My Journey into Hardware Modding: Raspberry Pi Projects

Published on June 24, 2025

Software is great, but there's something satisfying about holding your project in your hand. I've been spending more time recently with Raspberry Pi hardware modifications ("mods").

The Pi-Hole Network Blocker

My first "essential" project was a Pi-Hole. It acts as a DNS sinkhole, blocking ads and trackers for every device on my network. It's incredibly efficient and speeds up browsing significantly.

Custom Case and Cooling

The Raspberry Pi 4 runs hot. I designed and 3D-printed a custom case that accommodates a larger heatsink and a PWM-controlled fan (scripted in Python, of course). Learning basic CAD design to fit the PCB dimensions was a steep learning curve but very rewarding.

Portable Hacking Station

I'm currently working on a portable setup using a Raspberry Pi Zero W, a small e-ink display, and a battery pack. The goal is to have a pocket-sized Linux terminal for network diagnostics on the go. It runs a headless Kali Linux distro.

Hardware forces you to think about constraints—power, heat, and physical space—that we often ignore in cloud development. It’s a great exercise in efficiency.