Best NAS for Plex in 2026: Buying Guide for Beginners
Which NAS should you buy for Plex in 2026? We compare Synology models, explain direct play vs. transcoding, and help you choose.
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Self-Hosted Google Photos Alternative 2026: Immich vs. PhotoPrism
Looking for a Google Photos alternative you own? Compare Immich and PhotoPrism, see which fits your NAS, and learn how to get started with each.
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Docker on Synology NAS: A Beginner’s Guide
If your Synology NAS spends its life quietly backing up files and not much else, you’re leaving most of its horsepower on the table. Modern Synology boxes are genuinely capable little servers, and running Docker on Synology NAS hardware is the easiest way to put that unused capacity to work — a password manager, an…
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Pi-hole Raspberry Pi Setup: The Easy Way to Block Ads (2026)
A Pi-hole Raspberry Pi setup is one of the best weekend upgrades you can make to a home network: it blocks ads and trackers on every device you own, all at once, without installing anything on any of them. If you’ve ever installed an ad blocker in Chrome and then opened YouTube on your smart…
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How to Stop Paying for Cloud Storage in 2026: Own Your Data Forever
The average person pays for three cloud storage subscriptions simultaneously. iCloud for their iPhone. Google One for their Android or Gmail. Dropbox or OneDrive for work files. Add them up and you’re looking at $15–30 a month — $180–360 a year — just to store files that are yours on servers you don’t own or…
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Best Smart Plugs for Home Assistant in 2026: Zigbee, Z-Wave, and Wi-Fi Options Compared
Smart plugs are the easiest entry point into home automation. No wiring required, no electrician needed — plug them into any outlet, connect them to Home Assistant, and you can control any device plugged into them with automations, schedules, and voice commands. But not all smart plugs work equally well with Home Assistant. Some require…
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Home Assistant vs SmartThings: Which Smart Home Platform Is Right for You in 2026?
Home Assistant vs SmartThings is one of the first big questions in the beginner smart home space in 2026. Both let you control smart home devices from a single app, create automations, and build a connected home. But they take fundamentally different approaches — and choosing the wrong one means either hitting a wall as…
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How to Set Up Plex on a Synology NAS: The Complete Beginner’s Guide
Plex turns your Synology NAS into a personal Netflix. Every movie, TV show, and home video stored on your NAS becomes available to stream on any device in your home — your TV, phone, tablet, or laptop — with a beautiful interface that automatically pulls in cover art, descriptions, and ratings. The best part: once…
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Zigbee vs Z-Wave: Which Should You Choose for Home Assistant?
If you’re setting up Home Assistant for the first time, Zigbee vs Z-Wave is one of the first big decisions you’ll face — which wireless protocol should power your smart home devices? These are the two most popular options, and the choice you make affects which devices you can buy, how reliable your smart home…
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Best Raspberry Pi for Home Assistant in 2026: Which One Should You Buy?
Home Assistant is the most powerful smart home platform available — but only if it’s running on hardware that can keep up. The wrong Raspberry Pi means slow dashboards, automations that lag, and a frustrating experience that makes you want to give up on the whole thing. This guide tells you exactly which is the best…
