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Latest Posts

21
Apr
Cyberpunk digital lab, with a holograph device shooting the words "Latest from CORE LAB" above a table on the left side, on the right a powerful workstation PC sits.

Updates from the Lab

It's been a hot minute (2 weeks+) since I've sent an update out! A late-winter cold
5 min read
20
Apr
Infographic comparing traditional media downloading vs Decypharr, highlighting instant cached playback, no downloads, and reduced storage requirements.

Decypharr Setup Guide: Replace Downloads with Instant Debrid Streaming (2026)

Hardware isn't getting cheaper in 2026, and that includes bulk storage. This is one way to deal with
20 min read
18
Apr
Comic-style illustration of Synology, QNAP, and UGREEN NAS units side by side, highlighting storage vs computing differences.

NAS vs Server: What’s the Difference? (2026 Guide for Homelabs)

NAS vs server isn’t just semantics - it’s the difference between smooth performance and constant frustration. Learn when to use each and how to build the perfect homelab in 2026.
18 min read
07
Apr
A high-tech digital interface performs a surgical, laser-guided scan on a grid of server data blocks, illustrating the cleanup of orphaned images in Ghost CMS.

How to Safely Delete Unused Images in Ghost CMS: The Surgical Guide

🖖These instructions & information are provided without warranty, guarantee of any kind, or support, and used completely at your own
13 min read
07
Apr
KDiskMark benchmark comparison on Linux showing Samsung 990 EVO Plus vs Sabrent Rocket 4.0 NVMe SSDs.

The Hybrid Gen 5 Experiment: High-Speed Linux Storage Without the Gen 5 Heat

Can a "Hybrid" SSD outperform the flagship Gen 5 screamers? I test the Samsung 990 EVO Plus on CachyOS to see how it handles BTRFS, thermals, and 2.5GbE NAS transfers in my newest workstation.
5 min read
31
Mar
Diagram of an automated Sonarr and Radarr hunting stack using Prowlarr, Profilarr, and Decluttarr on a Docker network.

Advanced Sonarr & Radarr Guide: Implementing the "Native Hunting" Protocol

Stop settling for "good enough" media quality. Learn how to use Profilarr and Decluttarr to build a secure, self-healing, "Always Hunting" Sonarr and Radarr stack without third-party scripts.
9 min read
24
Mar
Header image showing a futuristic hacker lab with many glowing green & blue lights with the caption "Latest from CORE LAB".

Latest from Core Lab

The paywall is down! OPNsense day 2 guide now open to everyone. Today I’m excited to open up one
6 min read
24
Mar
Cyberpunk illustration of OPNsense with Suricata, featuring a vigilant meerkat guarding glowing data streams and detecting threats in real time.

OPNsense IDS/IPS in 26.4+: Suricata, Inline vs Divert Mode

Learn how to configure Suricata IDS/IPS in OPNsense 26.4+. Compare Inline vs Divert mode, optimize performance, and secure your self-hosted services.
6 min read
24
Mar
A macro shot in a dark server room shows an Ethernet cable plugged into a NIC, featuring a "Digital Fortress" maintenance log overlay with an OPNsense upgrade progress bar at 88% complete.

Upgrading to OPNsense 26.1

The jump to OPNsense 26.1 changes how DHCP and DNS interact. Learn how to navigate Kea migration, fix subnet mask mismatches, and resolve Android Wi-Fi errors.
6 min read
17
Mar
A three-part composite showing an old Dell PC, a modern white cube server, and a professional rack-mounted server with glowing green lights on a wooden desk against a bookshelf.

Best Plex Server Hardware (2026): Budget Builds to Enterprise NAS Guide

Building a Plex server in 2026? Learn how to choose the best hardware for 4K transcoding, from scavenged Intel QuickSync builds to high-end enterprise ZFS rigs.
21 min read