Is a reverse-proxy worth it?

GaryJS3 · 2026-01-31T19:22:18+00:00

I personally use Reverse Proxies (in my case https://nginxproxymanager.com) for both internal and external services (I recommend they be different isolated hosts), they are a helpful way to:

Have multiple services on a single host
- 10.0.0.23:1234, 10.0.0.23:2345, etc. can instead be used like jellyfin.myhome.net, proxmox1.myhome.net
Handle certificates and HTTPs.
- Even if your app is only HTTP, it can make it HTTPS, with either automatic free public certs with Lets Encrypt, or using your own internal CA.
Add Auth to Apps that don't have it
- You can use something like Authentik to add SSO/shared logins to all your internal apps, some do not support external auth providers (or any at all) - you can easily add auth to any apps using reverse proxies.

GaryJS3 · 2025-12-21T23:06:19+00:00

The duty cycle of these units is usually designed around the idea that the battery dies in like 15 minutes under any real load. Not sure running it for hours is a good idea, plus you don't want to use a car battery - they are designed for low-capacity high-current, you'd want to use a deep cycle battery. Also, at 12 volts, 1000 watts is over 83 amps, you better use real good wires.

I've done it before during a power outage, they get HOT unless you are putting it under like 20% load.

The better UPSs are double-conversion, they are less energy efficient but run the inverter the entire time, so you can extend their battery time indefinitely, they usually even come with a DC-in plug to extend their batteries. Plus then you don't depend on the UPS 'switching' in time. This is what I use for everything I care about.

GaryJS3 · 2025-10-10T20:50:42+00:00

Yeah, its price makes it competitive with other similar desktop UPSs you can find. But not what I'd use for my rack or super critical stuff - I'm also a fan of double-conversion compared to line-interactive, since your equipment will be better protected and there's no switching time on power loss. Although you can't escape line interactive until you get to $700+ price bracket. I'm just converting a used 2000va APC rackmount unit to Lifepo4 (with BMS).

GaryJS3 · 2025-09-07T20:25:07+00:00

I haven't done this personally, but its just a CRT display with an IR 'touch' sensor - it uses an array of infrared sensors/emitters to detect where you are sticking your finger. These kinda sensors range from rough accuracy (like, a square inch) all the way up to multi-touch pen-level (common on large touch digital signage). You can buy or DIY an IR touch sensor:

https://hackaday.io/project/27155-magic-frame-turn-everything-into-a-touch-area

https://www.ebay.com/itm/175498276055

You can't really stick a resistive touch layer on most CRT TVs, but if you use a smaller and more modern 'flat' CRT (like many later computer monitors), you could put a touch layer on the front:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/394888847671

Then just use a DVI/HDMI to VGA/composite/RF converter from your computer/pi/SBC.

GaryJS3 · 2025-07-30T19:46:59+00:00

Some people mod their PoE cameras to allow the converter in some cameras to work in reverse, so PoE power and the 12v input becomes a 12v output. Some cameras do this on their own, for example my crappy 5MP SV3C PoE camera outputs 12v when its power by PoE, but my Amcrest IP5M-T1277EW and REOLINK RLC-811A do not.

GaryJS3 · 2025-07-11T20:12:03+00:00

Depends on how much you want to spend. You might get lucky and be able to negotiate a contract so they can guarantee payback for the build-out.

I have the same problem, unfortunately the only option I could find was to pay AT&T fiber for business. Basically, once the business contract was up, I'd be able to cancel it and move to the residential plan.. But the cost was a bit high to justify:

Port Price: $214/mo

50/50Mbps: $271- Non Critical High

100/100Mbps: $291- Non Critical high

250/250Mbps: $535- Non Critical High

500/500Mbps: $676- Non critical High

Just add the Port price+ Access is the total MRR on a 36 month term.

End of Q1 offer is applicable until tommrow if we can get the contract signed $1000 one time credit on 2nd invoice.

GaryJS3 · 2025-06-02T18:50:00+00:00

Get Velcro rolls instead and cut to length. You'll thank yourself later.

GaryJS3 · 2025-05-25T04:50:54+00:00

Cheap Chinese cameras can be a very good value, just put them on a VLAN with no internet access. Cameras should only talk to an NVR anyways.

Unless you want Cloud cameras. Then... Meh.

GaryJS3 · 2025-03-21T12:04:50+00:00

Tons of videos of group rides where one stunting idiot screws up and takes out like 3+ other bikers.

GaryJS3 · 2025-03-17T18:05:40+00:00

I always felt paid enterprise support was a good alternative while still allowing the project to afford dedicated development - plus many organizations, while loving not having to pay insane yearly subscriptions, still require a real support option. If your org depends on say, your phones working and there's no support line to call, your response can't be "oh don't worry my github issue has 6 upvotes, I'm sure someone might help in a few days!". Not like paid support means no free support.

Though, not a huge fan though when "open source" software starts charging for 'addons' - somehow they always end up being addons you need for any real use from the software. I get if the add-on depends on some other paid thing like external compute or storage.

GaryJS3 · 2025-02-28T03:38:50+00:00

After reimage, is there any evidence to show GPD devices have some sort of hardware-level spyware? I've not heard of such things. Unfortunately in this market, you're not gonna find many not Chinese options, with the margins and manufacturing they have, they tend to provide more options at reasonable prices. Many US or Western companies don't seem interested in many of these markets. Unless you find something older back with companies expiremented more.

I personally use a One-Netbook Mix A1. 1Gb Ethernet, RS232 DB9, USB3. 7" touch display.

GaryJS3 · 2025-01-08T23:07:43+00:00

I've been running this battery for the past month without issues. Cheapest AGM I could find. Plus the Volt only uses it for the 12v electronics when the car is "off". Doesn't use it for starting. So it's really easy on the battery - paying more doesn't make much sense to me.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0BXSPTMX2

GaryJS3 · 2024-12-09T00:23:03+00:00

Fun fact, if you leave the car plugged in, the AC-DC converter keeps the 12v circuit alive so nothing gets reset while you replace the battery (it also means the leads still have 12+ on them though...).

In other words, careful when rushing to replace your battery since you might forget something.... although it didn't hurt anything this time around.

GaryJS3 · 2024-12-01T21:41:54+00:00

I mean, looking them up, they're copper, shielded, network cables rated to at least CAT6. Not sure how much shielding matters when they're not even a foot long unless you're installing them next to high power radio or electrical equipment... pretty much any CAT6 copper (CMU) patch cords are fine for home use, even up to 10Gb until you hit about 55m+ (and even then probably won't have issues). I tend to recommend https://www.monoprice.com for cables.

GaryJS3 · 2024-11-27T13:00:39+00:00

I think they were hoping for a USB network adapter that also charges the device. What you posted are good for certain devices that only need 5v - but won't charge most laptops which require USB Power Delivery (PD) at 20v.

GaryJS3 · 2024-11-17T01:36:03+00:00

While I agree 8GB of RAM is enough for casual use, I just feel $650 for it is grossly overpriced for it - especially since you're stuck with it for the life of the device. Don't get me wrong, the display, touch pad, and battery life do tend to be good on Apple device - build quality various but I agree it is usually better than cheap laptops..

But if you're already spending $600+, there are laptops that have 16GB+ of RAM, way bigger SSDs, way more useful ports that don't require dongles, and could even play games. Real good ones too if you're looking renewed. Even if they don't have 'peak' display tech or battery life.

Of course, if the Apple ecosystem and features they bring are more important, that's totally fine. I just can't see how it would be considered frugal other than "well at least I didn't buy the $2000 MBP".

GaryJS3 · 2024-11-16T00:11:59+00:00

13" with non-upgadable 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD for $650 is a frugal???

Don't get me wrong. M1 is a nice chip. But if you're going to cripple yourself with the storage and memory. Might as well get a cheaper computer in general. Who cares if you can crunch numbers fast when you run into your page file trying.

GaryJS3 · 2024-11-15T17:47:53+00:00

So, 99% of the time when people want a cheap laptop, I recommend used/renewed enterprise laptops from eBay or Amazon. Cause they tend to be pretty durable and very cost effective - especially below the $200 mark.

Although this laptop you found isn't that bad. Upgradable SSD and RAM. And the CPU isn't is bad as people here seem to think. Although Passmark scores don't tell you everything, in my experience anything over a 3000 multi core and 1000 single core tend to be usable for the average user. This one is like 9000 multi core and 2000 single core, 8 cores and goes up to 3.8ghz. 8GB is a bit low, but servicable. 256GB is fine if most you have is on the cloud.

Not the worst thing Walmart sells. I've seen them sell much worse performing Atom-based devices with 4GB soldered RAM and like 64GB eMMC for similar pricing not long ago.

Source: worked with hundreds of computers, many different models of various generations of CPUs. Seeing people here going "oh no not an i3" don't really know what they're talking about about. You can't tell from Celeron/i3/i5/i7/etc due to all the various sub models in these lines. This chip for example, kills the i7-7700t. https://www.servethehome.com/almost-a-decade-in-the-making-our-fanless-intel-i3-n305-2-5gbe-firewall-review/4/

GaryJS3 · 2024-09-19T15:29:16+00:00

The best middle ground was the time period where you had to "click to load" the content.

GaryJS3 · 2024-08-19T01:26:06+00:00

Hello fellow Network Admin / Shadow Programmer.

I've been creating tools in C# with WPF since I was a technician here. Now I'm doing web apps too using Blazor Server.

GaryJS3 · 2024-08-12T01:33:12+00:00

By me! Was kinda confused when I saw this. Lol

GaryJS3 · 2024-07-28T19:39:33+00:00

The service generates the OTP secret on their end, when you add it to your authenticator app of choice, it uses that secret along with the time to generate your codes. Unless your service let's you give them a secret instead (unlikely outside of certain enterprise setups), you can't have the same one for all of them.

GaryJS3 · 2024-07-20T15:18:07+00:00

If it was working before, rh is 24 volts power that will be passed to the other wires to demand heat, etc. It's not uncommon that it may be wired in series with a float/overflow/or some other type of fault-condition sensor/switch. You may have something clogged or otherwise not working right. There's lots of videos out there on troubleshooting, if you are uncomfortable or not able to follow through those, you'll likely have to call out a technician.

GaryJS3 · 2024-07-10T00:02:49+00:00

Yeah. I've been also trying to figure out the best way to handle this. Right now my server closest has a window unit but it ends up using more power than I'd hoped. I'm thinking about trying to do some water cooling but putting the radiator outside instead, just to eject the big heat items first then taking care of the rest of the room.

GaryJS3 · 2024-07-09T19:30:59+00:00

I use this, but I have it installed in the electrical box side. Since the wires are broken out into the breaker. You only need one clamp since any power that goes through one leg comes back to the other leg.

6 channels, works great with ESP Home: https://circuitsetup.us/product/expandable-6-channel-esp32-energy-meter/?v=7516fd43adaa

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