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Joined 2 years ago
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Cake day: June 14th, 2023

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  • Ah, got it. That plan should be great. You can segment your own wired+WiFi network with that hardware, and even do Wireguard from the hAP ax2 to get whole-network egress via an outside VPN service at a good data rate, if you want.

    The other devices you might consider as the router are the GL-iNet Slate series. They will be slower as a VPN router, but they’re pretty small and light. They come with a skinned OpenWRT, but in most cases you can install a build of the unmodified OS if you want.



  • That isn’t what I would choose for your situation. CRS3xx switches are fast at switching (layer 1 & 2), but not as a NAT router, which you probably need.

    Better to pick something from the Mikrotik Ethernet Routers range, assuming you don’t want your personal LAN to have WiFi. The L009 or basic RB5009 are both good options in the same price range. Choosing depends on your upstream connection speed. Both are fanless.

    Or pick a Home/Office Wireless device if you are permitted to have your own WiFi access point. The hAP ax2 is small, affordable and performs well at 1Gbps. If your upstream connection is 1Gpbs this is probably what I would choose even if you don’t want WiFi as long as this is enough ports. Just turn off its WiFi radios to use it wired-only. If you have a 2.5Gbps upstream port then hAP ax3 is a better choice.

    All the Mikrotik choices will require some learning if you want anything beyond a basic router configuration. But once you get it like you want it they are very solid and reliable.

    OpenWRT and OPNSense are easier to jump into without a lot of effort, so if you don’t want a networking hobby I would use one of them. Pick up pre installed device if you want it easy. Or get a mini PC with a few network ports and install the OS yourself to get more power for the money.








  • It will be similar but not the same. Tvarog & quark are more acidic. So it will have a tartness you may or may not like. With cottage cheese there is more rennet for curdling, the curd is cut like with cheese production, and the curd is heated and washed, producing a more firm and less sour curd. Then cream is added.

    So try it and see what you think. If it is too sour you could try and find a very soft fresh cheese it might be closer to the curd you are familiar with and add cream to that.

    In the end though, cottage cheese is an industrial product, with all kinds of bioengineering involved (like special bacteria strains that produce diacetyl for a buttery flavor). So any hacks will be unlikely to duplicate the flavor and texture exactly. It’s probably worth learning to love the local stuff.




  • If you have trouble with the soaking, black beans do very well with a “quick soak”.

    1. Cover them with water about twice the depth of the beans. Add about 1 teaspoon (~5 ml or 5-7 g) salt.

    2. Bring to a boil and keep it boiling for 2 minutes. Then cover and turn off the burner/hob. Let soak for 1-2 hours.

    3. Add any extra seasonings now (but nothing acidic). Then bring back to a boil and then simmer until soft. Adjust seasoning and you’re done.

    They should take much less time than cooking from dry. How long will depend on the beans. Older beans can take much longer, but most should be soft in 1 hour or so.



  • It’s significantly immediate-er with induction - particularly going from cool to hot. Boil water in 2 minutes and handles don’t get hot in the process. And since nothing is heating except the metal of the base of the pan there is no residual heat from the cooktop parts or the sides of the pan when you turn it off. The temperature drops much faster.

    I went back to gas after 5 years cooking on induction and miss it a lot. Cooking something like pasta that requires boiling a sizeable quantity of water takes 2x or 3x longer on gas, even with a very powerful burner.