Jamie Balfour

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Jamie Balfour'sPersonal blog

Jamie Balfour'sPersonal blog

Since I got my house nearly a year ago, I've been very busy with my network infrastructure. This involved installing my home security system, getting my home server running (which is my Home Bridge, Plex server, my PBX server, home web server, company web server backup server, SSH server and DDNS server updater), installing home phones, setting up my smart home such as all my bulbs, switches and everything else, and of course, connecting my computers to it. It's taken a while, but one thing that's been changing more and more is I'm using Power Over Ethernet (PoE) for more and more devices.

In the past, my PoE uses have been fairly limited to just my SIP phones but this week I ditched the power adapter for my SmartThings hub and my Ring base station after getting new PoE splitters. I'm also going to be replacing all the switches across the house with PoE switches to allow me to ditch power adapters elsewhere too. I'm still installing my CAT cables across the house and have been considering CAT8, but it's difficult to justify considering the price and the lack of flexibility on the cables.

In a few weeks, I will also be posting a YouTube video for the first time in years with a little look around my house one year on.

I've kept it very quiet - almost as well as Apple keep their products quiet, but I thought I'd let you all know, I move into my own home tomorrow. It's taken a while and I may be 29 years old, but I'm finally here.

I put my deposit down in January of last year. I bought the house last August and I was just waiting for the finishing touches to be applied. And although I do not really believe in fate, it's a bit of a coincidence about the house that the exact same style of house from Taylor Wimpey just along the road in Musselburgh, the type of the house there is called the Balfour. Things have worked out well as being a teacher I got 5% off the price of my house which means I've been left with a bit more money than I originally planned for which has allowed me to save a bit more.

As many know I actually had a mortgage and everything in place when I was 26 and got within three weeks of buying a house in 2017 but you know what, the decision to not do that (despite being half the price of my new house) was a good decision because I've got a much nicer and better-built house as a result. Some photos are provided below but more will come soon. 

Now I've just got a bunch of cabling (CAT6, USB and HDMI cabling) as well as carpeting to do to be ready to move in. 

I already have a feeling of missing my childhood home, but I'm only 5 miles away from it. 

And the next day...(as many of you know I do not really do selfie shots but this was a big moment!)

A thief caught entering my house!

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