Folks,

Wishing you a Merry Christmas!

I was putting together a list of ‘What I Use’ tech things for the fun of it, and decided with the help of ChatGPT to organize it and clean it up for future employees.

Then I thought it would be fun to publish it here. So it is quite a bit, but I am hoping for a bit of discussion, and just in case others might want to do the same. To give you background, I live on 19 acres in California in the Sierra Nevada Foothills called ‘The Divide’, waking up in the middle of a forest each day with about 5 acres of its usable land for people things, the rest is great for nature walks.

I decided, about 4 months ago, to move my office out of my cramped ADU[Adult Dwelling Unit] to a 256 square feet unoccupied out building. It now houses my Linux PCs, a single 32″ Monitor, and two printers. I have those items on a network via a Deco mesh system. Oh, how do I love it, as I now have room. I still have my Windows 11 PC on two monitors in my ADU.

I hope this is fun for all!

What I Use — December 2025

(Hardware, networking, and recording tools that actually work)

I publish a “what I use” list from time to time. This is a practical, reliability-first setup, tuned for rural connectivity, quiet recording, and systems that don’t fight me.

Items marked with *** are planned / future additions, not yet deployed.

?️ Core Computing

• Primary Desktop (Windows 11)
• High-performance desktop with ample RAM and a 2 TB SSD. Excellent for heavy workloads, though active cooling makes it less ideal for audio recording.
• Lenovo Workstation (Ubuntu Server)
• Older but powerful system repurposed as a server. Runs UFW, Samba, Docker, Cockpit, and Fail2Ban. Closed to incoming traffic.
• Dell Optiplex (Linux Mint Cinnamon)
• Lightweight Linux desktop paired with the Ubuntu server via KVM; stable and efficient.
• KVM Switch (BDFFLY USB 3.0 HDMI, Dual Monitor)
• Shares keyboard, mouse, and monitors between the two Linux systems. Works extremely well and reliably.
• Secondary Laptops (2× Windows, Touchscreen)
• Tested as script readers. Touchscreens work well, but fans can ramp unpredictably during recording.

?️ Input Devices

• INFINMIND Wireless Bluetooth Silent Mouse
• Full-size ergonomic mouse with metal 4-way hyper-fast scroll wheel. Completely silent clicks and scrolling; adjustable DPI; multi-device capable.
• Wired Mouse (Backup)
• Traditional wired mouse kept connected for fallback and comparison.
• Keyboards
• Windows desktop: standard wired keyboard I’ve used for years
• Linux systems: Perixx PERIBOARD-317 large-print, backlit keyboard (excellent)

?️ Audio & Recording

• FIFINE USB Condenser Microphone (K669W)
• Proof that you don’t need expensive gear to sound good when starting out.
• USB Isolator (Jhoinrch)
• Used to reduce electrical noise during recording.
• Microphone Pop Filter (MTPHOEY)
• Simple, effective windscreen.
• Mic Arm (TODI)
• Well-built, clean design, easy setup, and excellent value for a desktop boom arm.
• Ocenaudio
• Primary audio editor. Recording at 48 kHz, mono, 24-bit; final export as 16-bit PCM with triangular dithering.

? Audio Practices & Environment

• Noise-First Philosophy
• Focus on eliminating repetitive mechanical noise (mouse clicks, fan noise) rather than every incidental human sound.
• Silent Interaction Setup
• Tuned mouse speed (~30–40%), subtle mouse trails enabled, CTRL key reveals pointer, reduced desk interaction while recording.

?️ Displays & Reading

• Primary Monitor qty 2 (Desktop)
• Large monitor for script reading and editing, paired with a silent mouse.
• Laptop as Script Reader (Explored)
• Touchscreen scrolling preferred over trackpads; used as a full-screen digital “page.”

? Networking

• Starlink (Recommended for Rural Use)
• Reliable option where wired internet is unavailable.
• TP-Link Deco X55 Mesh System
• 1 main node, 4 satellites, plus 1 outdoor Deco broadcasting to the plant nursery.
• Mesh alone proved unreliable due to obstacles; moving to wired backhaul.
• Wired Backhaul (Cat6A)
• Decos will be daisy-chained with Cat6A Ethernet in conduit. Fiber was considered but cost-prohibitive. Conduit protects cable from sharp, gravel-heavy soil.

? Networking Hardware (Future / Planned)

• Ubiquiti USW-Flex-2.5G-5 Switch ***
• TP-Link TL-SG1005P PoE Switch ***
• TP-Link ER605 V2 VPN Router ***
• BV-Tech PoE+ Injector ***

? Cabling & Termination (Future / Planned)

• trueCABLE Cat6A Direct Burial Cable (500 ft) ***
• Cat6A Shielded Keystone Jacks ***
• Cat6A Surface-Mount Boxes ***
• TRENDnet Punch-Down Tool ***
• Ethernet Cable Tester ***

?️ Printing

• Brother Networked Laser Printer
• Reliable hardware; Windows may require re-adding after power cycles due to IP changes.
• HP Inkjet Printer
• Installed with multiple logical instances; less reliable in the present connectio, not primary.

? Storage & Power

• WD 4 TB Elements External Drive
• Used instead of a traditional NAS. Linux systems provide similar functionality; the drive itself is excellent.
• APC BE425 UPS
• Exceptional value for basic battery backup and surge protection.
• Powered USB Hub (TP-Link UH720)
• Rock-solid performance; highly recommended.

? Power & Protection

• Belkin 12-Outlet Surge Protector
• Smart outlet layout that actually lets you use all sockets.
• CCCEI Heavy-Duty Metal Power Strip
• Industrial-grade build for higher-draw areas.
• LeMotech IP68 Cable Glands ***
• Planned for strain relief and enclosure cable management.
• Copper Mesh Rodent Control ***
• Planned for cable protection in outdoor / conduit runs.

? Smart & Misc

• Amazon Echo Devices (Show/Dots ×3)
• Used mainly as radios and for light smart-home integration.
• Amazon Fire Tablet
• Consumption-only device.

Philosophy (Brief)

This setup favors quiet, reliability, and systems thinking over raw specs. Hardware is chosen to stay out of the way, work consistently in a rural environment, and scale gradually without forcing unnecessary complexity.