Home Security

I Tried This $10 Smart Plug Hack for 30 Days and My Security Improved Overnight

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A smart plug installed in a wall outlet powering a floor lamp at dusk.

Listen, I’ve spent forty years fixing leaky pipes and yelling at neighborhood kids to stay off my lawn. I don’t like “fancy” tech. Most of it is overpriced junk that breaks the moment you look at it. But I finally caved and bought a $10 smart plug because I was tired of coming home to … Read more

Locked Out Again? Here is Why Your Smart Lock is Failing (And How to Fix It)

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A homeowner troubleshooting a jammed smart lock on a front door using a mobile app.

I am standing on my front porch in the freezing January wind, groceries getting cold, while my phone tells me my front door is “unlocked.” It isn’t. The motor is whirring like a dying blender, but the bolt won’t budge. We were promised that smart locks would make our lives easier, but half the time, … Read more