How To
Step-by-step walkthroughs for setting up, troubleshooting and maintaining the gear in your home office. Each guide is written while actually doing the task, with the dead ends and error messages left in rather than tidied away.Start here when something is already broken and you want the answer without a preamble.
How to Set Up an NVR for Home Security Cameras
An NVR is the quiet centre of a wired camera system: it powers the cameras, records everything they…
How to Give Family Members Their Own Smart Lock Code
Sharing one code with the whole household is the easiest way to set up a smart lock and…
How to Switch Your Wi-Fi to WPA3 Without Breaking Devices
WPA3 is the first meaningful upgrade to Wi-Fi encryption in well over a decade, and every modern router…
How to Stop a Chair From Rolling on Hardwood Floors
Hardwood floors and office chair casters are a poor match. The wheels are hard, the floor is smooth…
How to Stop Headset Ear Pain on Long Sessions
Two hours into a session the ache starts. A dull pressure on the top of your skull, a…
How to Choose Bulbs That Reduce Blue Light Before Bed
The light you sit under in the two hours before bed has a measurable effect on how easily…
How to Tell If Your PC Power Supply Is Failing
A failing power supply rarely announces itself clearly. It hides behind symptoms that look like a bad graphics…
How to Set Up Dolby Atmos Height Speakers at Home
Height channels are what separate Dolby Atmos from ordinary surround. Instead of placing sounds only around you, Atmos…
How to Downsize to a Compact Desktop Without Losing Power
Switching from a full-size tower to a compact desktop can free up significant desk space, but many people…
How to Store a Window AC Unit Over the Winter
When the cooling season ends, a window air conditioner faces its most damaging months. Left in the sash,…
How to Size a Rug for a Living Room the Right Way
A rug that is too small is the most common decorating error in any living room, and it…
How to Space Recessed Lights in a Kitchen Ceiling
Most badly lit kitchens are not short of fixtures. They are short of planning. Lights get placed in…