Alright, gather ‘round, folks. Let me tell you a story about how I decided to complicate my life even further by creating AS401155. Because, you know, juggling a high-stakes engineering job wasn’t enough. I needed a side project to remind me that no matter how much I know, the universe always has more ways to mess with me.

The Genesis of Madness

So, there I was, staring at my Starlink connection, thinking, “Wow, this is great! But you know what would make it better? A massive dose of IPv6 and a sprinkle of BGP.” Because, obviously, the best way to improve a stable home network is to introduce the same kind of chaos that keeps the internet running (or crashing, depending on the day).

And thus, AS401155 was born. Not out of necessity, but out of sheer curiosity and a masochistic desire to “better understand BGP.” Because who needs simple, straightforward hobbies like gardening or stamp collecting when you can dive into the abyss of network protocols?

The Grand Plan

What’s AS401155 for, you ask? Good question. Here’s the official, fancy-sounding answer: It’s a personal autonomous system aimed at adding IPv6 to my Starlink connection and gaining a deeper understanding of BGP.

Now, here’s the real answer: It’s my way of ensuring that every time I think I’ve got a handle on things, I get slapped in the face by some obscure routing issue or a mysterious VyOS quirk. Keeps me humble. Keeps me sharp. Keeps me on the brink of a meltdown.

VyOS: Because Why Settle for Simplicity?

Of course, I couldn’t just use any router OS. I had to go with VyOS because nothing says “fun” like an open-source network operating system that lets you tinker until your eyes bleed. Seriously, VyOS is great. It’s powerful, it’s flexible, and it’s a never-ending source of “What the hell just happened?” moments.

With VyOS, I get to write firewall rules in my sleep, troubleshoot bizarre network issues before breakfast, and experience the joy of implementing BGP configurations that sometimes work and sometimes summon the dark lord of network outages. But hey, it’s all in the name of learning, right?

The Real Reason

But let’s be honest. The real reason I created AS401155 is that I’m a glutton for punishment. There’s something thrilling about knowing that at any moment, my meticulously crafted network could implode because of a rogue configuration or an unforeseen interaction between protocols.

Plus, it gives me something to rant about on this blog. And you, dear reader, get to enjoy my descent into madness, one packet at a time.

So here’s to AS401155, my beautiful, chaotic mess of a project. May it continue to baffle, frustrate, and occasionally enlighten. And may I never learn my lesson and always find new ways to overcomplicate my life.