u/dankmonty

I’m considering spending some time in Mombasa while working remotely, so I’m trying to get a realistic idea of what the internet is like there.

For people actually living in Mombasa, how is the internet in practice?

I’m mainly wondering about:

- How easy it is to get fiber and what download/upload speeds you actually get

- Typical latency/ping, especially to the US

- 4G LTE and 5G speeds and latency

Which fiber ISP and mobile network would you recommend? Is the connection reliable enough for working remotely, video calls, etc.?

If you mention your neighborhood/area and actual Speedtest results, that would be really helpful. Especially interested in info from the Nyali, Bamburi, Mtwapa areas

Thanks!

For context, this is my first NAS. I've been researching and trying to decide between the TerraMaster F4-424 Pro and UGREEN DXP4800 Pro and would really appreciate opinions from people who have actually used either one. Synology hardware just seems out of date compared to these, otherwise I would have gone that route. Leaning towards one of these two hardware platforms and buying Unraid.

Right now prices are:

• TerraMaster F4-424 Pro at $645 (32GB RAM)
• UGREEN DXP4800 Pro $720 (8GB RAM)

This will primarily be a Plex (I have Plex pass for hardware transcoding) media server for me and my family, but may also serve as a backup for photos. I'm planning to run Plex, Sonarr, Radarr, Prowlarr, qBittorrent behind a VPN, Bazarr, Tautulli, and maybe a few other useful containers as I go down this NAS rabbit hole. Mostly will be using 1080p content with some 4K, probably 1-4 Plex streams at most. I'll start with one HDD and add drives later.

I'm considering buying Unraid for it based on what I've read on here about the software being subpar on both of these. I'm also not really interested in 10GB ethernet because my internet is only 1GB fiber.

The biggest thing I'm stuck on is the RAM. The TerraMaster comes with 32GB, while the UGREEN only comes with 8GB. ChatGPT keeps telling me that 8GB isn't enough for the kind of Docker/Plex stack I'm planning and that I should get 32GB, but I'm honestly pretty skeptical that I actually need that much RAM for what I'm trying to do.

So my main question is: 8GB realistically enough to run all of this reliably without memory issues/crashes? Or would you strongly recommend 32GB?

Beyond RAM, is there anything else I should be considering between these two? I'd especially like to hear about your experience with the software (or if you've used Unraid with either platform), reliability, Plex performance, Docker/container experience, drive expansion, and which one is generally less likely to give me headaches.

I'd really like to get this right the first time, so I appreciate any advice.

Running GrapheneOS on a Pixel 10a, sandboxed Google Play installed, apps installed after Play Services. No SIM, connected via Ethernet. Battery optimization is off for Play Services and all apps. Play Services has network and notifications permissions.

Notifications are all over the place. Sometimes they come through in a few seconds. Other times 15+ minutes late. Sometimes not at all. Same apps on stock Android are instant every time.

I've been digging through threads here and the GrapheneOS forum, and nobody seems to have actually fixed this. The tips are always the same: turn off battery optimization, set unrestricted, check Play Services permissions, reboot, reinstall apps. I've done all of it and none of it changes anything.

So I'm asking directly... is this just a fundamental limitation of how sandboxed Play Services handles FCM/push notifications? Does the sandboxed implementation just not maintain the push notification function as reliably as privileged Play Services on stock? Because that's what it looks like, but I want to hear from people who actually know.

The reason I'm asking is I specifically chose GrapheneOS for the hardware radio controls... I need the ability to fully kill radios to prevent location leak beyond IP. That's non-negotiable for me. But reliable push notifications are also non-negotiable for work. If I can't have both on GrapheneOS, I need to know that now so I can figure out what to do next instead of spending even more time chasing a fix that doesn't exist.

Anyone actually solved this, or is this just the tradeoff?

I’m planning to spend time in a few different destinations and am trying to figure out what I can realistically do to make a long distance connection back to the USA as fast and stable as possible.

I work in sales and spend a lot of the day on VOIP/Zoom calls, so I know 250–300ms latency plus jitter is not ideal. But this is something I really want to try to make work. I’m currently using a Beryl AX router to simulate roughly 275–300 ms latency, some jitter/light packet loss, and limited bandwidth (capped at 50mbps to emulate a high latency WG tunnel) so I can get a feel for how calls and my normal workflow behave before I go.

My home/residential endpoint is in Oklahoma City on 1GB fiber. I’ll be using WireGuard and maybe Tailscale. I saw RTH’s suggestion of using a VPS relay when a local ISP has a poor direct route to the USA but a cleaner route to a nearby regional hub. It sounds like Akamai/Linode may be a good provider for this. Does it make sense for the relay to be very close to the WG client so the better routing starts earlier, or is it a better idea to have it be more of a midpoint between the WG server and client?

What I’m also trying to understand is what cities are usually considered the best relay points for various regions. I know the actual answer depends on undersea cables, ISP agreements, etc., but I’m hoping there are a few obvious cities people tend to start with when placing these VPS relays for WG.

1. Kenya, probably Nairobi or Mombasa. I’ve read that East Africa sometimes routes through Europe before reaching the USA. Is London generally the best relay city to consider, or would somewhere else be better?
2. Uganda, likely Kampala. Would Nairobi usually be the first relay city to consider, or would London/Europe make more sense?
3. Ghana, Accra - European midpoint as a relay for here?
4. Philippines. I have seen Singapore mentioned as a good Southeast Asia relay hub, but it feels like it might be backtracking from the Philippines. Is Singapore still generally the best option, or are Manila, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Hawaii, or Los Angeles more logical? Is a relay even needed from here, given the cables going to USA?
5. Thailand. Singapore seems like the obvious relay city, but are there other places that commonly produce better routes to the USA?
6. Cambodia. Would Singapore, Bangkok, or Hong Kong normally be the best first place to look?
7. Vietnam. Would Singapore, Hong Kong, or Tokyo be the usual choices?
8. Argentina, probably Buenos Aires. I keep seeing São Paulo mentioned as a regional hub. Is that usually the best relay city to consider for a route back to the USA? Is it even needed down there?
9. Brazil. If I were already in Brazil, would São Paulo still be useful as a relay point, or would some other midpoint be better (if it's even necessary at all?)?

I understand a relay can't beat physics or bad local WiFi and that it would only help if it gets me off a bad ISP international route and onto a better backbone. I’m mainly looking for a sense of which cities are typically worth considering for each region so I can try to do some testing and have it set up before I go.

Would especially appreciate input from anyone who has done WG or TS relay setups for stable voice/video calls from Southeast Asia, East Africa, or South America.

I'm trying to follow GLI's own guide for setting up SQM to reduce bufferbloat. I'm running the latest firmware on both a Puli AX and a Beryl AX. When I went into LuCI to try to open the Network Interfaces menu, I get hit with a "Network ifname configuration migration" prompt. I click through it and then I just get:

TypeError: _(…).format is not a function

and then the page sits there saying "Loading view…" and nothing loads. Same thing happens when I try to get to the QoS/SQM menu. Basically LuCI is unusable for anything network-related.

Has anyone actually gotten SQM working on these newer firmware versions on these specific routers? Is there a known workaround? Feeling pretty stuck here and really need to figure out how to reduce the serious latency fluctuations/jitter I'm getting on my WG connection ASAP.

Hello guys, just an informational post. To all the people looking into using any kvm such as Pikvm or jetkvm or tinypilot etc etc. BE AWARE. I edited everything from EDID to mac addresses and serial numbers within the kvm and I was still detected from the company. Security and legal team got in touch with me because this device is now well known for remoting in and doing work which can cause a security threat and breach. I have been laid off and have been told to pay the company back for damages as well as being sent a letter from legal team to be summoned to court for potential felony/Identity theft. If you are using it or looking into it, even with the changes being made it will STILL BE DETECTED if anyone does an investigation. Please STAY AWAY FROM DOING THESE THINGS.

I have a quick question for technical folks and admins. If I use the Microsoft Teams Android app on an unmanaged device with no MDM, can Teams detect whether the phone itself is running a VPN app locally on the device (whether through inspecting/logging the network interface or any other way)? VPN is a residential IP, not commercial service.

Hi all. I'm planning to move to Pattaya long term and want to hire a personal trainer since I'm still pretty new to lifting. Mainly looking for someone who speaks English and can help me with workout programming and making sure my form is correct.

I'd probably train with them 3-4 times a week. I know prices can vary a lot, but I'd love to get an idea of what I should expect to pay for both a good gym membership and a quality trainer. If you've hired one before, or know someone who has, I'd really appreciate any recommendations or rough cost estimates. Thanks!

I recently went to Milan to get a quote for their full body package after already doing 6 full-body sessions at another clinic with pretty disappointing results. I suspect the settings were too conservative because I definitely expected more reduction.

​

Milan quoted me around $14k during their "70% off + $500 off" promotion, but when I got there they changed the story and said the 70% discount only applied to individual areas, and full body was actually 60% off. That kind of bait-and-switch rubbed me the wrong way, so I just walked out.

​

For those of you who bought the full body package at Milan, how much did you pay and when did you purchase it?

​

I'm considering going back and seeing if they'd take something like $7-8k cash. I'm on TRT and oral minoxidil, so hair growth is probably going to be a lifelong battle for me, and I like the idea of Milan's unlimited treatments and that you can go in other cities if you end up moving away from the original clinic. I also feel like a lot of other clinics tend to undertreat to keep you coming back or for liability reasons. Anyway, I'm curious what kind of deals people have been able to get. Or if anyone has insight on other approaches to handling my situation if going to another clinic (I've requested my treatment records and am considering going to another clinic and making it clear that they need to increase the settings higher than my past treatments or I'm not interested).

Looking to set up a GL.iNet router at my parents' house as a Tailscale exit node with a SIM card for cellular failover. If it ever freezes, I want to use a cellular smart plug to remotely cut and restore power so it reboots itself.

For this to work, the router needs to auto-boot when power comes back with no physical button press. I haven't bought anything yet and am trying to figure out which one will actually work before I order.

1. Spitz AX owners -- does it reliably boot up on its own when power is cut and restored? Or do you need to press the power button to turn it on?
2. Mudi 7 owners -- if you run it with the battery removed, does it auto-boot when USB-C power is cut and then restored? Or do you need to press the power button?
3. If neither of these are good for this use case, is there any other solution that handles this better and would have automatic failover to cellular if ISP goes down? Maybe like a Slate 7 or Flint 3 with some kind of cellular dongle 5g (would that be automatic failover? Any recommendations on 5g dongles?)

Any real-world experience appreciated.

Hi All,

I’m considering buying a Pixel 10a and moving to GrapheneOS for the strict network isolation and privacy features, but I want to confirm if it can handle a very specific, hardwired hardware setup for my use case first and hoping someone here may be able to give me some insight on the capabilities/limitations before I drop money on the hardware.

I have a strict use case where I need to completely disable all radios (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular via Airplane mode) and route all traffic through a travel router running a VPN tunnel. The phone needs to be connected to a USB-C dock or some kind of adapter with power pass-through to simultaneously use a hardwired Ethernet connection as well as a wired USB-A headset.

What brings me here is I’ve been attempting this on a Samsung S24 and hitting a wall. I’ve tested multiple docks so far (Lenovo USB-C Universal Dock and a Plugable USB-C cube). The power passthrough works fine and keeps the phone charged, but the data connection (both the Ethernet and the USB headset) drops intermittently after a few minutes of use. It seems to be an aggressive power-management or USB controller issue on the device's end.

Due to my security constraints, simply using wireless connections (Wi-Fi/BT) are completely out of the question. The connection to ethernet and peripherals must be 100% hardwired and rock solid without random data dropouts.

Has anyone here successfully run a dock setup using Ethernet + USB Audio peripherals with a Pixel using GrapheneOS without the USB controller going to sleep or dropping data? Are there specific settings in GrapheneOS to force the USB port to stay active, or is this just a persistent limitation of mobile hardware? Any insight on if this is possible to get this setup stable with a Pixel on Graphene and advice on any dock hardware that is verified compatible with mobile for this use case would be hugely appreciated.

I'm trying to figure out a really specific setup for my Samsung S24 phone and I'm hitting a wall.

Basically, I need to run my S24 through a dock so I can use a hardwired Ethernet connection and a wired USB-A headset off the phone at the same time, not necessarily while using DeX. It works at first when I plug it in, but the problem is the connection keeps dropping intermittently after a few minutes. The phone stays charging the entire time when this happens, it's just the data connection (the internet and the headset) that randomly shuts down and disconnects after a short time.

I've already tried two different docks:

A Lenovo USB-C universal dock (I know these are mainly for laptops, but figured I'd try).

The Plugable USB-C cube dock (which they advertise as being compatible with Samsung DeX, so I figured it should work).

Both have the exact same issue. The power stays on and continues charging the phone, but the headset plugged into the dock and ethernet connection just drop.

Due to some specific constraints with my situation, I absolutely cannot use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth instead. It has to be completely hardwired, and it needs to be rock solid without these random dropouts.

Has anyone managed to get a setup like this working reliably? Any insight on settings I should be looking at on the phone or other suggestions, specific hardware to use instead to get this working and stable would be hugely appreciated! 

I'm trying to figure out a really specific setup for my Samsung S24 phone and I'm hitting a wall.

Basically, I need to run my S24 through a dock so I can use a hardwired Ethernet connection and a wired USB-A headset off the phone at the same time, not necessarily while using DeX. It works at first when I plug it in, but the problem is the connection keeps dropping intermittently after a few minutes. The phone stays charging the entire time when this happens, it's just the data connection (the internet and the headset) that randomly shuts down and disconnects after a short time.

I've already tried two different docks:

A Lenovo USB-C universal dock (I know these are mainly for laptops, but figured I'd try).

The Plugable USB-C cube dock (which they advertise as being compatible with Samsung DeX).

Both have the exact same issue. The power stays on and continues charging the phone, but the headset plugged into the dock and ethernet connection just drop.

Due to some specific constraints with my situation, I absolutely cannot use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth instead. It has to be completely hardwired, and it needs to be rock solid without these random dropouts.

Has anyone managed to get a setup like this working reliably? Any insight on settings I should be looking at on the phone or other suggestions, specific hardware to use instead to get this working and stable would be hugely appreciated! 

I'm trying to figure out a really specific setup for my Samsung S24 phone and I'm hitting a wall.

Basically, I need to run my S24 through a dock so I can use a hardwired Ethernet connection and a wired USB-A headset off the phone at the same time, not necessarily while using DeX. It works at first when I plug it in, but the problem is the connection keeps dropping intermittently after a few minutes. The phone stays charging the entire time when this happens, it's just the data connection (the internet and the headset) that randomly shuts down and disconnects after a short time.

I've already tried two different docks:

A Lenovo USB-C universal dock (I know these are mainly for laptops, but figured I'd try).

The Plugable USB-C cube dock (which they advertise as being compatible with Samsung DeX).

Both have the exact same issue. The power stays on and continues charging the phone, but the headset plugged into the dock and ethernet connection just drop.

Due to some specific constraints with my situation, I absolutely cannot use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth instead. It has to be completely hardwired, and it needs to be rock solid without these random dropouts.

Has anyone managed to get a setup like this working reliably? Any insight on settings I should be looking at on the phone or other suggestions, specific hardware to use instead to get this working and stable would be hugely appreciated! 

I'm trying to figure out a really specific setup for my Samsung S24 phone and I'm hitting a wall.

Basically, I need to run my S24 through a dock so I can use a hardwired Ethernet connection and a wired USB-A headset off the phone at the same time, not necessarily while using DeX. It works at first when I plug it in, but the problem is the connection keeps dropping intermittently after a few minutes. The phone stays charging the entire time when this happens, it's just the data connection (the internet and the headset) that randomly shuts down and disconnects after a short time.

I've already tried two different docks:

A Lenovo USB-C universal dock (I know these are mainly for laptops, but figured I'd try).

The Plugable USB-C cube dock (which they advertise as being compatible with Samsung DeX).

Both have the exact same issue. The power stays on and continues charging the phone, but the headset plugged into the dock and ethernet connection just drop.

Due to some specific constraints with my situation, I absolutely cannot use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth instead. It has to be completely hardwired, and it needs to be rock solid without these random dropouts.

Has anyone managed to get a setup like this working reliably? Any insight on settings I should be looking at on the phone or other suggestions, specific hardware to use instead to get this working and stable would be hugely appreciated! 

Hey everyone, hoping to get some practical advice here because I'm hitting a wall and getting the runaround.

I have a single implant that was placed about 15–20 years ago at a clinic in LA. I need to get a new crown placed on it, and apparently, I need to be 100% sure about the exact make, model, and diameter before anyone can start the restorative work.

The dentist I recently went to here in the Phoenix area was basically no help. They couldn't identify it visually, didn't want to get involved in the investigative work, and just told me to go track down the old surgical records myself if I want treatment.

The problem is, I tried calling the place in California that did the original surgery, but the clinic is permanently closed and the dentist retired. So now I have an unknown piece of hardware in my face, zero paperwork, a local dentist who won't help, and I'm currently without dental insurance to absorb the costs of wild goose chases.

I've been looking into third-party ID services like Spotimplant or WhatImplantIsThat. From what I'm reading, you can just upload a periapical radiograph, and their AI and/or experts will compare it to their databases to tell you the brand and model, but they can't confirm the exact diameter.

My questions for the professionals here:

1. How would you go about figuring this make, model, diameter out?
2. If I try to go the AI route, what exactly should I be asking for when I call around to local imaging centers or cash-pay clinics? Just a digital PA X-ray and a panoramic, and then ask for the raw JPEG files emailed to me?
3. How much should a simple cash-pay digital PA X-ray actually cost? One office quoted me $170 for a single film, which feels incredibly high.
4. Are those AI identification sites actually accurate enough to trust for identifying this, or is it a gamble?
5. Is it even physically possible to get the exact millimeter diameter of the implant from a standard 2D X-ray using these AI tools, or is the doctor doing the restorative work going to have to physically unscrew the old crown and measure the platform in the chair anyway?

Appreciate any advice on how to navigate this. I'm totally stuck and just trying to get the diagnostic info I need without getting fleeced on exam and X-ray fees.

Hey everyone,

I'm planning out my remote work infrastructure and need a sanity check on how Multi-WAN failover actually works with WireGuard on GLinet gear.

My plan is to have a Spitz AX acting as a WireGuard server at my home base. The primary WAN will be a standard ethernet ISP connection, and it would use a T-Mobile data SIM card as a cellular failover if the primary connection goes down.

My initial understanding was that the cellular failover just operates underneath the primary connection, meaning it wouldn't fundamentally change connectivity or routing. I thought it would just keep the data flowing. But I'm starting to read about CGNAT issues on cellular networks.

If my primary ethernet ISP drops and the Spitz AX fails over to the T-Mobile SIM, will my WireGuard server still be remotely reachable? For purposes of running the server, does the cellular connection use the exact same ports as the primary ISP, or does CGNAT stop the inbound WireGuard connection?

If the answer is that switching to the T-Mobile cellular connection changes the connection and makes it unreachable, is the workaround to have it go through Tailscale instead?

For context, I'll be running an identical setup on the travel route/client side with a Puli AX. It will have ethernet as primary and its own SIM as failover, though there will be a variety of SIMs used on the client side depending on what country I am in. Would failover on the client side stop my server from being reachable? Or will the client side seamlessly failover and re-establish the tunnel without me needing to manually intervene?

I bought the Puli AX already but just want to make sure this architecture actually works before I start dropping even more cash on hardware. Appreciate any insight!

Is Venice working on adding a GLM 5 or 5.1 heretic model?

Just wondering if anyone here has tested the recently released alpha firmware on the Comet Pro that enables webcam passthrough. If you have, what was your experience? This feature is key to my Comet Pro usecase, so curious to hear more about it.

Hey everyone, just have a quick question about setting up the Comet Pro.

My laptop dock only has a spare DisplayPort output available, but since the Comet Pro uses HDMI IN, I need a way to convert the signal.

If I buy a male-to-male DisplayPort to HDMI cable and plug the DP end into my dock and the HDMI end into the Comet Pro, will it actually pass the video feed through? Or does the Comet Pro strictly require a pure HDMI-to-HDMI connection?

Also, if it does work, do I need to make sure I get an active adapter cable to avoid handshake issues, or will a standard one work fine? Just trying to avoid buying the wrong thing and getting a blank screen.

Thanks in advance for any insight!