In an effort to troubleshoot persistent connectivity issues, a tech enthusiast began utilizing a Raspberry Pi 4 with a wired Ethernet connection to run ntopng, a traffic monitoring tool, and NetAlertX, which tracks device presence on the network. The user discovered that their router's diagnostics were inadequate, only showing basic connectivity without revealing deeper issues. Notably, regular backups from devices were consuming substantial bandwidth during the evening, a detail previously overlooked. Additionally, background traffic from smart devices contributed to network strain, often leading to disconnections that the router failed to report. By leveraging these monitoring tools, the user was able to identify problematic devices, schedule backups more effectively, and assign static IPs to improve network stability. Overall, the Raspberry Pi setup transformed their approach to network management, leading to enhanced performance and reliability of their smart devices.