Tiernan's Comms Closet

Geek, Programmer, Photographer, network egineer…

tiernano

http://localhost:8000

Network Upgrades 2025

June 11, 2025
0 Comments

It’s been just over a year since I last posted my 2024 Network Upgrade post. In that time, my network has undergone several changes. Here are the major updates:

  • Swapped from a UDM Pro to a UCG Fiber.
  • Upgraded my FTTH link from 2Gb to 5Gb! (Hence the upgrade from the UDM Pro)
  • Added a UNAS Pro to the network for extra storage. It has 7x8TB drives in RAID 6, providing roughly 40TB of usable space (excluding the usual overhead).
  • Added a Mac Mini M4, a Mac Studio Max M1 to my M2 Mac Mini and M1 Max MacBook Pro… That’s a lot of Macs!
  • Added Starlink to the mix of internet connections. Total bandwidth into the house is now around 6.5Gb/s, with upload at about 350Mb/s.

In the (hopefully not too distant) future, my cable ISP plans to upgrade from HFC (Hybrid Fiber/Coax) to full FTTH. When this happens, my speed will increase from 1Gb/50Mb to 5Gb/500Mb—and needless to say, I’ll be ordering that as soon as it’s available! This will boost the total download speed to just over 10Gb (about 10.4Gb, since Starlink tops out around 400Mb/s) and upload to 800Mb/s (with Starlink contributing 40-50Mb/s). That’s why I chose the UCG Fiber. It should handle two 5Gb incoming links, one 10Gb LAN connection, plus the Starlink connection (with IDS/IPS off, of course).

How to use Cloudflare Warp with a UDM Pro

December 12, 2024
0 Comments

If you’re considering using Cloudflare Wrap for specific machines on your network, you can easily install the Warp client directly on them. It supports various operating systems, including Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android. However, if you need to use it on devices that aren’t compatible with the client installation, for example, NAS Devices or Smart TVs, this tutorial may be helpful.

First, please note that this is not an officially supported option. Cloudflare might modify their configurations at some point, potentially causing this feature to break. You have been informed about this possibility.

What do you need:

  • UDM Pro (it can work on any Ubiquiti Unifi gateways, but this is the one I have).
  • Wireguard Configuration File Generator (WGCF). This tool will generate a Wireguard configuration file based on the Cloudflare settings.
  • I’ve created a script that executes the following commands. It worked on my MacBook Pro, and it should also work on Windows or Linux.

First, install WGCF. I installed it by running

brew install wgcf

on my Mac Book Pro.

Next, run:

wgcf register

This will register a client on your machine. A wgcf-account.toml file will be left in your running folder. Next, run the script again.

wgcf generate

You’ll be left with a wgcf-profile.config file in your running folder. Open this file in a text editor to access the necessary details for your next steps.

Go to your Unifi Network Dashboard, click on “Settings,” and then select “VPN” and “VPN Client.” Click on “Create New” and choose “Wireguard” as the protocol. Then, change the “Setup” to “Manual.”

The configuration file you created earlier should resemble this:

[Interface]
PrivateKey = <PRIVATEKEY>
Address = <IPv4Address>, <IPV6Address>
DNS = 1.1.1.1, 1.0.0.1, 2606:4700:4700::1111, 2606:4700:4700::1001
MTU = 1280
[Peer]
PublicKey = <ServerPublicKey>
AllowedIPs = 0.0.0.0/0, ::/0
Endpoint = <ServerEndpoint>

Use the contents of PrivateKey to overwrite the existing Private Key. This will automatically fill in your Public Key. Next, set your Tunnel IP to the value listed for IPv4Address. Remove the trailing slash and use that in the Netmask (my Netmask was a /32). Server Address is the value listed as ServerEndpoint. Check the port and include it as well. The Public Server Key is ServerPublicKey. Finally, add your DNS settings for IPv4 in the configuration and click Apply Changes.

After a few seconds, the status should change to “Connected”.

Next, you need to configure the Policy-Based Routes. This is located under the routing section, specifically under the heading “Policy-Based Routes.”

Here, you can name the rule and decide whether you want to send all traffic or specific traffic.

For all traffic, you can select a specific device or the entire network. For instance, in this example, all traffic from my Guest network will be routed through Warp:

You can also set it to send traffic to specific destinations:

Fallback allows it to fail back to one of the other connections if the Warp connection fails.

Finally, click Add Entry at the bottom. Now, run some tests on that machine and see the traffic counts increase.

That is now it. You can select what devices or networks, or even what destinations you want to send over Cloudflare. Happy hunting.

How to Set Up Mac OS 9 on QEMU

December 11, 2024
0 Comments

Want to experience the classic Apple operating system on modern hardware? Emulating Mac OS 9 using QEMU is the way to go! This guide will guide you through the process of setting up Mac OS 9 in QEMU, from creating a virtual hard drive to installing the operating system. Let’s get started!

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have these things:

A computer that can run QEMU (macOS, Linux, or Windows).

A Mac OS 9 installation ISO (like Mac OS 9.2.2 Universal Install. Check Archive.org).

A version of QEMU with sound support (like qemu-screamer).

You should also know a bit about using the terminal.

Step 1: Install QEMU

 

Download and install a version of QEMU that supports PowerPC emulation. The qemu-screamer fork is recommended for better audio support.

Clone the repository:

 

git clone -b screamer https://github.com/mcayland/qemu qemu-screamer

cd qemu-screamer

 

Configure and compile:

./configure --target-list="ppc-softmmu" --audio-drv-list="coreaudio" --enable-libusb --enable-kvm --enable-hvf --enable-cocoa

make

 

The compiled binary will be located in qemu-screamer/ppc-softmmu/qemu-system-ppc.

 

Step 2: Create a Virtual Hard Drive

Use the qemu-img tool to create a virtual hard drive for Mac OS 9:

 

./qemu-img create -f qcow2 macos9.img 2G

 

Replace 2G with your desired size if needed. Mac OS 9 does not require much space, so 2 GB is generally sufficient.

 

Step 3: Prepare the Installation Media

Ensure you have a bootable ISO of Mac OS 9. If you do not have one, download it from resources like “Mac OS 9 Lives.” Place the ISO in an accessible directory on your system.

Step 4: Start QEMU and Begin Installation

Run QEMU with the following command to boot into the Mac OS 9 installer:

./qemu-system-ppc \

-L pc-bios \

-cpu g4 \

-M mac99,via=pmu \

-m 512 \

-hda macos9.img \

-cdrom "/path/to/Mac_OS_9.iso” \

-boot d \

-g 1024x768x32 \

-device usb-mouse \

-device usb-kbd

 

Explanation of key flags:

 

    -cpu g4: Emulates a G4 processor.

    -M mac99,via=pmu: Sets the machine type to emulate a PowerMac G4.

    -m 512: Allocates 512 MB of RAM.

    -hda macos9.img: Specifies the virtual hard drive.

    -cdrom: Points to your Mac OS 9 installation ISO. Have a look on archive.org for the ISO.

    -boot d: Boots from the CD-ROM.

 

Step 5: Initialize and Install Mac OS 9

 

Once QEMU boots, open “Drive Setup” from the Utilities folder.

Select the uninitialized disk and click “Initialize.”

Choose “Mac OS Extended” as the file system and proceed.

After initializing, return to the installer and follow on-screen instructions to install Mac OS 9 onto your virtual hard drive.

 

The installation process typically takes about 7–10 minutes.

Step 6: Boot into Mac OS 9

After installation is complete:

 

Shut down QEMU.

Modify the boot command to boot from the hard drive instead of the CD-ROM:

    ./qemu-system-ppc \

    -L pc-bios \

    -cpu g4 \

    -M mac99,via=pmu \

    -m 512 \

    -hda macos9.img \

    -boot c \

    -g 1024x768x32 \

    -device usb-mouse \

    -device usb-kbd

 

Start QEMU again, and it should boot into your newly installed Mac OS 9 environment.

 

Optional: Enable Audio Support

If using qemu-screamer, audio can be enabled by ensuring CoreAudio is configured during compilation (–audio-drv-list=”coreaudio”). This setup allows sound output within Mac OS 9.

Tips and Troubleshooting

 

Backup Your Disk Image: After installation, back up your virtual hard drive (macos9.img) to avoid reinstalling if issues arise.

Adjust RAM: While Mac OS 9 can run on as little as 40 MB of RAM, allocating at least 512 MB ensures smoother performance.

Networking: Add networking support with flags like -netdev user,id=mynet and -device sungem,netdev=mynet.

 

By following these steps, you’ll have a fully functional emulation of Mac OS 9 running on QEMU! Enjoy exploring this nostalgic operating system.

VMWare Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro now available for free for everyone

November 13, 2024
0 Comments

Back in May, VMware announced that VMware Workstation Pro and Fusion Pro would be free for non-commercial use. This was fantastic news for non-commercial users. However, a few days ago, they made an even better announcement: the free edition is now available to all users, including commercial users. While you can still purchase a license if you require support, the free version functions just as well, albeit without any support.

 

It appears that they are discontinuing Workstation Player and Fusion Player, as the functionality they offered is now included in the free version of Workstation and Fusion. 

How to Download Windows Server 2025 ARM edition (work around)

November 4, 2024
0 Comments

In my previous post, I mentioned that Windows Server 2025 had gained general availability, but I had no information about the ARM64 version. It appears that 4sysops has found a workaround. You can download an ARM version of Windows 2025 from uupdump.net. Since I have a few M1/M2 Macs lying around, I’ll try downloading it and see if it works on them. I’m curious to know how long it would take someone to get this running on a Raspberry Pi. I believe they would make excellent little AD/DNS/DHCP servers. 

Windows Server 2025 GA’ed, along with System Center 2025

November 3, 2024
0 Comments

Microsoft has just released Windows Server 2025 and System Center 2025 in General Availability. You can find more information on the Microsoft Release status site.

Current status as of November 1, 2024

 

Windows Server 2025 is now generally available. It delivers security advancements and new hybrid cloud capabilities in a high performing, AI-capable platform. Windows Server 2025 is Microsoft’s latest Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) release for Windows Server. To download a free 180-day evaluation, visit the Microsoft Evaluation Center.

 

To learn more about Windows Server’s Lifecycle Policy, see the Windows Server 2025 lifecycle article. 

 

One aspect that hasn’t been discussed yet is the release of ARM64 support. While there were some ARM64 releases during the testing phase in the insiders group, there’s no official word on the GA versions yet. Additionally, here are the minimum requirements for CPUs.  (From NeoWin).

The GodBoxV3, equipped with its first-generation Xeon SP processor, requires an upgrade to transition to Server 2025. Hmmm….

Building Cloud Images for Proxmox

April 30, 2024
0 Comments

To create an Ubuntu VM for a Kubernetes cluster using Proxmox, follow these steps: download and tweak the base image, sysprep it, create a template with specified configurations, and clone the VM. Adjust settings such as memory, storage, and IP configurations. Fix shared IP issues by resetting the machine ID.

I needed to create a few Ubuntu VMs for a Kubernetes cluster for testing, and I wanted to make the process as simple as possible using Proxmox and some minimal automation. Here’s what I’ve done:

First, Download the base image:

wget https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/jammy/current/jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64.img

Then, tweak the image. Since I’m using my apt-cacher-ng proxy here, I’ve set the proxy for all VMs. You can remove it or adjust it as needed. If you want to remove it, simply remove the append-line option. Additionally, I’m installing qemu-guest-agent here. You can add any additional items at this point if desired.

sudo virt-customize -a jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64.img --install qemu-guest-agent --append-line '/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/00proxy:Acquire::http { Proxy "http://10.244.71.182:3142"; };'

Sysprepping the image resets it to the default stage. If you don’t perform this step, and you clone the machine multiple times, all the clones will have the same machine ID and IP address. [Note: This isn’t working fully for me. See below for the changes I made to the machine ID.]

sudo virt-sysprep -a jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64.img

Create the template. I used ID 9000 and assigned a name. You can modify this. Additionally, I’ve tagged mine with VLAN 72 (my Kubernetes VLAN). Feel free to change or remove this tag as needed. Furthermore, I set the disk size to add 50GB. Please replace any references to “godboxv2-tank” with your storage name.

sudo qm create 9000 --name "ubuntu-2204-cloudinit-template" --memory 4096 --cores 2 --net0 virtio,bridge=vmbr0,tag=72

sudo qm importdisk 9000 jammy-server-cloudimg-amd64.img godboxv2-tank

sudo qm set 9000 --scsihw virtio-scsi-pci --scsi0 godboxv2-tank:vm-9000-disk-0

sudo qm set 9000 --boot c --bootdisk scsi0

sudo qm disk resize 9000 scsi0 +50G

sudo qm set 9000 --ide2 godboxv2-tank:cloudinit

sudo qm set 9000 --serial0 socket --vga serial0

sudo qm set 9000 --agent enabled=1

sudo qm template 9000

Clone the VM into a new VM.

sudo qm clone 9000 2001 --name k8s-01

sudo qm set 2001 --sshkey godboxv3.pub

sudo qm set 2001 --memory 4096

sudo qm set 2001 --ciuser tiernano

sudo qm set 2001 --ipconfig0 ip=dhcp

Change tiernano and godboxv3.pub to your settings. Modify the names and memory as necessary.

As mentioned earlier, I’m still encountering the issue of IP addresses being shared. To resolve this, log into the boxes and execute the following command:

echo -n > /etc/machine-id

rm /var/lib/dbus/machine-id

ln -s /etc/machine-id /var/lib/dbus/machine-id

Reboot the computer, and the problem should be resolved.

Some network Upgrades going on

April 29, 2024
0 Comments

I’m currently in the midst of a significant network upgrade for the CloudShed. I’ve purchased two Ubiquiti Unifi Hi-Capacity Aggregation Switches, a 24-port Switch Pro POE, a Switch Enterprise 8 PoE, a couple of U7 Pro Access Points, and a U6 In-wall Access Point.

The two Aggregation Switches each have four 25Gb ports and 28 10Gb ports. Two of the 25Gb ports will be connected between the house and the CloudShed. The U6 InWall will be installed in the office, while the two U7 Pros are already in the house and powered by the Switch Enterprise 8 Poe (which supports 2.5Gb Ethernet). The 24-port Poe Switch will replace my older 16-port switch, which lacks 10Gb Ethernet. More details will be provided as I have time to install everything.

A Month with an iPad Pro

November 5, 2023
0 Comments

About a month ago, I bought a 2022 iPad Pro 11 inch (4th gen) used for about 800 EUR (Which, given they are still for sale on Apple’s site for nearly double that (mine is a 256Gb model with Cellular) I think I got a good deal. I also got my hands on the Keyboard Folio, which is both a good thing, especially for writing stuff like this, but also a bit of a pain (the weight of it adds to the iPad and the fact that you need to remove it from the iPad to use it as a tablet is a pain). I also got my hands on a 2nd Gen Pencil, along with a USB C hub.

iPad Pro writing this post

The main reason I got this was for photo and video work. I shoot on both my iPhone 15 Pro Max and my Canon R5. When out shooting on the R5, I like to be able to plug in an SD or CF Express reader, download the images into Lightroom and be able to view them on the larger screen. Given the iPad is connected over 5G, it can always sync to the internet all the time. And, if I am near my car, which I usually am, I can use the WiFi in the car to upload stuff to the cloud too using the Mikrotik Router in the boot of the car… The one thing I have not fully tried out yet is video editing… I am still doing video editing on my Mac Book Pro at home. Maybe I will try it on the iPad soon. Speaking of videos, check out some of the videos I have on my YouTube channel. And, by the way, this was fully edited and written on the iPad Pro…

Some Random links for Prime Day 2023

July 11, 2023
0 Comments

Well, it’s Prime Day 2023, so I have been busy ordering some stuff, and, well, given everyone and their mother is doing posts on Prime Day stuff, I thought I would add my list of interesting things, including some of the things I bought. PS: all links are affiliate links and were found in the UK Store, but links are using GeniusLink to redirect you to the best store for you… Some items in the UK store might not be found in the US or other stores…

So, first, the things I bought:

Now, for things I don’t need (or can’t afford…) but caught my eye while browsing.

Of the stuff I have ordered so far, the Ryzen 5 machine should arrive tomorrow, so I hope to do some sort of unboxing on my YouTube channel. Maybe head over and subscribe while your waiting!

  • My Mastodon Instance

    Buy Me A Coffee

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

    • DevDmBootstrap4 Created by Danny Machal (DevDm.com)