Quick network and witness node update.

I've been continuing to peck away at my network and my witness node. I thought I'd have some articles to show by now, but here is just a quick and dirty update instead.

I did get fiber optics installed as an upgrade from Spectrum cable so now I have a big ass pipe up and down with really low latency. This is definitely necessary for my upcoming witness node.

The cable internet here was piped straight to my router and everyone used wifi for our network and the internet. Our house is routed with Cat6 terminated into phone jacks throughout the house, so that is awesome. Now that we have this fiber optic line coming in though, I had them run a return line back to the origin of all those lines where I can put in a switch and RJ45 connectors so we can eliminate a lot of the wifi in here as well as have a much improved network altogether.

It's pretty cool to sit here and read stuff about installing and running a witness node and how to change out these connectors and set this network up correctly. I'm going to get a bunch of Klein tools:

• Scout 3 Pro tester, tracer probe, crimper, stripper, and cutter.
• A bunch of pass through connectors and some strain relief boots.
• A bunch of wall plates.
• Labeler
• Network switch

Once this is done, I can start building the actual witness node machine. I could do that now, but I'd like a little more time to absorb the whole witness node thing. It's really interesting to sort through all the posts and conversations as well as the Discord channels where node operators hang out. I have some web server experience for sure, but this stuff is making me work to really grasp the entirety of it. I'm not ever comfortable trying to set up and run something like this without feeling like I've got a pretty solid grasp.

Anyway. I'm still here grinding away, fyi.