https://toastyworks.com/blog Tech tips, gaming tips, home server guides and more from ToastyWorks, Keene, NH. en-us Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-or-custom-site https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-or-custom-site Sun, 25 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business Both can be the right answer. The trick is knowing which problems you are actually trying to solve before you pick a platform. https://toastyworks.com/blog/first-home-server-hardware https://toastyworks.com/blog/first-home-server-hardware Sun, 18 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers You do not need a rack or a jet-engine fan to start self-hosting. Here is how to pick hardware that is quiet, efficient and big enough. https://toastyworks.com/blog/local-first-smart-home https://toastyworks.com/blog/local-first-smart-home Sun, 11 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Smart Home If your lights stop working when the internet drops, your smart home is really someone else's smart home. Here is how to fix that. https://toastyworks.com/blog/fixing-wifi-dead-zones https://toastyworks.com/blog/fixing-wifi-dead-zones Sun, 04 Oct 2026 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services Before you buy another gadget, figure out why the signal is weak. The right fix depends on your walls, your wiring and your router's location. https://toastyworks.com/blog/3-2-1-backup-rule https://toastyworks.com/blog/3-2-1-backup-rule Sun, 27 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Security & Privacy Three copies, two kinds of storage, one somewhere else. It is the simplest rule in IT, and the one most people skip until it is too late. https://toastyworks.com/blog/3d-printing-tolerances https://toastyworks.com/blog/3d-printing-tolerances Sun, 20 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000 3D Printing The part looked perfect in the model and would not go together in real life. 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Here is how the three major options actually compare. https://toastyworks.com/blog/budget-gaming-pc-2026 https://toastyworks.com/blog/budget-gaming-pc-2026 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Custom PC Builds & Repair Where to actually spend on a tight budget, and where corners can be cut without real regret. https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-speed-audit-checklist https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-speed-audit-checklist Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business Before touching code, this is the exact order we check a slow Shopify store, fastest wins first. https://toastyworks.com/blog/console-modding-101-legal-safe https://toastyworks.com/blog/console-modding-101-legal-safe Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Console Modding & Repair A clear-eyed look at what console modding actually covers, and where the real legal lines sit. https://toastyworks.com/blog/3d-printing-settings-that-matter https://toastyworks.com/blog/3d-printing-settings-that-matter Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 3D Printing Slicer software has dozens of settings. Here is which ones genuinely affect your prints, and which are mostly noise. https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-network-security-basics https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-network-security-basics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Security & Privacy The handful of network security steps that genuinely matter, without needing to become a security expert. https://toastyworks.com/blog/buying-used-tech-checklist https://toastyworks.com/blog/buying-used-tech-checklist Sat, 22 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services What to actually check before handing over money for a used PC, laptop, console or GPU. https://toastyworks.com/blog/wifi-router-tips-gaming-lag https://toastyworks.com/blog/wifi-router-tips-gaming-lag Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services Most gaming lag complaints trace back to a handful of fixable network issues, not your internet plan. https://toastyworks.com/blog/retro-gaming-preservation https://toastyworks.com/blog/retro-gaming-preservation Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Console Modding & Repair Cartridges, discs and the consoles that read them are all aging. Here is what actually threatens a collection, and what helps. https://toastyworks.com/blog/speed-up-aging-gaming-pc https://toastyworks.com/blog/speed-up-aging-gaming-pc Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Custom PC Builds & Repair Real, free and cheap wins for a PC that used to run fine and now feels sluggish, before you reach for the credit card. https://toastyworks.com/blog/everyday-tech-tips https://toastyworks.com/blog/everyday-tech-tips Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services Small habits that quietly save you from the most common tech disasters, none of them require being an expert. https://toastyworks.com/blog/beginner-home-server-guide https://toastyworks.com/blog/beginner-home-server-guide Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers Everything you need to pick hardware, pick an OS and run your first always-on box without burning it down. https://toastyworks.com/blog/build-your-first-nas https://toastyworks.com/blog/build-your-first-nas Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers A practical walkthrough of choosing drives, picking a RAID level and setting up TrueNAS from scratch. https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-assistant-tips https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-assistant-tips Sun, 18 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Smart Home Ten habits that keep your Home Assistant install fast, reliable and easy to debug. https://toastyworks.com/blog/docker-basics https://toastyworks.com/blog/docker-basics Fri, 02 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers Containers explained without the jargon, plus a first compose file you can actually run. https://toastyworks.com/blog/linux-tutorials https://toastyworks.com/blog/linux-tutorials Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services The handful of Linux commands and concepts that cover 90% of day-to-day administration. https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-tutorials https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-tutorials Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business Custom sections, theme tweaks and speed wins for store owners who want to go past the defaults. https://toastyworks.com/blog/ai-guides https://toastyworks.com/blog/ai-guides Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business How to wire LLMs into real workflows without handing over your whole business to a black box. https://toastyworks.com/blog/networking-guides https://toastyworks.com/blog/networking-guides Fri, 14 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services Subnets, VLANs and WiFi planning explained for people who would rather not read a textbook. https://toastyworks.com/blog/smart-home-ideas https://toastyworks.com/blog/smart-home-ideas Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Smart Home A dozen automations worth building first, and the sensors that make them reliable. https://toastyworks.com/blog/product-reviews https://toastyworks.com/blog/product-reviews Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 3D Printing Honest takes on the printers, filaments and smart home gear we actually use day to day.