Is Shadow IT already in your organization?

You wouldn’t allow unmanaged devices on your network, so why allow unmanaged AI into your meetings?

Shadow IT is becoming one of the biggest blind spots in cybersecurity.

Employees are adopting AI notetakers without oversight, creating ungoverned data trails that can include confidential conversations and sensitive IP.

Don't wait until it's too late.

This Shadow IT prevention guide from Fellow.ai gives Security and IT leaders a playbook to prevent shadow AI, reduce data exposure, and enforce safe AI adoption, without slowing down innovation.

It includes a checklist, policy templates, and internal comms examples you can use today.

Download the Shadow IT Prevention Guide

Boost Your Network Troubleshooting Skills: Automation Tools & CLI Essentials

Aloha RouterFreakers! 🤙

This week, we are going deep on network troubleshooting tools!

Boost Your Network Troubleshooting Skills: Automation Tools & CLI Essentials

In modern networks, complexity and speed demand smarter troubleshooting approaches. This week, we’re covering two indispensable topics for every network engineer looking to elevate their game.

First, explore how network troubleshooting automation tools like Cisco DNA Center, Paessler PRTG, and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor are revolutionizing network operations. These platforms use AI, deep packet inspection, and real-time analytics to detect and resolve issues quickly—saving you time and minimizing downtime.

Check out: Network Troubleshooting Automation Tools

Then, dive into the power of network troubleshooting from the CLI (Command Line Interface). Whether you’re working on a remote device without fancy tools or need granular control, mastering CLI commands—like ping, traceroute, and show interfaces—is crucial. Understand the networking principles behind these commands and learn how to tackle VLAN misconfigurations, routing hiccups, and packet inspection like a pro.

Check out: Network Troubleshooting from the CLI

Together, these articles deliver a comprehensive toolkit to help you maintain resilient, high-performing networks. Don’t miss out on this essential knowledge—read more on Router Freak today!

🗓️ Upcoming Events for Network Engineers

Because even the best engineers need to escape the server room sometimes. Here’s what’s on the horizon:

• Chicago Cybersecurity Summit
  September 6, 2025 | Chicago, IL
  A gathering of cybersecurity executives and practitioners focusing on protecting critical network infrastructures, offering panels, discussions, and networking valuable for defensive network engineering.

• Cisco Live 2025 Melbourne
  November 10-13, 2025 | Melbourne, Australia
  A major Cisco event featuring 300+ technical and business sessions on networking, AI, security, and infrastructure innovation. Ideal for network engineers wanting deep Cisco tech insight and industry leadership presentations.

That’s a wrap for new content this week! Keep Scrolling for Data Call, Engineer Resources, and Opportunities to Contribute and Connect.
Got a killer tip, a burning question, or a meme-worthy network diagram? Hit reply—we love hearing from you (and yes, we read every RFC you send).

P.S. If you enjoyed this, forward to a friend or your favorite sysadmin. Sharing is caring—unless it’s your root password.

PPS. We are testing out a new Newsletter platform, please let us know how the newsletter looks and performs on your devices. We are also always welcoming feedback on our newsletter, do you like our attempt at Networking humor this week? Reply and let us know!

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Don't miss out on our upcoming articles, reviews, and training materials. Make sure to:

• Bookmark our website

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Check out our latest content below and if you're using Gmail, move our newsletter to your primary mailbox to ensure proper delivery!

Data Call

This week, we are leaving open our survey on your favorite Network Management Tools. Let us know in our super quick 3 question survey and we'll share the results with everyone in the next newsletter.

Our Audience Survey is still open!

Recommended Reading

Resource Center

To improve accessibility to our free resources, we will include links to our free downloads page in every newsletter.

Call for Resources:

Do have Visio Stencils we are missing or Python Scripts we can share with other newsletter subscribers (no paywalls, we only ask visitors to subscribe to our newsletter for access). Reply to this email with whatever you can help our community out with!

​Specific Requests:

We've received requests for the following Visio stencils, does anyone have these so we can get them into our archive and out to the specific RouterFreaks who asked for them?

• Cisco RV345 dual WAN router

• AudioCodes Mediant 1000B Gateway

• Versa box

Contribute and Connect

We believe that the strength of our network lies in the collective wisdom of our members. As we continue to grow and evolve, we're reaching out to tap into the vast pool of knowledge and resources that you, our valued readers, possess.

We're looking for:

• Technical guides you've created or found particularly useful

• Troubleshooting tips that have saved the day

• Book recommendations for network engineers at all levels

• Online courses or webinars that have enhanced your skills

• Tools and software that have improved your workflow

• Industry reports or whitepapers worth sharing

• Regular content writers

Your contributions will help fellow network engineers tackle challenges, stay updated with the latest trends, and grow professionally. By sharing, you're not just helping others – you're strengthening our entire community. How to contribute:

1. Email your resources to [email protected]

2. Include a brief description of why you find the resource valuable

3. Let us know if you'd like to be credited by name or remain anonymous

We'll review all submissions and feature the most impactful ones in our upcoming newsletters and on our website. Remember, every bit of knowledge shared is a step towards a more connected and informed RouterFreak community. Let's pool our resources and grow together!

​

Mahalo,
​

Dan on behalf of RouterFreak