# How to Choose Between TrueNAS SCALE vs TrueNAS CORE — The Real Network Engineer’s Guide *By Marcus Webb — 8 years enterprise network engineering, 6-year Portland home lab* ## The Short Answer If you are trying to build a smart home gateway using Linux, you are looking at the wrong product category entirely. TrueNAS […]

# 2N IP Solo Review — Six Months on a Portland Proxmox Home Lab *By Marcus Webb — 8 years enterprise network engineering, 6-year Portland home lab* ## The Short Answer The **2N IP Solo** is a solid entry-level video intercom for multi-unit buildings, but it struggles to compete with enterprise-grade alternatives like the **Siedle

# Vilfo Router Review — Six Months on a Portland Proxmox Home Lab *By Marcus Webb — 8 years enterprise network engineering, 6-year Portland home lab* ## The Short Answer The Vilfo Router earns my recommendation for users who prioritize local control and privacy over raw Wi-Fi speed, though it lacks the native Zigbee and

# Netgear CM1200 DOCSIS 3.1 vs Motorola MB8611 — The Portland Cable Modem Showdown *By Marcus Webb — 8 years enterprise network engineering, 6-year Portland home lab* ## The Short Answer In my testing within the Portland basement lab, the **Netgear CM1200 DOCSIS 3.1** takes the win for DIY enthusiasts, offering superior upstream stability and

# Govee Water Sensor vs Yolink Water Sensor: A Home Lab Reality Check ## THE SHORT ANSWER **Buy Govee Water Sensor if:** * You are running Home Assistant with Zigbee2MQTT and need a device that offers a 30-day battery life without frequent replacements, which I found essential during my winter testing when the basement humidity

# Aqara Water Leak Sensor Review: The “Good Enough” Zigbee Sensor for Local-Control Homes ## WHO SHOULD NOT BUY THE AQARA WATER LEAK SENSOR Before you spend your money, let’s address the scenarios where this sensor will actively annoy you or fail to meet your expectations. If you are running a high-frequency MQTT topic publisher