2026

Spiderfoot: Your Ultimate Guide to Usage

Imagine you're a cybersecurity expert, penetration tester, or just someone interested in digital reconnaissance. You're looking for a tool that helps you efficiently gather and ana

Read

1/6/2026

SmallRig NP-FZ100 Batteries in Long-Term Test: Affordable Alternative Without Drawbacks

In search of alternative batteries for my Sony A6700, I invested quite some time. On the one hand, you don't want to expose your camera to cheap junk; on the other, I can't justify paying around €80 for a single original battery when its production cost is likely only a fraction of that. Searching "NP-FZ100 battery" on Google reveals prices between €15 and €60, but you only truly know if they are any good once you have them in hand. Since genuine critical reviews are rare and negative feedback often disappears, I want to share my experience with SmallRig batteries, which have accompanied me for a few months now.

Read

1/6/2026

Weather Display with ESP32 and 3D Printed Case

Welcome to a great DIY project that will excite both tech enthusiasts and weather lovers alike: building a personalized weather display. The heart of this project is an ESP32 microcontroller paired with an elegant 7.5-inch e-paper display, known for its eye-friendly presentation and energy efficiency. This display fetches its data in real time from the OpenWeatherMap API, a comprehensive provider of current and forecasted weather data.

Read

1/6/2026

Zabbix Installation Using Docker Compose

Whether for quick testing or long-term production use, Zabbix can be flexibly, modularly, and maintainably installed with Docker Compose. This guide shows how to set up Zabbix with minimal effort for testing purposes or create a scalable, maintenance-friendly environment for sustained operation.

Read

1/2/2026

Nginx Proxy Manager: Simplify Your Web Server Management

If you host web applications, you probably know the challenge of keeping track of subdomains, SSL certificates, and redirect rules. This is exactly where Nginx Proxy Manager comes in. In this article, you'll learn how to greatly simplify your web server management with it.

Read

9/30/2025

Affordable Solar MPPT for Arduino, ESP32, Meshtastic & More

If you're into tinkering and IoT, you know the drill: you find cheap modules that sound promising but need to prove their worth. That was my experience with the small MPPT Solar Charger Controller (B0F4QZ1KMK). It's an unbranded product with few reviews, and some skepticism was natural. After thorough testing, my verdict is: yes, absolutely worth it, though there are a few details to watch out for.

Read

9/27/2025

Meshtastic 2.7 - An Exciting Upgrade

Since the 2.7 preview version of Meshtastic, I’ve grown increasingly convinced by it. For a long time, it was exciting technology but also quite fiddly. It didn’t work very reliabl

Read

9/16/2025

Meshtastic, MeshCore, and the Irony of Openness

Open Source thrives on exchange, diversity, and the possibility to try out different technical approaches. Meshtastic and MeshCore operate exactly in this environment — two projects addressing the same problem space but emphasizing different priorities.

Read

9/1/2025

What is the Room Server in MeshCore?

The Room Server in MeshCore functions like a group chat server with history. Imagine joining a chat room: your device (client) connects to the Room Server, sends messages to this "room," and receives the chat history upon connecting or after a break—if it's still available.

Read

8/19/2025

MeshCore versus Meshtastic: How Frustration Led to a Better Radio Network

There are conflicts in the tech scene that look like a tempest in a teapot from the outside. Two open-source projects, no money involved, nobody selling licenses – so why the fuss? The dispute between **Meshtastic** and **MeshCore** runs deeper. Here, two visions collide about what a LoRa mesh should be: playground or reliable tool. A sober look quickly reveals why camps have formed and why many are moving towards MeshCore.

Read

8/12/2025

The WisMesh Repeater Mini (Solar) in Winter

The WisMesh Repeater Mini is a technically impressive device: robust, weatherproof, and sufficiently equipped. However, in practice – especially during the German winter – it reveals weaknesses that make it unusable for me.

Read

7/30/2025

Ansible Windows Update Playbook

# Automating Windows Updates with Ansible In this blog post, I will show you how to create an Ansible playbook to apply Windows updates on your systems. This playbook enables you

Read

7/9/2025

Your Own Outdoor Meshtastic Node, a Guide

Meshtastic and Meshcore are fascinating open-source projects that have seen tremendous growth in recent years. Especially in outdoor scenarios, they open up exciting possibilities: Whether hiking, festivals, or networking remote areas — a robust network of nodes can ensure communication anywhere.

Read

6/17/2025

Apple Watch Sleep Apnea Detection

For several weeks now, the Apple Watch has offered the capability to detect sleep apnea. Although I probably am not personally affected, I always find it fascinating when the watch

Read

6/9/2025

Seafile Installation Using Docker Compose and NFS

Seafile is a secure, cross-platform cloud storage solution. One way to install and run Seafile is by using Docker containers combined with the Network File System (NFS). In this article, I show how to set up Seafile with Docker and NFS on a system.

Read

5/19/2025

Automating Image Conversion with Python: An Introduction to the AVIF Format

The world of digital images is constantly evolving, and with emerging formats like AVIF (AV1 Image File Format), users and developers have more advanced options available. AVIF offers impressive compression efficiency while maintaining high image quality, making it an attractive choice for web and application design.

Read

5/14/2025

Ansible Windows Updates Status Query

A WSUS server can be useful, but it can consume considerable resources, often respond slowly, and also requires significant maintenance effort or additional software for upkeep.

Read

5/13/2025

LTE via Satellite - The Future of Mobile Communication

Imagine having a stable internet connection from the most remote corners of the world thanks to LTE via satellite. Discover how this technology is set to revolutionize mobile communication and whether your phone will soon communicate directly with satellites.

Read

4/23/2025

Installing NXLog on Windows with Ansible

In this blog post, I'll show you how to install **NXLog** on a Windows machine using **Ansible**. Ansible is a powerful tool for automating tasks across multiple machines, saving

Read

3/31/2025

A Cellular GPS Tracker Based on an ESP32

I have spent a lot of time working with various microcontrollers and equipping them with numerous sensors and wireless technologies. Until now, I have avoided cellular connectivit

Read

10/22/2024

Software Installation Made Easy with PowerShell

Today I want to show a clever method to significantly simplify software installations. Imagine having a script that automatically installs required software on a machine. That's handy—but it gets even easier.

Read

8/20/2024

Meshtastic: Grand Vision, Bumpy Reality

Meshtastic promises communication without a network—a concept that excites outdoor enthusiasts, emergency planners, and event organizers alike. Affordable LoRa nodes are supposed t

Read

8/5/2024

Detecting Anomalous Behavior with Zabbix

In our previous blog post, we emphasized the importance of monitoring the average utilization of your infrastructure to detect anomalous behavior and prevent security incidents. Th

Read

7/31/2024

Ansible - Querying Linux Update Status

Imagine being able to retrieve the patch status of hundreds of Linux servers with a simple script and display it neatly in a table. Sounds practical, right? This small **Ansible

Read

5/6/2024

Measuring Soil Moisture with ESP32 + Home Assistant Integration

If you're struggling to keep your plants alive or you're a stats enthusiast who loves tracking soil moisture over weeks and months, this guide is for you. I'll walk you through an advanced script that automatically calibrates standard analog soil moisture sensors, outputs values in percent, and sends data via MQTT to Home Assistant and more.

Read

2/22/2024

The Comprehensive Meshtastic Guide

In this post, I want to provide you with a simple and understandable introduction to Meshtastic, so that even people without technical knowledge can grasp what it is, how it works,

Read

2/1/2024

Speed Radar in the Hallway - Home Assistant Integration

How fast do you walk through your hallway every day, and does it vary throughout the day? Or who parks faster in the home garage? This post shows you how to record and analyze these speeds using a speed radar integrated with Home Assistant.

Read

1/3/2024

M5Stack - The Better Arduino

Arduino tinkering is often easy to implement, allowing you to quickly realize various technical gadgets and learn a lot in the process. A great hobby, in my opinion. Over a longer

Read

12/14/2023

Meshtastic - Getting Started

Meshtastic is an open-source project that develops a low-power mesh network based on LoRa technology (Long Range). It enables communication over long distances without the need for

Read

11/6/2023

Measuring Soil Moisture with Arduino

If you take care of plants in your garden or home, you certainly know how important the right amount of water is for their growth. One method to ensure your plants always have opti

Read

4/4/2023

Radar Speedometer with Arduino or ESP32

Building your own radar system for speed measurement is a fascinating project that provides insights into the world of high-frequency technology and the Doppler effect. In this tut

Read

1/4/2022

Moisture Sensor with Arduino & Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)

Today I'll show you how to set up a **moisture sensor** with an **Arduino board** and send the measurement data over **Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)** to a smartphone or another receiver. This example demonstrates how to create basic Bluetooth services and transmit simple sensor data. In my example, the soil moisture of a capacitive soil sensor is measured (see products in the sidebar).

Read