I have wanted to upgrade my network for a while and a recent event finally made me do it. I received a notice from my shit ISP indicating I was approaching my monthly cap, just 5 days into the month. I was using two Nighthawks, the RAX120 and AX6, two of the most absolute, piece of shit routers from day one, that have ever been created in the fucking universe, BTW. I checked my PoS network and notices some crazy traffic coming from somewhere but couldn't really get much info. This was really my fault running these two POS routers in the first place and not really having much else in place but here I am.

All of that to say, I'm not really a networking person and I wanted to get some feedback on my “upgraded” system. I don't mind tinkering with the network and learning more about networking in general so, anything technical is fine with me.

Here are some of the details with a diagram of my layout. Again, not a network person so, sorry for the shit diagram.

** Main House**

• 2200 sq/ft, 2 story
• Main Living, downstairs

ADU/Backyard Office

• 120 sq/ft
• Hard wired, 2x CAT6A

Internet

• Down: <1100 Mpds (at fucking best)
• Up: <35 Mbps (at fucking best)

Proposed Hardware

• Modem: Arriss SB8200 (Had it forever)
• Ethernet Router: Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Ultra (UCG-Ultra)
• PoE Switch: Ubiquiti Ultra 8-port GbE PoE switch

Main House

• Upstairs WiFi AP: Ubiquiti AP U7 In-Wall

• Downstairs WiFi AP: Ubiquiti U7 Lite 2.5 GbE

  Backyard Office / ADU

• WiFi Access Point: Ubiquiti U7 Lite 2.5 GbE

Other Stuff

• Pi running PiHole
• NAS for occasional video and pic dumps, often times over WiFi
• Family of 5, kids sure love streaming :/
• WFH 50%

Sorry for all the info, I’m just tired of battling with this absolute horseshit network for far too long and would rather put the time in building a proper network without going too crazy.

Attached are pics of my network devices.

I absolutely believe the Fediverse needs to remain a space built on transparency, autonomy, and equity for users, instance admins, and developers working on ActivityPub. Look at the current state of social media, power and money concentrated in the hands of a few, stifling innovation and undermining trust. The centralized model isn’t just flawed, I think it’s had a devastating impact on an entire generation.

The Fediverse offers us a chance to rethink how the internet should work. It’s not just about being a space for free expression; it’s also about proving that a values-driven model can support those who keep the lights on. My main question is, can we implement monetization that honors our commitment to fairness, transparency, and equity, while still ensuring that the people supporting the network earn a livable wage?

This isn’t about getting rich, it’s about creating a sustainable ecosystem that empowers us all to build and maintain a trustworthy digital space. The Fediverse is already a success in its own right, but to truly evolve and thrive, I would argue we need a resource model that can drive sustainable innovation and meaningful progress.

TL;DR: I’d quit my day job tomorrow if I could secure a living wage from this work. Many in tech whold do the same. Is a monetization model that fairly compensates those who support and sustain the Fediverse possible?