How to Install and Automate Referrer Spam Protection on an NGINX Server via the CLI Introduction Referrer spam is a common nuisance that can pollute your web analytics and clog up your server logs. In this tutorial, I’ll demonstrate how to block referrer spam on your NGINX server by leveraging a community-maintained referrer spam list… Continue reading How to Install and Automate Referrer Spam Protection on an NGINX Server via the CLI
Category: Technology Tips
How to Configure Redis for WordPress Object Caching via Unix Socket on Debian 12
How to Configure Redis for WordPress Object Caching via Unix Socket on Debian 12 IntroductionRedis is a powerful in-memory key-value store that can significantly improve the performance of WordPress by acting as an object cache. By default, Redis communicates over TCP, but using a Unix socket instead can provide better performance and security by reducing… Continue reading How to Configure Redis for WordPress Object Caching via Unix Socket on Debian 12
How to Configure Sendmail to Relay Through Gmail on Debian 12 (Bookworm)
How to Configure Sendmail to Relay Through Gmail on Debian 12 (Bookworm) Introduction If you need to configure Sendmail to relay emails through Gmail on Debian 12 (Bookworm), you must adjust your configuration to align with Google’s updated security policies. Since Google has deprecated “Less Secure Apps” authentication, traditional methods no longer work. Instead, you… Continue reading How to Configure Sendmail to Relay Through Gmail on Debian 12 (Bookworm)
Building a TrueNAS Homelab NAS: Part 1 – Planning & Sourcing in a Shortage Market
Building a TrueNAS Homelab NAS: Part 1 – Planning & Sourcing in a Shortage Market Introduction Building a powerful TrueNAS SCALE-based homelab NAS has been an interesting challenge, especially given the current hardware shortages and high prices of key components like ECC-supported motherboards and Intel processors. This blog post documents the planning and sourcing process… Continue reading Building a TrueNAS Homelab NAS: Part 1 – Planning & Sourcing in a Shortage Market
Fixing Nginx Downgrade Issues After Upgrading from Debian 11 (Bullseye) to Debian 12 (Bookworm) on a GCP Cloud VM
Fixing Nginx Downgrade Issues After Upgrading from Debian 11 (Bullseye) to Debian 12 (Bookworm) on a GCP Cloud VM When upgrading from Debian 11 (Bullseye) to Debian 12 (Bookworm) on a Google Cloud Platform (GCP) VM, I encountered a frustrating issue: after installing the latest Nginx version from the official Nginx repository, running apt update… Continue reading Fixing Nginx Downgrade Issues After Upgrading from Debian 11 (Bullseye) to Debian 12 (Bookworm) on a GCP Cloud VM
Custom PC Build: A High-Performance Workstation for AI, Stable Diffusion, and Gaming
Building My Power-User Workstation: A Custom PC for AI, Image Generation, and Gaming For years, I’ve built and upgraded computers to match my evolving needs, but this time, I wanted something special—a machine that could handle intensive workloads while staying within a reasonable budget. My goal was to create a powerful yet cost-effective workstation, optimized… Continue reading Custom PC Build: A High-Performance Workstation for AI, Stable Diffusion, and Gaming
Temporary and Permanent Redirects with NGINX
In the world of web servers, Nginx is a rockstar. It’s fast, reliable, and versatile. But like any rockstar, it has its quirks. One of those quirks is the way it handles redirects. But don’t worry, I’m here to guide you through NGINX redirects. The Basics: What is a Redirect? Before we dive in, let’s… Continue reading Temporary and Permanent Redirects with NGINX
Changing File Creation & Modification Dates with Powershell in Windows (Updated 2025)
Changing File Creation and Modification Dates in Linux, macOS, and Windows (Updated 2025) Introduction There are times when you need to modify file timestamps—whether for organization, file restoration, or digital forensics. While file creation dates are difficult to change natively in some operating systems, modification and access dates can be easily adjusted using built-in tools.… Continue reading Changing File Creation & Modification Dates with Powershell in Windows (Updated 2025)
How to Configure Sendmail to Relay Through Gmail on Debian Linux 10 (Updated for 2024)
How to Configure Sendmail to Relay Through Gmail on Debian Linux 10 (Updated for 2024) Important Notice: Debian 10 (Buster) Has Reached End of Life As of June 30, 2024, Debian 10 (Buster) is no longer supported with Long-Term Security Updates. Using an unsupported operating system may expose your server to security vulnerabilities and compatibility… Continue reading How to Configure Sendmail to Relay Through Gmail on Debian Linux 10 (Updated for 2024)