The Tinkering Tech

The Tinkering Tech Since picking up a screwdriver in 2004, I've racked up over 20 years of professional IT experience.

From single-PC families to supporting small businesses, larger enterprises, government and education, as a rule, I've tinkered with just about it all.

🔥🌩️💨 Heads up Central Vic — rough weather generally means rough powerWith some pretty ordinary weather forecast over the...
07/01/2026

🔥🌩️💨 Heads up Central Vic — rough weather generally means rough power

With some pretty ordinary weather forecast over the next few days, we’re likely to see brownouts, flickers, and the odd blackout around the place with increased load on infrastructure.

That’s where a UPS (battery backup) earns its keep.

🔌 What it’s for
A UPS keeps sensitive gear alive for a short time when the power drops out or goes ugly.
Modems, routers, NBN boxes, PCs, NAS devices, EFTPOS, security systems — that sort of stuff.

Best thing is, you can generally get a reasonable sized one off the shelf in town!

🤔 Why it’s a good idea right now
• Power flickers are often worse than full blackouts
• Sudden drops and spikes can damage electronics
• Gives you time to save work and shut things down cleanly
• Keeps internet up during short outages (WFH lifesaver)

🚫 What a UPS is NOT for
• Running heaters, kettles, fridges or aircons
• Powering your whole house
• Riding out an all-day blackout
It’s protection, not magic.

📏 Picking the right size
• List what you actually want protected
• Check watts, not just VA
• Expect 5–15 minutes of runtime
• Internet only? Small unit
• PC / NAS / business gear? Size up

If you’re not sure what you need, ask before buying — the wrong UPS is just a fancy power board.

Stay cool, stay safe, protect your hard work, and expensive gear.

If you don’t have a backup… you’re gambling with your memories.One coffee spill.One stolen phone.One dodgy update.One “o...
06/01/2026

If you don’t have a backup… you’re gambling with your memories.

One coffee spill.
One stolen phone.
One dodgy update.
One “oh sh*t” moment.

That’s all it takes.

If it would hurt to lose it — back it up:
📸 Photos
📄 Important files
💼 Business stuff

Not “I think it’s in the cloud”.
A proper backup.
Automatic. Reliable. Boring… and life-saving.

If you’re not sure whether you’re actually safe or just hoping for the best, I can help you sort it.

Scams aren’t “rare internet things” anymore — they’re constant, clever, and designed to trick normal people.I talk to a ...
05/01/2026

Scams aren’t “rare internet things” anymore — they’re constant, clever, and designed to trick normal people.

I talk to a lot of people who’ve had close calls… and sadly, some who’ve been caught.

If something ever feels off, dodgy, suspicious, emotional or “urgent” — don’t ignore that gut feeling.

Here are two really useful, legit Australian resources:

🔎 Scamwatch
Shows current scams, what to look for, and how to report:
https://www.scamwatch.gov.au

🆘 IDCARE
If you think your identity, data or accounts may be compromised, these folks provide real support and guidance:
https://www.idcare.org

If something weird pops up and you’re not sure what to do — don’t panic, and don’t be embarrassed. Just ask for help.

And if you’d rather talk to a real human locally, I’m always happy to help you sanity-check things before clicking, paying, or sharing info.

You’re not alone ❤️

Still using the same password everywhere?Cool.Until one website gets breached… and suddenly everything you own is up for...
05/01/2026

Still using the same password everywhere?

Cool.
Until one website gets breached… and suddenly everything you own is up for grabs.

A password manager = boring, grown-up, absolutely worth it.
✔ unique passwords
✔ auto-fill options
✔ no brain strain

And before anyone says it —
📓 password books and sticky notes are not “security”.
They’re just a neat little list of everything a thief needs, all in one place.

Future-you will thank you for fixing it now.

If you want help getting set up properly (without stressing about losing everything), I’ve got you.

“MFA is annoying.”Cool. Hackers are worse.Yeah, it’s an extra step. Yeah, sometimes it makes you swear.But that tiny inc...
04/01/2026

“MFA is annoying.”
Cool. Hackers are worse.

Yeah, it’s an extra step. Yeah, sometimes it makes you swear.
But that tiny inconvenience is the difference between:

❌ “someone tried to break in”
and
💥 “someone actually did and now your life sucks”

MFA helps protect:
✔️ Your bank
✔️ Your email
✔️ Your socials
✔️ Your identity
✔️ Your business

In 2026, passwords aren’t enough anymore.
If you only do one security thing this year:
👉 Turn. MFA. On.

💡 Pro tip:
Start with the important stuff first —
📧 Email
🏦 Banking
📱 Apple / Google account
💼 Anything business-related
They’re the “keys to the kingdom”.

And if you’re thinking:
“Hardware key? Passkeys? OTP? What’s the difference?”
That’s literally what I’m here for. I can help you pick the right option and set it up properly — without it ruining your day.

Did you know your email and passwords may have been leaked in a data breach — even if you’ve never been hacked yourself?...
03/01/2026

Did you know your email and passwords may have been leaked in a data breach — even if you’ve never been hacked yourself?

It happens when websites get compromised and user databases are stolen.
Your details then get traded around online, and criminals try those same logins everywhere else.

That’s how a lot of account break-ins happen.

There’s a brilliant free, trustworthy tool called
👉 Have I Been Pwned
where you can safely check whether your email has appeared in any known breaches.

🔍 https://haveibeenpwned.com

- It doesn’t show passwords.
- It doesn’t “hack” anything.
- It simply tells you whether your details were involved.

If it comes back with results — don’t panic. It just means now’s a good time to:
✔ change old passwords
✔ stop reusing the same password everywhere
✔ turn on Multi-Factor Authentication

If you’re not sure what to do or the results feel overwhelming, I’m more than happy to help you work through it, judgement-free.

There is help out there, and you don’t have to tackle it alone.

PSA: Good chance your brand-new device is already out of dateIf you unboxed a shiny new phone/tablet/computer recently… ...
02/01/2026

PSA: Good chance your brand-new device is already out of date

If you unboxed a shiny new phone/tablet/computer recently… bad news:
It’s probably months behind on security updates.

Before you do anything else:
☕ Grab a coffee
⚙️ Turn on automatic updates
🔐 Let it catch up on security patches

It’s one of the easiest “tech resolution” you can make this year that actually makes a difference.

If you need help, or your tech is already yelling at you with warnings — that’s what I’m here for.

🚨 FACEBOOK SECURITY PSA – DON'T GET GOT 🚨You know that "10" that's sitting in your friend requests you’ve never met, nev...
10/06/2025

🚨 FACEBOOK SECURITY PSA – DON'T GET GOT 🚨

You know that "10" that's sitting in your friend requests you’ve never met, never heard of, and wouldn’t recognise in a line-up? Yeah — they don’t want to be your friend.
They want your data, your contacts, your profile, and if they’re lucky, your access.

Facebook accounts are prime targets for scammers and crooks. Why?
Because most people treat them like digital diaries, not entry points to identity theft, business scams, or worse.

Here’s your early warning signs something’s off:

🚩 You’re getting DMs from people asking weird questions
🚩 Posts or tags are showing up that you didn’t make
🚩 You’re suddenly logged out of your account
🚩 Friends message you saying "Did you send me this link?"
🚩 New devices show up in your login history
🚩 You’re using the same password across 10+ things

🛠️ THE TINKERING TECH FACEBOOK SECURITY CHECKLIST 🛠️
Run through this now — future you will be grateful:

✅ [ ] Set a strong, unique password
No kids, no pets, no footy teams. Use a passphrase and a reputable password manager.

✅ [ ] Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Settings > Password & Security > Turn on MFA. One tap saves your bacon.

✅ [ ] Review active logins and devices
Anything dodgy? Boot it, and save a headache, change your password straight away.

✅ [ ] Audit who can see your stuff
Limit your profile info, past posts, friend list. Less public = less risk.

✅ [ ] Kill off unused apps and games
Settings > Apps & Websites. Old Candy Crush access? Axe it.

✅ [ ] Don’t accept random friend requests
If you wouldn’t lend them $20, don’t let them into your digital life.

✅ [ ] Make sure recovery options are solid
Double-check your phone number and email are current.

✅ [ ] Educate your family too
If they overshare or click junk, they’re the weak link in your digital fence.

🔧 Need a hand sorting it all out? I do security check-ups without the sales crap.

Shoot me a message — or tag someone who definitely needs to read this.

I’m not above picking a fight on Facebook for my own entertainment, so here’s a quick list on how to pick a web browser ...
28/04/2025

I’m not above picking a fight on Facebook for my own entertainment, so here’s a quick list on how to pick a web browser in 2025:

🦊 Firefox, because you’re a privacy nerd and probably run a home server (or 15).
🦁 Brave, because you like Chrome, but don’t want Google to own your digital everything.
🌐 Chrome, because it’s what you’ve always had and it’s free… But you’re the product.
🧹 Edge, because it was there, and you can tolerate Bing without setting something on fire.
🎮 OperaGX, because it’s great for gaming — and honestly, is your personal data really worth more FPS?
🍏 Safari, because you’re too rich to care about browser wars.
🖥️ cURL, because why browse when you can GET like a goddamn champion.

So, what’s your flavour and why? (Bonus points if you’re brave enough to admit it’s Edge.)



Don’t you just love when you find a motherboard screw cross threaded into another dimension? 🔩🪛Good thing all computer t...
22/04/2025

Don’t you just love when you find a motherboard screw cross threaded into another dimension? 🔩🪛

Good thing all computer techs have 3 hands to juggle the pliers, screwdriver and motherboard. 😅

Not gonna lie — kinda feels like a proud dad moment here.Got a tip about this in one of the local groups today and I’m g...
16/04/2025

Not gonna lie — kinda feels like a proud dad moment here.

Got a tip about this in one of the local groups today and I’m genuinely a bit blown away. I don’t do this for the praise (mostly I do it because I can, and it's a bit of fun), but seeing feedback like this reminds me why I started The Tinkering Tech in the first place.

Helping people feel less overwhelmed by tech — whether it’s fixing the Wi-Fi, untangling some gadget setup chaos, or just answering the “stupid questions” without judgement — that’s the real win.

So, to the legend who shared this — thank you. You made my week. 👨‍🔧🧡

Clean(ish) desk. Clear(ish) mind. Back? Debatable.This is the new “simple, clean-ish setup” — if you don’t look under th...
16/04/2025

Clean(ish) desk. Clear(ish) mind. Back? Debatable.

This is the new “simple, clean-ish setup” — if you don’t look under the desk. It’s pinned up, but I ain’t winning any cable management prizes down there.

Running with the only TKL mechanical I had lying around to save space on this glorified ironing board of a desk. The RGB? Yeah… it’s unashamedly loud, and very much a cry for help. Might be time for a bit of a review of the clicky clacks for something… different. Yeah, I’ve got a keyboard problem.

Everything else? Dialled in just enough to look productive on Zoom and justify the candle I forget to light.

Also yes, the duck is the smartest thing in the room.

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