What your devices are doing, and why you should be able to see it.
Short essays on DNS, privacy, and the network you already own. No prerequisites, no jargon without explanation. Read in any order.
DNS
What the domain name system is, why every device uses it, and what it reveals about what your network is doing.
Network basics
How devices talk on a home network, and where the traffic you can't see actually goes.
Privacy principles
Why awareness beats blocking, and what local-first actually means in practice.
Threats
Telemetry, fingerprinting, and phone-home behavior — what to watch for on your network.
Reading the log
How to interpret Heron's DNS log and tell normal traffic from something worth attention.
Hardening your router
A short, practical walkthrough of router settings that reduce what your network leaks.
Auditing firmware
How to read the Heron source and verify that nothing phones home.
Monero payments
What XMR is, why it's used, and how to pay without an account or a card.
These are starting points, not manuals. If something is unclear, email northsline@protonmail.com — the reply will be real, and the essay will be better for it.