Message Grid

Message Grid runs on Matrix Synapse, an open-source "homeserver" implementation of the Matrix protocol. It lets you run your own secure, decentralized communication node for encrypted instant messaging, VoIP, and video calls.

🌐 Decentralised: Connects to the broader Matrix federated network, allowing users on your server to chat with people on other servers.

🔒️ End-to-End Encrypted: Secures messages, files, and calls so only the intended participants can read or hear them.

🏠️️ Self-Hosted: Can be deployed locally or on a cloud server using native packages or container tools like Docker.

We use Message Grid with Element X for iOS and Android, providing family and friends with secure, truly end-to-end encrypted messaging for text and media, ensuring Big Tech remains out of our personal business.

System Monitors

Message Grid powers my website contact form and my System Monitors on my home servers.

When a visitor completes the form online, less than a second after submitting the form, I get a DM in Element via Message Grid.

Uptime Kuma monitors on my Homelab and services running on my local and DC servers checking ping times and service availability. The moment a service goes down or becomes unresponsive, a notification is sent via Message Grid to a dedicated Room in the Element App.

Immich

Immich is a self-hosted photo (and video) library. Think, Google Photos, but hosted on your own infra.

Configured to backup photos and videos from my devices, Immich provides a rich, UI with very similar features to Google Photos and Apples equivalent.

Again, self-hosting this means personal family photos and videos are not sent to Big Tech for their use. Your private family moments remain private, but you get all the features (and more!) of Google Photos on your own infrastructure.

DNS & Ad Blocking

I have a network-wide ad blocker (Pi Hole) and a local DNS server (Unbound) running too.

This means all DNS resolution is done locally. Where there is not DNS record locally, a DoH query is made to the root servers (bypassing the likes of Cloudflare and Google) to resolve the requested domain name.

Pi Hole provides solid network-wide ad blocking, telemetry blocking and malware protection. Blocking ads on most steaming services, all web pages, across all local and VPN connected devices on the network.

VPN

Running your own VPN is a fantastic addition to any Homelab.

Our VPN lets use connect to the home network from outsite, from a friends house, a pub, restaurant or public WiFi.

This not ony provides access to the Homelab setup, it directs all DNS queries and network traffic through the local network DNS Server and Ad Blocker, so we can enjoy ad free internet access when out and about too.

ADS-B Station

Have you ever used FlightRadar 24?

I have a dedicated ADS-B 1090 MHz antenna mounted on the roof of the house, connected to an ADS-B receiver (built on a Raspberry Pi) inside.

This setup feeds aircraft data for pretty must the entire UK and Ireland (and some of the Netherlands) to FlightRadar 24 and AirNav Radar, 24 hours a day

AIS Station

Have you ever used Vessel Finder ior Marine Traffic?

Living on the coast provides an excellent opportunity to capture the VFH AIS data from shipping.

I have a dedicated AIS receiver station in the roof (built on a Raspberry Pi), connected 24/7 which feeds three AIS Hubs with shipping location data for the North Sea.

SMS Grid

SMS Grid is a part of the Messaging Grid of tools I've developed.

Developers can simply request an API Key, send a HTTP request to SMS Grid and have an SMS message on the way in seconds to any UK mobile number.

This is a closed service at the moment.

Mail Grid

Like SMS Grid, Mail Grid is a part of the Messaging Grid of tools I've developed.

Developers can provide HTML mail templates, request an API Key, and make a quick HTTP request to Mail Grid and have a beautifully formatted email sent immediately.

This is a closed service at the moment.

Flash Cache

An API Datastore for Software Engineers

FlashCache is a simple, fast and always-available datastore for software engineers.

Designing and building Data Access layers for proof of concepts or short term projects can be time-consuming.

FlashCache provides a simple REST API to store and retrieve data quickly, reliable with 30-day lifecycle rules; data is automatically purged after this time.

All data is stored in a PostgreSQL database and is encrypted at rest.