https://toastyworks.com/blog Tech tips, gaming tips, home server guides and more from ToastyWorks, Keene, NH. en-us Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://toastyworks.com/blog/ai-tools-we-actually-use https://toastyworks.com/blog/ai-tools-we-actually-use Mon, 10 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business An honest, no-hype rundown of which AI tools have earned a permanent spot in our workflow, and which ones we tried and dropped. https://toastyworks.com/blog/backing-up-game-saves https://toastyworks.com/blog/backing-up-game-saves Mon, 03 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Console Modding & Repair Hundreds of hours of progress can vanish with one dead console. Here is how to actually protect it. https://toastyworks.com/blog/case-for-a-second-monitor https://toastyworks.com/blog/case-for-a-second-monitor Mon, 27 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services A second monitor is one of the highest-value upgrades most people never make. Here is what actually matters when picking one. https://toastyworks.com/blog/self-hosting-first-app-weekend-project https://toastyworks.com/blog/self-hosting-first-app-weekend-project Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers A genuinely achievable first self-hosting project, scoped to actually finish in a weekend. https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-assistant-vs-smartthings-vs-apple-home https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-assistant-vs-smartthings-vs-apple-home Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Smart Home The platform you pick first shapes everything after it. Here is how the three major options actually compare. https://toastyworks.com/blog/budget-gaming-pc-2026 https://toastyworks.com/blog/budget-gaming-pc-2026 Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Custom PC Builds & Repair Where to actually spend on a tight budget, and where corners can be cut without real regret. https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-speed-audit-checklist https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-speed-audit-checklist Mon, 29 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business Before touching code, this is the exact order we check a slow Shopify store, fastest wins first. https://toastyworks.com/blog/console-modding-101-legal-safe https://toastyworks.com/blog/console-modding-101-legal-safe Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Console Modding & Repair A clear-eyed look at what console modding actually covers, and where the real legal lines sit. https://toastyworks.com/blog/3d-printing-settings-that-matter https://toastyworks.com/blog/3d-printing-settings-that-matter Mon, 15 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 3D Printing Slicer software has dozens of settings. Here is which ones genuinely affect your prints, and which are mostly noise. https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-network-security-basics https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-network-security-basics Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 Security & Privacy The handful of network security steps that genuinely matter, without needing to become a security expert. https://toastyworks.com/blog/buying-used-tech-checklist https://toastyworks.com/blog/buying-used-tech-checklist Sat, 22 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services What to actually check before handing over money for a used PC, laptop, console or GPU. https://toastyworks.com/blog/wifi-router-tips-gaming-lag https://toastyworks.com/blog/wifi-router-tips-gaming-lag Sat, 08 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services Most gaming lag complaints trace back to a handful of fixable network issues, not your internet plan. https://toastyworks.com/blog/retro-gaming-preservation https://toastyworks.com/blog/retro-gaming-preservation Thu, 20 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Console Modding & Repair Cartridges, discs and the consoles that read them are all aging. Here is what actually threatens a collection, and what helps. https://toastyworks.com/blog/speed-up-aging-gaming-pc https://toastyworks.com/blog/speed-up-aging-gaming-pc Mon, 03 Feb 2025 00:00:00 +0000 Custom PC Builds & Repair Real, free and cheap wins for a PC that used to run fine and now feels sluggish, before you reach for the credit card. https://toastyworks.com/blog/everyday-tech-tips https://toastyworks.com/blog/everyday-tech-tips Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services Small habits that quietly save you from the most common tech disasters, none of them require being an expert. https://toastyworks.com/blog/beginner-home-server-guide https://toastyworks.com/blog/beginner-home-server-guide Thu, 12 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers Everything you need to pick hardware, pick an OS and run your first always-on box without burning it down. https://toastyworks.com/blog/build-your-first-nas https://toastyworks.com/blog/build-your-first-nas Fri, 30 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers A practical walkthrough of choosing drives, picking a RAID level and setting up TrueNAS from scratch. https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-assistant-tips https://toastyworks.com/blog/home-assistant-tips Sun, 18 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Smart Home Ten habits that keep your Home Assistant install fast, reliable and easy to debug. https://toastyworks.com/blog/docker-basics https://toastyworks.com/blog/docker-basics Fri, 02 Aug 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Home Servers Containers explained without the jargon, plus a first compose file you can actually run. https://toastyworks.com/blog/linux-tutorials https://toastyworks.com/blog/linux-tutorials Sun, 21 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services The handful of Linux commands and concepts that cover 90% of day-to-day administration. https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-tutorials https://toastyworks.com/blog/shopify-tutorials Tue, 09 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business Custom sections, theme tweaks and speed wins for store owners who want to go past the defaults. https://toastyworks.com/blog/ai-guides https://toastyworks.com/blog/ai-guides Thu, 27 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Web & Business How to wire LLMs into real workflows without handing over your whole business to a black box. https://toastyworks.com/blog/networking-guides https://toastyworks.com/blog/networking-guides Fri, 14 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000 IT Services Subnets, VLANs and WiFi planning explained for people who would rather not read a textbook. https://toastyworks.com/blog/smart-home-ideas https://toastyworks.com/blog/smart-home-ideas Thu, 30 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 Smart Home A dozen automations worth building first, and the sensors that make them reliable. https://toastyworks.com/blog/product-reviews https://toastyworks.com/blog/product-reviews Thu, 16 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000 3D Printing Honest takes on the printers, filaments and smart home gear we actually use day to day.