About Me | FrƎƎjack Tech

Hi, I'm Ray

I'm Ray Knights, a BSc (Hons) Network Engineering graduate and a tech enthusiast who loves tinkering with Raspberry Pis, home networks, gadgets and anything with a plug.

I started FrƎƎjack Tech to share the guides I wish I'd had when I was starting out: plain-English, step-by-step tutorials that you can follow at home, with free cheat sheets to keep by your keyboard. Everything is written for beginners, and I try to explain why things work, not just which buttons to press.

I run two YouTube channels. FrƎƎjack Tech (pronounced "Freejack Tech") is where the tech videos that go with this site live. My main channel, FrƎƎjack, is the fun, no-niche one, where I share all sorts of projects and plenty more besides.

What I cover on the site

Raspberry Pi projects, like network-wide ad blocking with Pi-hole and your own VPN server
Networking guides, from setting up your home Wi-Fi to how routing protocols work
General IT help, from fixing common problems to choosing an operating system
Gadgets I've bought and actually use: my 3D printer, my Helium LoRaWAN hotspots, my Kaspa miners and the Steam Deck I upgraded myself
Free downloads: printable cheat sheets that go with the tutorials

My qualifications

I studied at Blackpool and The Fylde College, where I went from a BTEC in IT (2017) to a Lancaster University degree in Network Engineering (2020). Click any certificate to see it bigger. I've blurred the certificate numbers, reference codes, signatures and security holograms so they can't be copied.

2020

My BSc (Hons) Network Engineering degree certificate from Lancaster University, with the certificate numbers, signatures and hologram blurred — **BSc (Hons) Network Engineering (Systems Administration)**Lancaster University, studied at Blackpool and The Fylde College. Second Class Honours (Division Two)1 July 2020

2019

My Foundation Degree of Science certificate, with the certificate numbers, signatures and hologram blurred — **Foundation Degree of Science (FdSc) in Network Engineering (Systems Administration)**Lancaster University, studied at Blackpool and The Fylde College. Awarded with Commendation28 August 2019

2017

My Pearson BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in IT certificate, with the reference codes, signature and seal blurred — **Pearson BTEC Level 3 Subsidiary Diploma in IT**Blackpool and The Fylde College. Grade: Distinction*June 2017

My BTEC Notification of Performance showing a Distinction in all six units, with the learner number, reference codes, signature and seal blurred — **BTEC Notification of Performance**Distinction in all six units: Communication and Employability Skills for IT, Computer Systems, Software Design and Development, Computer Networks, Client Side Customisation of Web Pages, and Human Computer InteractionJune 2017

My Blackpool and The Fylde College Computing award for the Overall Highest Grade, with the signature blurred — **Computing award: Overall Highest Grade**Blackpool and The Fylde CollegeJuly 2017

For my degree dissertation, I compared three dynamic routing protocols, RIPv2, OSPF and EIGRP, to find out which converges fastest. You can read what I found, and grab the free cheat sheet, in RIPv2 vs OSPF vs EIGRP.

Cisco Networking Academy coursework (2018–2019)

These were the four CCNA Routing and Switching courses I completed at college, on the syllabus Cisco used before it replaced CCNA R&S in 2020. They're course certificates, not the CCNA exam, but they're where my love of routing started.

My Cisco Networking Academy course completion certificate for CCNA Routing and Switching: Introduction to Networks, with the instructor's name and signature blurred — **CCNA Routing and Switching: Introduction to Networks**Cisco Networking Academy, Certificate of Course Completion, Blackpool & Fylde College18 January 2018

My Cisco Networking Academy course completion certificate for CCNA Routing and Switching: Routing and Switching Essentials, with the instructor's name and signature blurred — **CCNA Routing and Switching: Routing and Switching Essentials**Cisco Networking Academy, Certificate of Course Completion, Blackpool & Fylde College31 May 2018

My Cisco Networking Academy course completion certificate for CCNA Routing and Switching: Scaling Networks, with the instructor's name and signature blurred — **CCNA Routing and Switching: Scaling Networks**Cisco Networking Academy, Certificate of Course Completion, Blackpool & Fylde College15 January 2019

My Cisco Networking Academy course completion certificate for CCNA Routing and Switching: Connecting Networks, with the instructor's name and signature blurred — **CCNA Routing and Switching: Connecting Networks**Cisco Networking Academy, Certificate of Course Completion, Blackpool & Fylde College22 May 2019

Get in touch

Got a question about one of the tutorials, or an idea for the next one? You can email me at [email protected], or leave a comment on any of my FrƎƎjack Tech videos.