How-To Guides

Practical Tech Guides

Free, jargon-free guides to help you take control of your technology. From AI tools to self-hosting, encryption to automation — written for real people, not engineers.

Not sure where to start? Try the Decision Tree

AI Tools

Get hands-on with ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and more. Learn to prompt, connect documents, and work smarter.

ChatGPT Projects & Custom Instructions

Save your context once and reuse it for repeat tasks like email drafting and meeting notes.

Write a Good System Prompt

Structure effective prompts for specific use cases with examples and templates.

Connect AI to Your Documents

Use Claude Projects, NotebookLM, and file uploads to make AI work with YOUR documents.

ChatGPT vs Claude vs Gemini

A practical decision guide to choosing the right AI for each task.

Use Perplexity as a Research Tool

AI-powered search with cited sources — better than Google for research questions.

AI Image Generation Basics

Create images from text using Midjourney, DALL-E, or Stable Diffusion.

Run Stable Diffusion Locally

AdvancedRequires: Python

Free, open-source text-to-image on your own hardware — no subscription needed.

Use Google Colab for Free GPU

IntermediateRequires: Python

Run Python notebooks with free GPU access in your browser. No installation needed.

AI Safety Literacy

Spot AI-generated misinformation, deepfakes, and verify sources in the AI era.

Shadow AI: Your Team's Hidden AI Tools

Find out which AI tools your team is really using, what data is leaving, and write a policy that actually gets followed.

Secure AI Agents Before You Switch Them On

An AI agent is a chatbot with hands. Learn the guardrails — least privilege, approval gates, logging — before you turn it loose.

Get Started with Hugging Face

IntermediateRequires: Python

Discover, download, and use over 1 million open-source AI models from the GitHub of machine learning.

Local & Private AI

Run AI models on your own hardware for full privacy and control.

Install Ollama for Local AI

Run LLMs locally — no internet, no subscription, full privacy.

Run a Local AI Model

IntermediateRequires: Ollama

Ollama + Open WebUI for a ChatGPT-like experience on your own machine.

Shared Team AI Interface

AdvancedRequires: Ollama

Run Open WebUI as a shared ChatGPT-like interface for your team with local models.

Set Up Hermes Agent with DeepSeek

AdvancedRequires: Command Line

Install the open-source AI agent by Nous Research and configure it with DeepSeek V4.

Choose the Right Local AI Model

IntermediateRequires: Ollama

Compare open-source LLMs for your hardware — Llama, Mistral, Phi, Gemma, DeepSeek with memory requirements.

Understand AI Agents

What AI agents are, how they use tools, and how to run them for multi-step autonomous tasks.

Get Started with Buzz

Free, open-source workspace where humans and AI agents collaborate — built by Jack Dorsey's Block on Nostr.

Privacy & Self-Hosting

Own your data, control your infrastructure, protect your privacy.

Set Up Thunderbird Email

Free, open-source email client for any account — desktop and Android.

Switch to Private Email

Set up ProtonMail or Tutanota for end-to-end encrypted email.

Set Up a Password Manager

Bitwarden or KeePassXC — generate, store, and auto-fill strong passwords.

Set Up Bitwarden Step by Step

Free, open-source password manager — browser, phone, and desktop, all synced.

Encrypt Your Devices

Full-disk encryption for laptops (BitLocker, FileVault, LUKS) and phones.

Use Signal for Encrypted Messaging

Private chats, calls, and file sharing — no ads, no data collection.

Signal Setup and Privacy Features

End-to-end encrypted messaging — disappearing messages, safety numbers, sealed sender.

Browse Privately with Mullvad

Anti-fingerprinting, no telemetry — privacy-focused browser by Tor Project.

Do You Need a VPN?

What a VPN actually does, when you need one, and how to choose — no scare tactics.

Log In Without Passwords (Passkeys)

Password-less login using your fingerprint or face — more secure and phishing-proof.

Use Tailscale for Secure Access

Mesh VPN to reach your home server or self-hosted apps from anywhere.

Use Cloudflare for DNS & Security

DNS management, SSL, WAF, and tunnels to expose local services safely.

Find Out What Is Really On Your Network

List every device on your network, spot the ones you do not recognise, and keep the list current in ten minutes a month.

Set Up a Free Tripwire for Your Network

A free smoke alarm for your network — how to know when someone is poking at it, and how to read alerts without panicking.

Test a Suspicious Link Safely

Build a free isolated environment so you can open a suspect link and see what it does, without risking your real computer.

See Your Own Digital Footprint

Run the same searches an investigator would use against you, find out what is exposed, and close it down.

Spot AI-Powered Scams and Deepfakes

Bad spelling is no longer a warning sign. Learn the verification habits that still work when the old advice fails.

What To Do After a Cyber Incident

The calm first-hour plan — starting with the counter-intuitive rule most people get wrong.

Domain Names and DNS Explained

How domains work, DNS records, buying a domain, and setting up Cloudflare.

Email Security: SPF, DKIM, DMARC

AdvancedRequires: Domains & DNS

Stop email spoofing — prove your emails are really from you with three DNS records.

Secure Your Home Router

Change passwords, disable WPS, set up guest Wi-Fi, lock down your network.

Set Up Automated Backups

BorgBackup or Restic — encrypted, deduplicated, automated backups.

Understand Email Privacy

Compare Proton Mail, Tutanota, and self-hosted email — what's actually private and what isn't.

Set Up Your Own VPN Server

AdvancedRequires: Docker, Domains & DNS

Host a WireGuard VPN to securely access your home network from anywhere — no subscription.

Self-Hosting Infrastructure

Run your own services — cloud storage, media, automation, analytics — on hardware you control.

Get Started with Docker

Run apps in isolated containers — no dependency conflicts.

Self-Host Cloud Storage

IntermediateRequires: Docker

Nextcloud — your own private Google Drive with files, calendar, and contacts.

Build a Media Server

IntermediateRequires: Docker

Jellyfin — stream your own movies, TV, and music to any device. Free alternative to Plex.

Set Up Pi-hole Ad Blocking

IntermediateRequires: Docker

Block ads and trackers at the network level for every device on your Wi-Fi.

NextDNS Private DNS Filtering

Cloud-based DNS firewall — block ads/malware/trackers without hardware.

Automate Tasks with n8n

AdvancedRequires: Docker

Self-hosted workflow automation — a free alternative to Zapier.

Self-Hosted Web Analytics

IntermediateRequires: Docker

Plausible or Umami — GDPR-friendly, cookieless analytics with no cookie banner.

Set Up RustDesk Remote Desktop

IntermediateRequires: Docker

Free, open-source remote desktop — a self-hosted alternative to TeamViewer.

Secure Remote Support Safety Guide

How remote access works, session-based vs persistent, and how to stay safe when someone helps remotely.

Understanding API Keys & .env Files

Secret keys, publishable keys, and why the .env file keeps your secrets safe.

Control Your Android Phone with scrcpy

Mirror and control your Android from your computer — free, open-source, no app needed.

Get Started with Obsidian Notes

Build a personal knowledge base with linked notes — your own private Wikipedia.

How Your Home Network Works

Modems, routers, IP addresses, Wi-Fi — explained so you can fix problems yourself.

Choosing Hardware for Self-Hosting

Old laptop, Raspberry Pi, or mini PC? What specs matter and where to put it.

Use Docker Compose for Multi-Service Apps

IntermediateRequires: Docker

Define multiple containers as one stack — one command to start your entire homelab.

Set Up Caddy as a Reverse Proxy

IntermediateRequires: Docker, Domains & DNS

Automatic HTTPS, reverse proxying, and static sites — simpler than Nginx with zero-config TLS.

Get Started with CasaOS

Turn any Linux machine into a personal cloud — friendly web dashboard for Docker and 100+ one-click apps.

Manage Docker with Portainer

IntermediateRequires: Docker

Visual Docker management — deploy containers, stacks, and monitor resources from a web dashboard.

For Small Businesses

Practical AI for daily business operations — customer service, admin, and team policy.

AI for Customer Service

Draft responses, categorise feedback, and generate FAQs with AI.

AI for Invoicing & Admin

Automate invoices, extract receipt data, categorise expenses, triage email.

Build a Team AI Policy

A simple one-page AI usage policy template for your team or business.

SEO & Generative Engine Optimization

Get found in Google AND cited by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.

AI for Marketing & Social Media

Prompt templates for social posts, newsletters, ad copy, and blog outlines.

Use AI for HR & Recruitment

Screen CVs, draft job descriptions, write onboarding docs, and create training materials.

Operating Systems & Developer Basics

Command line, Python, Git, and Linux — foundational skills for everything else on this site.

Migrate from Windows to Linux

A practical guide to trying Ubuntu or Linux Mint — dual-boot first, then switch.

The Command Line Explained

Terminal, bash, WSL — what they are, why they're useful, and the 10 commands you'll actually need.

Python Basics for Non-Programmers

A gentle intro to Python — for people who encounter it in tutorials and want to understand it.

Use Git and GitHub

Version control for non-developers — track changes, back up projects, collaborate.

Want a Personal Walkthrough?

These guides are self-serve, but if you'd prefer hands-on help, book a free Discovery Call and we'll guide you through it step by step.

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