Devices & Setup
Home tech inventory
Most home tech troubleshooting gets calmer once you know what exists, what depends on what, and which accounts or cables are part of the setup.
Write down the gear that keeps things working
- Router, modem, mesh nodes, switches, docks, monitors, printers, NAS devices, UPS units, and critical smart-home bridges.
- For each item, record the room, power source, network connection, and the app or account used to manage it.
- Mark the devices that break daily life if they fail: router, work laptop dock, backup drive, NAS, cameras, and shared printer.
Capture only useful details
- Use model numbers and serial numbers when they are visible without disassembling anything.
- Record router LAN address, Wi-Fi name, reserved device addresses, backup destinations, and UPS battery age.
- Keep passwords in a password manager, not in the inventory note.
Use it during troubleshooting
- Change one item at a time and write down what changed.
- When a device disappears, check the inventory before resetting the router or device.
- Update the note after replacing a cable, dock, router, drive, or backup target.
Last reviewed
2026-05-06