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Practical Linux, DevOps, and self-hosting writing delivered from Directus in a more editorial layout.
A "traffic light" is one of the most rewarding beginner projects because you learn almost everything that recurs in bigger projects later: neat wiring, resistors for LEDs, states (state machine), timing, and finally the question whether to bluntly use `delay()
Open articleMany discussions about smartwatches focus on sensors, battery life, and features. In practice, however, almost everything is decided by the software c
When working with ePaper/eInk displays, small TFTs, or Raspberry Pi HATs, you often encounter Waveshare and GoodDisplay. Despite similar product appearances, the differences in hardware quality, software maintenance, and interfaces can cause common issues like white displays, upload failures, and driver troubles.
A solar-powered Meshtastic node that just hangs on a mast without tinkering and works flawlessly for months is a classic ideal. The SenseCAP Solar Node P1-Pro promises exactly that but did not survive the German winter in my experience. Here's why.
Archive
# Operating ESP32 in Power-Saving Mode: Months of Battery Life – Deep Sleep, Wake Triggers, and Measurements Achieving months-long battery life with an ESP32 is absolutely feasibl
When you first hold the Waveshare **ESP32-S3-Touch-LCD-1.47** in your hand, the expectation is often: “I just copy a few PNGs onto it and then the display will show them.” Unfortun
If you're working on IoT projects or wireless technologies, you've surely come across two absolute classics: the Nordic nRF52840 and the Espressif ESP32. Both are powerful SoCs (Sy
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
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.
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.
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.
Welcome to our blog post about Nextcloud installation with Docker Compose! In this post, we'll show you how to easily set up Nextcloud on your server without using a proxy.
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.
The new Meshcore video "MESHCORE BIG CHANGES!!!" announced it: Exciting changes are coming to the network!
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.
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
Apple was long regarded as a pioneer for innovative wearables, health features, and seamless integration. But recently, more voices have criticized Apple for falling behind—the big
In the digital age, technology and health are increasingly merging — and Google is demonstrating with a new feature just how life-saving this can be. The Pixel Watch 3 can detect w
# Simple CO₂ Monitor with Arduino, SCD30, and OLED In this blog post, I will show you how to create a simple yet effective CO₂ monitor using an Arduino, the **Sensirion SCD30 CO₂
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.
Meshtastic excites DIYers and outdoor enthusiasts because it enables communication without cellular reception or Wi-Fi. Using simple LoRa modules, a mesh network is created that ca
I own the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the first Apple Watch with integrated satellite communication. Recently, Garmin introduced the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro – also featuring satellite functionality via Garmin inReach.
Meshtastic: Decentralized Communication Network for Outdoor and More Meshtastic is a fascinating open-source platform that enables the creation of decentralized, encrypted mesh ne
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.
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.
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.
At first glance, one might think that setting up a Home Assistant motion sensor light automation is a piece of cake. Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Although there is now a pr
# 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
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.
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
# Flexible Ansible Playbook for File Operations This Ansible playbook is a flexible tool for **copying**, **overwriting**, or **appending** files and directories. It allows you
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.
Windows does not offer a built-in way to distribute user certificates via Group Policy. Fortunately, this issue can be quickly and efficiently resolved with a PowerShell script. I
You are starting an exciting project: displaying environmental data using the SSD1306 OLED display and an SCD30 air quality sensor. If you have already read the previous post about
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.
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.
This post compares various methods to transmit weather data indoors from a self-built weather station designed for autonomous operation with minimal maintenance, using energy-efficient technologies like solar modules.
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.
## Introduction Some time ago, I discovered the **M5Stack** — for me, one of the most exciting innovations in the microcontroller field. The stackable system is based on an ESP3
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
In network management, regularly retrieving and saving switch configurations is a key task that is often neglected 😉 This PowerShell script automates the process using **Plink*
Zabbix Installation – LTS or Latest Version
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
The **M5StickC Plus2** is an affordable alternative to the Flipper Zero, offering versatile use cases for hackers. Based on the ESP32 chip, it enables control and hacking of IoT de
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.
In this post, I explain how to use a CO₂ sensor – specifically the **Sensirion SCD30** – with an Arduino or an ESP32. This sensor is particularly versatile because it can measure n
Automating email signatures is particularly challenging for small and medium-sized businesses. Often, these companies choose to manage signatures manually, which frequently leads t
Meshtastic promises communication without a network—a concept that excites outdoor enthusiasts, emergency planners, and event organizers alike. Affordable LoRa nodes are supposed t
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
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
Receiving and analyzing satellite data may seem complex at first, but with affordable devices and some technical know-how, you can easily capture telemetry data from satellites. This blog post explains how to get started.
I'm a huge fan of Meshtastic — the possibilities this project offers immediately fascinated me. An off-grid communication system that works without cellular networks or the interne
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.
# Installing and Managing Apache Web Server with Ansible Do you want to install and manage an Apache Web Server on your server? With Ansible, you can do this easily and efficientl
OpenCellID is the world's largest open-source project for collecting and providing mobile cell data, enabling developers and researchers to analyze mobile networks and create innovative applications.
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,
Meshtastic has really picked up speed in recent years. More and more people swear by the small LoRa devices to chat with each other even without cell reception or Wi-Fi. One truly
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.
# Installing .deb Files on Linux via Terminal If you use Linux, you've probably come across **.deb files**. These are installation packages for Debian-based distributions such as
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
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
# Automate Software Installation on Windows with Ansible Have you ever wondered how to efficiently and automatically install software on your Windows machines? With Ansible, you c
Sometimes you just can't avoid it: you have to completely remove the Arduino IDE. Maybe you've experienced it yourself — problems with libraries, boards not being recognized, or si
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
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
Today we dive into the world of Syslog troubleshooting. You may have experienced how frustrating it can be when Syslog data suddenly stops being recorded or forwarded correctly. Do
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).