Independent Research

Privacy Smart Home

Privacy-focused smart home comparisons, buying guides, and local-first implementation playbooks.

Technical buying guides and product comparisons for privacy-minded users who want local control, data ownership, and a cloud-optional smart home.

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A layered defense diagram showing how to stop smart TV spying through ACR settings, DNS-level ad blocking, VLAN isolation, and alternative streaming device options for privacy-conscious households.
How-To

How to Stop Smart TV Spying: Disable ACR Tracking (2026)

Disable smart TV ACR on Samsung, LG, Vizio, Sony, and Roku—step-by-step 2026 menu paths. Block telemetry with Pi-hole or AdGuard and isolate the TV on a VLAN.

Sep 28, 2026
Network diagram showing ESPHome nodes and Mosquitto MQTT broker on a dedicated IoT VLAN with Home Assistant on an Automation VLAN, OPNsense firewall rules for TCP 6053 and 8883, and scoped mDNS repeater paths for local discovery without flattening the LAN in 2026.
How-To

How to Segment ESPHome and MQTT Devices on IoT VLANs

Step-by-step guide to isolating ESPHome and MQTT devices on a dedicated VLAN while preserving local discovery, OTA updates, and Home Assistant control in 2026.

Sep 10, 2026
Diagram of Thread border routers bridging low-power mesh networks to IPv6 LANs, illustrating how operational dataset credentials flow between Apple Home, Google Nest, and Home Assistant OTBR for local Matter control in 2026.
How-To

Extract Thread Credentials for Local Matter Commissioning

How to extract Thread network credentials (dataset TLVs) from Apple/Google to commission devices locally in Home Assistant without ongoing cloud dependency.

Sep 9, 2026
Privacy Smart Home September 2026 Valetudo robot vacuum purchase guide: late-2025 and 2026 retail revision traps including Roborock Q7 Max SkyHigh NAND lockout after teardown, Dreame L40 Ultra versus L40s Pro Ultra name-twins, negative deviceId on August 2025+ firmware, UART breakout PCB rooting path, and IoT VLAN MQTT hardening for cloud-free LiDAR maps.
Buying Guides

Valetudo 2026 Robot Vacuum Guide: Avoid Revision Traps

Device-by-device purchase matrix for valetudo supported robots: late-2025/2026 retail revision traps, Q7 Max SkyHigh NAND, Dreame name-twins, and safe SKUs.

Sep 8, 2026
Technical comparison infographic of Scrypted versus Frigate NVR stacks in September 2026, highlighting telemetry egress paths, WAN-blocked stability scores, local performance specs including Intel QuickSync decode and Coral TPU detection, and privacy posture for self-hosted smart home surveillance.
Comparisons

Scrypted vs Frigate: Privacy, Telemetry, and Specs

Scrypted vs Frigate compared on local performance, telemetry egress, and WAN-blocked stability—specs, firewall test matrix, and a privacy-first verdict.

Sep 7, 2026
Privacy Smart Home September 2026 Valetudo exploit and OTA lockout tracker: chronological matrix of OTA exploit sunsets on Roborock S5 and Xiaomi V1, UART service-port paths on Dreame aarch64 flagships, secure-boot firmware floors blocking flash, Roborock Q7 Max SkyHigh NAND post-disassembly lockout, and negative miio deviceId traps on August 2025+ Dreame builds for cloud-free local rooting.
Buying Guides

2026 Valetudo Exploit & OTA Lockout Tracker

Live matrix tracking silent PCB revisions, secure-boot floors, and firmware versions that block Valetudo local rooting on supported robot vacuums—OTA sunset dates and UART paths.

Sep 6, 2026