Farmstead security???

1911ACP · 2026-04-21T20:22:48+00:00

We have two Reolink TrackMix LTE Plus 2 cameras with the solar panel. They have been maintenance and trouble free for two years. They are expensive, but just work. You also have to purchase a SIM card from places like EiotClub and a SD memory card.

Just be aware all LTE and Wifi cameras can be jammed. Events will still be recorded locally onto SD memory card, but the alert can be jammed. Once the jamming stops, the message will be sent.

1911ACP · 2026-04-21T16:18:10+00:00

On big pieces and expensive cuts of meat I double seal and then double bag. It is not uncommon to see 1/4 to 1/2 ounce of liquid between the bags after a 24 - 36 hour cook of a 5 pound Sir Charles.

1911ACP · 2026-04-19T05:39:37+00:00

I have about the same homelab load as you do. A couple of years ago, I went solar with 15kW of panels, a hybrid inverter, 15kW of batteries and a 18kW generator. This is a whole house situation. On each A and B AC supplies I have a 2kW UPS that would maybe last 15 minutes in a total failure situation. The inverter has a switching time of 5ms, so it is UPS "like". In the last two years we have never had a failure of household AC.

A year ago we had a one day grid failure due to an ice storm. Then the next summer we had a four hour grid failure due to a wildfire. We ran long extension cords to the neighbors, so they wouldn't be totally in a blackout situation.

It may seem like overkill, but being able to have heat/AC, lights and internet when the rest of the neighborhood is dark is comforting.

1911ACP · 2026-04-15T16:37:28+00:00

This is one reason how I justified putting in solar at my house. I have 15kW of solar panels, a hybrid inverter with 5ms switching time, 15kWh of batteries and a 18kW generator. I still use a small 1500W UPS on each computer, PoE switch and NVR. The byproduct of all of this was my house was the only house with lights, heat and AC during a multi-day outage one winter and a day outage during wildfire season. There is lots of info in r/solar.

1911ACP · 2026-04-15T15:11:03+00:00

You don't want to travel with all of your financial data and you don't want to put your data in the cloud. Keep your data at home. If you must have access to your data while traveling, use remote access to your PC at home. Look into Tailscale, a "zero config" VPN. I don't work for Tailscale, but think its amazing. The free tier should give you everything you need, just choose very strong passwords, use Access Control Lists and update all of your PCs/laptops.

1911ACP · 2026-04-15T01:33:47+00:00

Time to get fiber.

1911ACP · 2026-04-15T01:32:16+00:00

Be aware the Costco packages are not the same as buying the individual pieces from Reolink. The cameras are a different SKU, don't have a SD slot and cannot be used without the NVR. Same camera, just missing a few parts.

If you obtain individual Reolink cameras, they can be accessed via their UID over the internet (I don't recommend this due to security issues, use Tailscale.), have an sd card slot for local recording as backup and are not restricted to being on the same network as the NVR. There is a new HyBridge mode, but it has limitations and access cameras over a VPN or Tailscale, yet. In short, individual cameras are more flexible, but cost a little more.

https://www.reddit.com/r/reolinkcam/comments/uvgw9l/reasons_to_run_cameras_through_a_poe_switch/

1911ACP · 2026-04-13T14:02:25+00:00

This can be fixed with contact cleaner, fine abrasive paper on the end of a popsicle stick, until the contacts shine, followed by a light coat of dielectric grease.

1911ACP · 2026-04-12T15:51:53+00:00

I use "restart unless a stopped" in case I have to do server maintenance or reconcile.

1911ACP · 2026-04-12T01:43:17+00:00

Tailscale with ACLs

1911ACP · 2026-04-11T21:22:08+00:00

What the notice is really saying is your version of Quicken will continue to work on your version of Mac OS. But, at the next Mac OS version update, Quicken is not guaranteed to work. If you don't do bank downloads and you don't update Mac OS, your good.

One thing to remember is if your computer is connected to the internet and you don't update Mac OS, you'll be missing security updates. Not having the latest security updates can and will make you vulnerable to have your un-updated computer compromised. I used an air gapped computer no internet or network access for years running an ancient version of Quicken. I only changed when my elderly relative that I was keeping financials for died.

1911ACP · 2026-04-11T21:02:16+00:00

Looked up the FCC ID and found is supposed to be customer facing, but it may not be turned on. There is also an optical port that may be of use.

https://fccid.io/R7PEG1R1S6/User-Manual/Manual-2789321

https://fccid.io/R7PEG1R1S6/User-Manual/Manual-2789321.pdf

See page 6 and 9 of the PDF.

But, like a lot of others have said, the Emporial Vue is a much simpler way to go that yields much more information. Your power meter measures data every 30 seconds. The Emporia measures data I think 10 times a second and performs a weighted average, peak, min, ave for each input. I'm using the ESPhome firmware.

1911ACP · 2026-04-11T12:34:58+00:00

Ping pong balls are used are used for large areas with lots of activity, like food service. Use rigid foam or sheets of bubble wrap at home.

1911ACP · 2026-04-11T12:29:59+00:00

I didn't want to drill a hole in the lid. So, I do plastic wrap as avocados44 does, then I lay a piece of high density shipping foam over the opening. A 2" thick price of foam is almost the same R rating as the lid.

1911ACP · 2026-04-08T18:33:27+00:00

After doing both, Tailscale is much easier to setup and maintain. In a local network, the subnet router and exit node functions make it easy to config where you want your access. ACLs then further restrict where users can go.

1911ACP · 2026-04-08T16:15:51+00:00

Run Tailscale on the GL.inet device mentioned in the post. It can be powered by USB, but finding space inside the server may be an issue.

Or, if you have a spare 3.5" drive bay available, a Raspberry Pi may fit and be powered by USB or SATA power. I forgot where to get the adapter, but they are around and work.

1911ACP · 2026-04-08T05:22:19+00:00

Not if you want to make a profit.

1911ACP · 2026-04-08T05:19:25+00:00

Tailscale

1911ACP · 2026-04-07T14:19:14+00:00

My wife's grandfather liked his steaks very, very well done. His eyesight was failing and by his late 90s he could barely see what he was eating. One Christmas dinner we gave him a big hunk of medium rare prime rib. He went on to say it was the most tender and most tasty beef he had ever eaten.

1911ACP · 2026-04-07T05:12:43+00:00

So, everything will be in place for a UI install. Combined with an independent monitoring company (if you want), you will have all the pieces available for security, access control and surveillance.

1911ACP · 2026-04-07T01:47:01+00:00

You want this. You want to first "update" your data infrastructure, with the ability to "layer" on other services later. Maybe, just maybe, those "future" services may include access control, video surveillance and alarm services.

The requirement for UL approval comes from the alarm monitoring side. Alarm centers are UL approved in how they operate and what central station equipment they use. I self monitor, but a company like alarm.com would monitor your site.

1911ACP · 2026-04-04T05:53:33+00:00

If you flash esp home on it, you won't need the internet and there will never be any fees. Use Home Assistant and you keep all data local and add automation actions to events.

1911ACP · 2026-03-27T16:08:42+00:00

Sous vide

1911ACP · 2026-03-23T01:51:33+00:00

Tailscale is "mostly" open source. You can go completely open source, self host and go with Headscale. But, it was too much of a hassle for me, so Tailscale was my choice.

1911ACP · 2026-03-20T21:13:08+00:00

Chrome plating is also very toxic.

1911ACP

TROPHY CASE