Guides
In-depth, plain-English explainers on networking and personal finance. Each guide stands on its own and links to the tools and calculators it discusses.
- VPN vs Proxy vs Tor
Compare VPNs, proxies, and Tor: how each works, the threat models they fit, speed and privacy trade-offs, and what each one does and does not hide.
Read guide - Understanding Loan APR and Amortization
Understand APR versus interest rate, how amortization works, the monthly payment formula in plain words, a worked example, and extra-payment effects.
Read guide - Reading and Diagnosing DNS Records
Read A, AAAA, MX, TXT, NS, CNAME, SOA and CAA records, then diagnose email with SPF, DKIM and DMARC and fix propagation issues using WhatIP tools.
Read guide - How IP Addressing Works
Learn how IP addressing works: IPv4 vs IPv6, public vs private addresses, NAT, subnets, CIDR, and how routers use addresses to move packets.
Read guide - DNS Explained
How DNS works: the resolution path through resolver, root, TLD and authoritative servers, common record types, caching and TTL, and DNS over HTTPS.
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