Mosquitto is the MQTT broker most people run when they have Home Assistant. HASS.Agent is a Windows app that turns your PC into a sensor node for Home Assistant — via MQTT….
Category: Self-Hosting
My MS-01 Kept Kernel Panicking. Here’s What Finally Worked.
The Setup I’ve been running a Minisforum MS-01 as my homelab for the better part of two years. It’s a solid little box — Intel i9-12900H, 64GB RAM, Proxmox underneath, handling a…
When Car Companies Break Your Smart Home Setup
Volkswagen pushed an authentication update in early 2026 that broke the homeassistant-volkswagencarnet integration. Your car still works fine in the official VW app — but Home Assistant is locked out. No warning,…
The Power of Containers: Getting Started with Docker for Home Lab Projects and Isolated Applications
If you’ve ever found yourself struggling to install specific software, wrestling with conflicting dependencies, or wanting to try out new services without cluttering your main computer, containers are a technology worth understanding….
Your Notes, Your Rules: Taking Back Control with Self-Hosted Alternatives
Ever felt that low-level hum of anxiety when your favorite note-taking app changes its pricing, revamps its interface, or worse, hints at discontinuing a feature you rely on? For many of us…