Layer 1: Who Am I at the Physical Layer

Hi, I’m Tom 27 year old IT Engineer from North East Derbyshire.

I’ve spent the better part of the last decade knee-deep in cables, configs, and client calls—building, troubleshooting, and optimising networks across office spaces, warehouses, factories, and retail environments. I’m currently a Senior IT & Project Engineer at SBK Computers, and I thrive in that sweet spot between the nuts-and-bolts of infrastructure and the high-level planning that makes complex projects look seamless to the end user.

Whether it's building in redundancy, boosting performance, or future-proofing networks—be it over Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or fibre—I love solving problems that matter. I care about the outcomes. I take pride in building networks and solutions the right way—designed to scale, delivered cleanly, and documented properly.

One of the most rewarding projects I’ve led was a full network refresh across a five-unit business: an office, a factory, two warehouses, and a shop. I ripped out the outdated infrastructure and built a 10Gb backbone across all locations. I upgraded the Wi-Fi to support modern Android-based warehouse scanners while keeping legacy systems running smoothly during the transition. I carried out the wireless survey and design, then led a team of contractors to install data cabling, access points, and switches. We migrated both warehouses to larger cabinets and delivered full documentation, so the business had complete visibility and ongoing support was seamless.

This blog is my way of sharing what I’ve learned—practical insights, lessons from the field, and ideas that bridge the gap between IT and business. I’m a big believer that perfection is imperfect—every project has something to teach us.

There’s always more to learn, more to improve, and more to share. I’m looking forward to using this space to do exactly that.

Whether you're in IT or just rely on it to keep your business running, I hope you’ll find something useful here.