New networks
Wired and wireless networks set up from scratch, with PoE where devices need power and data on one cable.
01 Networking & servers · Devon, UK
A network you don’t have to think about.
Networks set up or sorted out, servers specified and supplied to fit the job and the budget, and the services you rely on running on your own hardware in Docker, rather than rented from the cloud.
02 How it works
Everything else depends on the network. Patchy Wi-Fi, switches nobody remembers installing, devices nobody can identify: I find out what’s there, then sort out what you have or set up something new.
When a job needs a server, I specify one that fits the work and the budget, supply it and set it up. Services run in Docker, so each one is tidy, easy to update and easy to move to new hardware later.
Running services on your own hardware means fewer subscriptions, your data stays on site, and things keep working when the internet doesn’t.
03 What I build
Solid foundations, clearly documented.
Existing networks sorted
Untangled, documented and made dependable, keeping whatever’s worth keeping.
Ad & tracker filtering
Filtering at the network level, so every device on it is covered without installing anything.
Servers
Specified and supplied to fit the job and the budget, from a single-board computer to a full server.
Docker & self-hosting
Services run in Docker on your own hardware, rather than rented from the cloud.
Documentation
A clear record of what’s installed, where it is and how it’s set up, handed over at the end.
04 Built already
Real systems, running every day.
Anonymised, but all real.
Home · Control server
Whole-home control server
A custom dashboard running the house: lighting and heating, TV and media control, a voice assistant that works fully offline, and network-level ad and tracker filtering for every device.
- Linux server
- Docker
- Custom web UI
- Offline voice control
Workshop · Monitoring
Machine tracking for a workshop
PoE cameras and a custom web server showing which machines are in use and for how long, without touching the machines’ own electronics.
- PoE cameras
- Custom web server
- Live dashboard
05 Questions
Fair questions, straight answers.
Can you fix my existing network rather than replace it?
Often, yes. Sorting out what’s already there is usually the most affordable option, and if something does need replacing, I’ll tell you why.
Do I need a server?
Not always. If something off the shelf does the job, I’ll say so. When a server does make sense, I’ll specify one that fits the work and the budget.
What is Docker, and why use it?
Docker packages each service with everything it needs, so it’s easy to update, back up or move to new hardware without starting again.
How much does it cost?
You get a written scope and a clear price before anything is built, and I’ll always include the most affordable option that does the job.
06 Other services
Whatever else the job needs.
- 01
Control & automation systems
Central servers and controllers that tie lighting, heating, media, sensors and third-party kit together into one system, and keep working when the internet doesn’t.
- 02
Custom hardware nodes
Microcontroller-based relays, dimmers, sensors and PoE cameras, designed around your installation.
- 03
Monitoring & dashboards
Live views of what’s running, what’s idle and what’s wrong, on a wall screen, a laptop or a phone.
- 04
Bespoke software & web
Web servers, integrations, internal tools and websites, written to fit how you work.
Got something that needs building?
Tell me what you’re trying to do. I’ll reply with honest next steps. No pitch, no obligation.