For this example I’m going to have my AppleTV use the VPN while other traffic does not. I’ll be using the latest build of Advance Tomato on my ASUS router and OpenVPN service from Smart DNS Proxy but this will work with most routers and VPNs though the setup might be different or manual.

Step 1: Assign Static IP Addresses to VPN Devices

The first step is to log in to our route and assign a static IP address to the AppleTV. We need to have a static IP address to assure the routing rules won’t change in the future if the AppleTV loses it’s lease.

Log in to the router and navigate to the device list, find the Apple TV and click the “Static” button below it. In this example my AppleTV is named Living Room.

The form will pre populate with the correct rules so just click “Add” and then click “Save” to save this rule. Also at this point make a note of the IP Address assigned. In this case it’s 192.168.1.120.

Step 2: Setup the OpenVPN Connection

Following your VPN providers directions, setup your OpenVPN connection on the router. One big change that we willed to make from their directions is we want to issue the –route-noexec command so we can setup our own rules.

In our case with Smart DNS Proxy VPN we will follow their manual directions to setup a connection to their New York server. The setup on the Basic tab follow their directions as follows.

Next, on the Advanced tab is where we are going to make our custom change by adding the –route-noexec command in the custom configuration box.

Add the certificate on the Keys tabs as directed by your provider.

And finally one the Routing Policy tab is where we can add our custom routing rules for the AppleTV. Here you will need that IP Address from earlier for the AppleTV, ours was 192.168.1.120. Add the IP Address and “From Source IP” and then click “Add” and then click “Save” to save all your changes.

What we just did was use the –route-noexec command to tell the router to not add any default VPN rules and then we added our own rule to the Routing Policy tab lets us tell the router what devices we want to send through the VPN.

Next click the Start icon to start the new client VPN and your AppleTV (or Roku, or XBox, or Play Station) will use the VPN default allowing access to geo-blocked services!

Step 3: There is No Step Three

That’s it, it really is that simple! Enjoy your video streaming!

The post The No Code Way to Setup Selective VPN Routing appeared first on aGeekDad.

Keezer (noun): a freezer that has been modified to serve beer from a keg

Every home brewer at some point as given a lot of though to tapping a keg at home and pour yourself beer? I certainly did when a few years back I built our first Keezer. However, we foolish didn’t bring it with us when we moved!  But every setback is a new opportunity and here we get to build a new keezer and for me the building is half the fun!

You can read all about the process and steps on the article at ageekdad.com, we won’t go in to that in this post where I’ll cover what I did differently.

While the total cost each project was about $1000 there were some big differences between them.

• In 2012 we built a 3 tap system, in 2015 we build a four tap system. This added an extra set of lines, taps, and a keg.
• The price of temperature controllers have plummeted in the last 3 years.
• We used chrome plated brass instead of stainless steel to save on the cost.
• Passed on the bottle opener and cap catcher this time, we rarely used it.
• And the biggest difference of all in 2012 we built it in Atlanta, GA and in 2015 we built it in Bermuda!

To start we had to get a new, or used, chest freezer to base the new keezer on. Unfortunately, unlike our first build it seems no one makes black chest freezers anymore so we settled for a white one. Actually two, we bought a used one from a friend but it turned out to be too small so we bought a new one as well.  Don’t worry the first one will become a fermentation chamber but that’s another post.

The rest of the parts were purchased at home-brew shops in the US and purchased locally at Gorhams.

One of the trickiest issues is getting the beer to pour right. Not too slow but not foamy either. This is a very difficult issue that requires a lot of complex math that crosses both liquid and gas handling equations that are impacted by:

• The diameter and material of beer line
• Temperature of the beer
• Alcohol content of the beer
• Tap vertical distance from the keg
• CO2 pressure in the keg
• Flow rate of the beer

Thankfully in the internet age there are many calculators online to solve the problem for you! I used this calculator to help determine the line length. It’s important to give this a lot of though beforehand or you might be buying new line(s) if you cut yours too short or decide the beer is too warm or cold.

Finally, instead of custom tap handles with chalk or whiteboard surfaces we instead printed our beer labels on magnetic ink jet paper which sticks to the keezer very well.  It also lets us put notes (coming soon, still conditioning) and warning labels (high alcohol content)next to each beer. If you’re interested and want to see what where pouring in our new keezer today check this page!

The post Building a Keezer appeared first on aGeekDad.

After performing research on all the best home brew web sites I was really inspired by the keezers I saw a decided to go that route. A keezer is a chest freezer that has been modified for use with beer.

While the process to build a keezer seems simple it does involve some DIY skill including electrical wiring so this is not a project for everyone. Also, it is a more expensive project and the sky is the limit when customizing. Most people don’t cover the cost of a project like this is the various forums so I’ve included a breakdown of the costs in the gallery. The total cost for this project was $836 which doesn’t include the kegs, beer, or carbon dioxide.

To begin the most important step is to turn this freezer in to a refrigerator. A typical chest freezer can’t run warm enough to serve beer. I started out by trying to adjust the existing controller’s coarse adjustment screw but that didn’t work on this model as I couldn’t get it to run about 34F.  So the only other option was to swap out the temperature controller for one that has a much wider control range. I chose to go with a simple controller from Love Electronics. Once done this will allow the freezer to run at 43F which is perfect for most beer.

Next we need to have some place to put our faucets that we will pour the beer from. With chest freezers the walls of the freezer are the coils for the cooling system, so we can’t drill in there as we could hit a coil and this project would be over. The simplest solution to this is to put a insulated collar on top of the chest and move the lid to the collar. To complete this I used some 1×8 southern yellow pine that I stained and then insulated and sealed with 1″ foam and silicone. Sealing the unit air tight is very important as it keeps the inside cool and keeps moisture out.

Finally we have all the plumbing, both the liquid and gas sides. This time I purchased complete kegerator a kit from kegconnection.com and some high end stainless steel faucets and shanks from kegoutlet.com. While stainless steel is more expensive, it’s best to use it instead of chrome plated brass which does wear out faster and is harder to keep clean. Keeping everything clean is important to both taste and health.

With a few finishing touches like a drip tray, cap catcher, and a bottle opener and this draft beer system is complete. Add some kegs full of beer and some CO2 and you’ll be ready to serve!

The post Pouring a Pint at Home in Style appeared first on aGeekDad.

However upon receiving the Apple Time Capsule I discover it doesn’t have any mounting capability! A quick search found many mounts like this mount, but they were all $50 or more!

So I came up with this simple mount made from a coated wire hanger and a few washers and screws. I has all these items already hanging around so this was a free hack!

Using two pairs of pliers I carefully bent the coat hanger in to the right shape to hold the Apple Time Capsule leaving loops at each end to secure to the board with washers and screws! A quick and simple mount!

The post Quick, Free Apple Time Capsule Mount appeared first on aGeekDad.

I created the right size printouts for the saying and placed them in the picture frames and arranged them on the wall. Simple but it looks great! That and no more big blue wall.

The post A Quick Art Project appeared first on aGeekDad.

First the cables were driving me nuts! So I’ve added some cable management to the desk. To do this I went out and bought the EXPEDIT Door Insert and installed it under the monitor and computer. I then drilled a 1.5″ in hole in the top of the EXPEDIT book case to allow cables to pass in and out while leaving the VIKA desktop untouched. This also had the benefit of allowing me to hide the UPS in addition to all of the power cables running everywhere for a much cleaner look.

Next was the clutter, it needed to be hidden as well. So help this issues I added some BRANÄS Baskets and another EXPEDIT Door Insert to hide the clutter. At the end, am left with a well organized and clean workspace!

The post Standing Desk Update appeared first on aGeekDad.

Like the desk components, the bookcases also came from Ikea and are the BILLY series of bookcases in the same color to match the desk.

I get asked about the difficulty level of my posts ofter so let me state that the construction process for these built-in bookcases was quite involved and not recommended for first timers. With that in mind this is how the project was completed.

The first step was assembling the bookcases I replaced the cardboard backs that come from Ikea with custom cut hardboard that I then painted three different colors. I wanted to paint the backs of the bookcases as an entirely black wall would be too dark for the small room and I used three different complimentary colors to keep it interesting and add some flare. The bookcases were then glued together with Gorilla Glue to make sure nothing would ever move and placed on a new platform that was constructed along the back wall that was about 8 inches high. Each of the bookcases were then glued to each other with Gorilla Glue to make one solid and massive BILLY. After being secured in place of the top and bottom to the base and wall studs, the top, bottom, and sides were finished in with cabinet grade wood that was painted (not stained) to match the black-brown BILLY bookcases. Then I ran vertical trim from floor to ceiling over the joints where the bookcases met and horizontal trim inset by a 1/4 inch at the top and bottom of each BILLY to finish off the integration.

Since the bookcases would cover the old wall we were free to cut as much drywall as needed to move the outlet from the wall to a new position much high allowing a stereo to be plugged in on one of the shelves. Let me tell you how fun it is to mess up a wall that you don’t have to fix to perfection when done!

Some beer glasses, books, and NASA Tweetup swag and we’ve now got some great looking built-in bookcases.

The post Built in Ikea BILLY Bookcases appeared first on aGeekDad.

The first step was to do some research on the ergonomics of standing while working on a computer so I could get the height right for me.  I use some books, paint cans, and other materials to prototype the desk I figured out the correct height I would need to work and type comfortably.

To start I turned the Expedit on it’s side and attached some Ikea casters to raise the desk off the ground and make it easy to move around while I do a bigger home office remodel. To attach the desktop I used 5 inch (127 mm) bolts some PVC pipe and CDs to make the risers that sit between the Expedit and Vika desktop to get my perfect height.  This was done as close as possible to the ends to ensure the desktop was attached through the solid portion of the desktop.

To finish off the desk I purchased a monitor arm to attach my monitor to ensure it was at the right height for working as well.

The post A Standing Desk appeared first on aGeekDad.

We started by building a base out of 2×4’s to set the BESTÅ shelf units on. This was sized to fit the convenient setback in the wall in the basement.

Next we had to size the three IKEA shelf units were about 1.5 inches to long in total, so we happily voided any warranties and I modified the unit that would go in the middle.

After the modifications were done, the bases of the shelf units were screwed down to the 2×4 frame and then they were fully assembled. All the wiring was run for audio, networking, and power hiding it in a gap behind the shelf units and in the walls.

We painted the back wall an accent color. The doors were installed on the unmodified units and we build a custom top to go over the BESTÅ shelf units to get the television the correct height. We also filled in the wall using the LACK shelves.  Oh and we played some RockBand to test all the wiring connections.

We finished by installing the trim and painting the new countertop white to match the BESTÅ shelf units.

The post Built in Basement Home Theater appeared first on aGeekDad.

I hit the Home Depot for some poplar strips and cut them to the right size for the drawer. I test fitted them in place with the silverware that would go in those compartments. Looks like a good fit!

Next I sanded them and rounded the top edges, hit them with a few coats of a satin finish polyurethane. After disassembling the drawer I used the nail gun to fasten them in place.

And that was it! OCD happiness!

The post Kitchen Drawer Hacking appeared first on aGeekDad.

Before getting started with the how, here is the before shot.  As you can see, just a big open space! Be sure to check out those classy Christmas decorations!

To start this project we needed to remove the floor board and affix a post to the floor joist in order to have a stable wall that didn’t wobble. After pulling up the floorboard we found that the previous owners had just covered up the old cold air return when they removed the wall. This made it really easy for us to nail in a post and install some angle braces for support. Woot! It would also allow me to put the cold air return back in the wall and not have it in the floor anymore, this was a big bonus for the wife who hated the vent in the floor!

Next up was the simple task of building a standard wall frame and attaching it to the existing wall and the new post. Space was left open in one segment for the cold air return. Also we built up the post to give it the desired size.

OK, as a geek dad, I could not resist the temptation to run some low voltage wire for TV, Ethernet, and phone.  These runs are from the premise room to the cable TV junction, basement home theater, a new outlet in the new wall, and other places. The reason for doing all this it it will let us replace a bunch of wire that the previous owners ran on the outside of the house! I can’t stand running cable on the outside of a house.

Now for the drywall and paneling. Yes I said paneling! The family room is painted paneling (remember, I told you this is 1970’s house). At Home Depot, we found the closet paneling we could to match what was installed. As a side note, paneling in 2010 is about 1/2 the thickness of paneling in 1974 so we needed to double up. With the drywall up and the top trim and plate installed it was on to mudding, taping and sanding which for me is the the worst part of any job, short of plumbing!

After a few days we are almost there and it is time to prime and paint the new wall and trim! Once again, I must thank the previous owners for their thoughtful decision to paint with the most expensive paint on the planet, Sherwin Williams! Even after coupons and sales the paint still cost us about $100; that was more than all the other materials combined! With the wall painted and the rest of the trim installed, we now have an awesome finished half wall!

The post Dividing Room Space appeared first on aGeekDad.

So we finally received our radon test results today and the radon level from our test was 3.5 pCi/L. As it took the US Post Office 10 days to deliver our test to the lab this result has a greater than 25% margin of error, so we will have to do another test, and probably FedEx it to the lab this time.

Given we live in a hot zone for Radon in Georgia, if the result of our second test remains in this range there is little short-term risk but given we now have three kids, two cats, and one dog, we will have to consider fixing our home to get those levels down for all of us.

The post Results of Radon Test appeared first on aGeekDad.