Set up ipsec VPN with Strongswan on Ubuntu with PSK for roadwarrior use

This post shows how to setup an ipsec VPN connection in roadwarrior fashion. Roadwarrior mode is where you typically have a mobile device which has a dynamic address and you want to connect back to a VPN server. This post uses a simple pre shared key to establish the VPN connection using strongswan. This is much simpler than my past openswan approach which also relied on L2TP, Pluto etc. needing to be configured. Performance also seems to be better with VPN connections establishing much faster.

Ubuntu as an Apple Time machine capsule with Samba SMB2

Apple's TimeMachine now works with Samba SMB2. Apple also is moving to depreciate AFP which was the previously underpinned TimeMachine. Since Yosemite OSX 10.10 it is possible to use samba which in my view is easier and simpler to set up. Read on...

Get BBC iPlayer working on Logitech Media Server with Squeezebox Touch & Classic


Getting BBC iPlayer to work on Logitech Squeezebox has not been simple in the last 18 months due to BBC's ongoing changes to their iPlayer infrastructure. Here's how I have it working as of February 2012 on a Logitech Squeezebox Plus and Logitech Squeezebox Classic, read on...