Latest Posts

17
Mar
Conceptual network command center. Left display: OPNsense 1.5Gbps throughput and low latency. Right display: AdGuard Home stats and active IDS/IPS shield for threat detection.

Advanced OPNsense Networking: Cloudflare Bypass, DNS/NTP Hijacking & SQM

Learn advanced OPNsense routing techniques including Cloudflare proxy bypass, DNS/NTP interception, and SQM bufferbloat fixes for high-performance homelab networks.
13 min read
08
Mar
Futuristic cyberpunk tower server with side panel removed, revealing a glowing quantum-style CPU core on the motherboard and a bright display reading “Updates Applied.”

Core Lab Q1 Update: Homelab SIEM, CG-NAT Bypassing & Modernization!

Core Lab Q1 update: new homelab SIEM stack, CG-NAT Plex bypass, networking guide overhaul, hardware updates, and upcoming firewall & NAS build guides.
4 min read
03
Mar
Grafana dashboard showing a global threat map of cyberattacks and a top 5 attackers bar gauge parsed from OPNsense firewall and NGINX Docker logs.

Building a Homelab Mini-SIEM with Grafana, Loki, and Promtail

Stop guessing and start visualizing. Turn siloed OPNsense and NGINX logs into a real-time threat map with the lightweight GLP stack. Includes GeoIP and Discord alerts.
12 min read
26
Feb
Cyberpunk illustration of a home Plex server securely tunneling to a cloud VPS, bypassing ISP CG-NAT with an encrypted connection.

How to Access Plex and Jellyfin Behind CGNAT: A 2026 Guide

Stop Plex Relay throttling! Learn how to bypass CG-NAT using a VPS relay with WireGuard or Headscale (Tailscale). Secure, full-bitrate remote access without port forwarding.
19 min read
20
Feb
Screenshot of the Jellywatch website showing their icon/mascot (A cartoonish single eyed purple jellyfish!) & brief introduction.

JellyWatch Review: The Ultimate Jellyfin Admin Dashboard for Android

Always wanted a mobile native app to manage Jellyfin? Discover JellyWatch - an Android app with "Arr" integration, real-time stats, and a killer "Watch Pass" feature.
12 min read
16
Feb
Screenshot of the Seerr dashboard after a successful migration from Overseerr or Jellyseerr, showing the 'Discover' page with movies and TV shows.

Hello Seerr: A Guide to Migrating from Overseerr & Jellyseerr

If you run a home media server, you likely rely on Overseerr or its Jellyfin-focused fork, Jellyseerr, to handle request
5 min read
12
Feb
Cyberpunk-themed hacker graphic with neon high-contrast visuals representing secure, encrypted media streaming and advanced digital privacy techniques.

Updates from Core Lab!

You've almost made it through the week, Happy Thirsty Thursday. Let's get you ready for some
6 min read
12
Feb
Smartphone screen showing an Instagram "Incorrect Password" error, while a background monitor displays a "Login from Moscow, Russia" security alert on a world map.

Part 3: The Domino Effect - What To Do When Your Email & Socials Get Hacked

One link. That’s all it took to lose Facebook and Gmail. Don't waste time on standard 'Forgot Password' loops. Use this NIST-based 'Kill Chain' to kick attackers out, find hidden backdoors, and stop the domino effect before it destroys your digital life.
6 min read
12
Feb
A smartphone screen displaying an Unregistered SIM error message next to a ticking clock, symbolizing a Canadian SIM swapping attack in progress.

Part 2: The 8-Minute Nightmare - What To Do When You Are Sim Swapped in Canada

At 5:45 PM, the spam calls started. By 6:00 PM, the phone was dead and the bank accounts breached. If you see 'No Service,' you have minutes to act. Here is the definitive Canadian battle plan to stop a SIM Swap, lock down your credit, and stop the bleeding.
8 min read
12
Feb
A conceptual digital illustration showing a leaking data pipeline flowing into a dark web marketplace, representing Canadian identity theft and corporate data breaches.

Part 1: The Data Pipeline - Where Your Identity Leaks

Stop thinking of identity theft as a "hack." Learn how corporate negligence and data aggregation fuel the Canadian black market, and why your info is at risk.
5 min read