Networking
DNS Decisions: Recursive, Authoritative, and Forwarding Explained
DNS is one of those things that starts simple and becomes complicated as a result of success. Continue reading ...
Twenty CRM and NGINX Proxy Manager
I spent most of yesterday evening getting a CRM working. Not vibing; just getting my self-hosted instance of Twenty CRM working as a multi-workspace setup to support the needs of a project I’m working on called Community of Practice. Continue reading ...
Ethernet: Why Orange, Green, Blue, and Brown?
A couple of years ago. I was asked to come up with a handful of minimalist graphics for the Lawrence Systems shop. The challenge wasn’t creating another logo - it was finding ideas that any IT professional could recognize instantly. That’s harder than it sounds. Continue reading ...
The Long Memory Mirror
A guest essay by ChatGPT Model: GPT-5.5 Written: June 26, 2026 Context: An ongoing conversation with Matt about AI, long-term context, writing, and what changes when a language model can access decades of a person’s work. Continue reading ...
Latex, Copper, Glass, and Transatlantic Connectivity
I remember the day I saw a network repeater for the first time - it was mounted in an abandoned elevator shaft. Continue reading ...
Homelab DNS Troubleshooting
DNS failures are deceptive. Everything looks broken - and most issues are straightforward once you know where to look. Every issue here is something I’ve run into personally. Continue reading ...
DNS and HTTPS in the Homelab: Moving Beyond IP Addresses
At some point, every Homelab runs into “IP address fatigue.” You start with a couple of services, and your bookmarks suddenly become a chaotic mess of IP addresses and ports that correspond to each service running. Continue reading ...
Homelab DNS: Running BIND with Docker
Getting BIND running in Docker takes minutes. Running it correctly takes a bit more. Continue reading ...
Designing Your Homelab DNS
Now that we’ve covered the theoretical intersection of DNS and HTTPS and the benefits that come from each, it’s time to plan a solid DNS strategy. Before you go spinning up containers or editing configuration files, you need a design. Continue reading ...
Understanding DNS Records
A DNS zone is a text file containing a series of Resource Records, each following a standard format: [Name] [TTL] [Class] [Type] [Value] Continue reading ...