Gear I actually own and use.
Curated hardware, software, and books I've personally bought and run — in client environments, in my home lab, on my own desk. The items tagged "Marc owns this" mean exactly that. The rest are products I've deployed for clients or used in enterprise environments.
Networking — the foundation
The number-one cause of IT pain in small businesses is consumer-grade networking. Real network gear is cheaper than it's ever been — and these are the picks I actually deploy and run.
TP-Link TL-SG108 8-Port Gigabit Switch
The unmanaged switch I have in my own home lab. Metal case, fanless, plug-and-play, lifetime warranty. The go-to for adding wired ports without complexity.
View on Amazon →UniFi Express (budget pick)
Combined Wi-Fi 6 gateway and access point. Web-managed, guest VLAN out of the box, remote management. The right starter pick for an office under ~1,200 sq ft.
View on Amazon →UniFi Express 7 (future-proof pick)
The Wi-Fi 7 successor with a 10GbE port. $50 more than the original, significantly more headroom. The pick if you're starting fresh in 2026.
View on Amazon →Ubiquiti U6+ Access Point
Add this for larger spaces or multiple floors. Ceiling-mount, PoE, Wi-Fi 6. Pairs cleanly with either UniFi Express gateway above.
View on Amazon →Ubiquiti U7 Pro Access Point
The Wi-Fi 7 upgrade path. Worth it if your gateway already supports Wi-Fi 7 and you want to future-proof. Otherwise the U6+ is the sweet spot.
View on Amazon →Backup — for when things go wrong
"I have a backup" and "my backup actually works" are very different statements. These are tested deployments.
Synology DS224+ NAS
The right starter NAS for a small office. Two drive bays, runs SMB shares, includes Synology Active Backup for Business — solves the "OneDrive is not a backup" problem.
View on Amazon →WD Red Plus 4TB NAS Drive
Pair of these in the Synology gives you redundant 4TB of usable storage. Built for 24/7 operation. Don't put desktop drives in a NAS — they'll fail in months.
View on Amazon →SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
For offsite/rotating backups. Fast, rugged, USB-C. I keep one in my bag for client work.
View on Amazon →Power & protection
The most overlooked piece of small-business IT. A $150 UPS prevents thousands in damage and around here, gets you through brief Texas wind events.
APC Back-UPS Pro 1500VA
Battery backup plus surge protection for network gear and always-on machines. Software auto-shuts-down attached PCs cleanly.
View on Amazon →Anker Prime 200W 6-Port Charging Station
The one charger that replaced four on my desk. 200W across six ports, two USB-C ports each support 100W simultaneously — enough to charge two MacBook Pros at once. Built like a tank.
View on Amazon →Tripp Lite Isobar Surge Protector
Real surge protection (not the $10 power strip variety) with isolated outlet banks for sensitive equipment.
View on Amazon →Security — boring basics that work
You don't need a $50,000-a-year security suite. You need multi-factor on everything, hardware tokens for accounts that matter, and a password manager.
YubiKey 5C NFC
Hardware MFA token, USB-C and NFC. Phishing-resistant in a way SMS codes are not. Works with Microsoft 365, Google, 1Password, Bitwarden. Get two per admin user — one for daily use, one as a recovery backup in a safe.
View on Amazon →Workstation essentials
The kit that turns a fine computer into a desk people actually want to sit at.
Logitech MX Keys S Combo
The keyboard and mouse combo I use every day. Multi-device pairing (laptop and desktop both), customizable buttons, backlit keys. The MX Master mouse alone justifies the price.
View on Amazon →Logitech C920x HD Pro Webcam
The webcam on my desk for Zoom, Teams, and client calls. 1080p, autofocus, dual mics. Boring, reliable, and dramatically better than any laptop camera.
View on Amazon →Dell UltraSharp 27" Monitor
The "boring just works" workstation monitor. IPS panel, USB-C dock built in, 3-year warranty. Cheap monitors cost more in the long run — your eyes are worth $80 more.
View on Amazon →Acer 2-in-1 USB-C / USB-A SD Card Reader
Tiny dual-slot SD and microSD reader that works on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPad. Lives in my bag. Useful any time you need to pull from a Raspberry Pi card, dashcam, or security camera.
View on Amazon →Home lab & smart home
For aspiring sysadmins, remote workers, and clients who want IT around the house that works without thinking about it.
Raspberry Pi 5 (8GB)
The Swiss-army-knife of home labs. DNS server, monitoring, dashboards, kiosk displays. I run several in my own setup — including the M3 Family Calendar kiosk for my house.
View on Amazon →Amazon Fire HD 10 Tablet
The cheap-and-cheerful kiosk display. I use one mounted in our kitchen as the M3 Family Calendar — running a Fully Kiosk Browser locked to a shared dashboard. Perfect when you don't want to spend $500 on a smart display.
View on Amazon →GHome Wi-Fi Smart Plug
Cheap Wi-Fi smart plug for remote power cycling — useful for resetting routers, modems, or lab gear without driving to the location. Works with Alexa and Google Home, no hub needed.
View on Amazon →StarTech KVM Switch
One monitor, keyboard, and mouse driving multiple machines. Daily-driver tool for sysadmins running test boxes alongside their main workstation.
View on Amazon →Brother Label Maker (PT-D610BT)
Bluetooth label maker. Cables, ports, server racks, network drops — if it isn't labeled, it isn't documented. Get one before your next cable cleanup.
View on Amazon →Books & desk gear
What I'm actually reading and what's on my desk right now.
ISC2 CISSP Official Study Guide & Practice Tests Bundle
The Chapple/Stewart/Gibson/Seidl bundle I'm currently working through for CISSP certification. Two-volume bundle covering all eight domains plus practice tests. If you're chasing CISSP, this is the canonical Sybex set.
View on Amazon →Linux Commands Cheat Sheet Mousepad
Extra-large desk mat printed with Linux shell commands for Kali, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Debian. Equal parts useful reference and lab decor. Goes well with a fresh terminal and a cup of coffee.
View on Amazon →Need help picking?
If you're sizing up a deployment for your business or home and want a second opinion before you spend, that's literally what I do. Reach out — I'll give you a real recommendation, not a sales pitch.