Lee Smyth

Network Engineering Graduate

Northern Ireland Open to Opportunities Ulster University 2026
Lee Smyth LS

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About Me

I'm a recent Computer Science graduate from Ulster University with a passion for network engineering and security. My journey combines academic knowledge with practical experience from a year as a Junior Software Developer at IDOX PLC, plus hands-on networking projects in my continuously evolving homelab.

What excites me most about networking is the intersection of security and innovation. I've developed NetPulse, a machine learning-based intrusion detection system, and built a portable Raspberry Pi router for secure connectivity on the go. These projects reflect my belief that network security should be intelligent, proactive, and accessible.

Currently pursuing my CompTIA Network+ certification, I'm eager to apply my skills in a professional network engineering role. I'm particularly interested in network security, automation, and building resilient infrastructure that can adapt to evolving threats.

Experience & Journey

2025 - Present

Homelab & Network Security Projects

Building continuously evolving homelab infrastructure. Developed NetPulse ML-based IDS system and portable Raspberry Pi router. Currently pursuing CompTIA Network+ certification while documenting my learning journey.

NetPulse IDS Machine Learning Raspberry Pi Network Security
2024 - 2025

Junior Software Developer - IDOX PLC

One year experience developing software solutions, working with development teams, and gaining exposure to enterprise IT infrastructure and professional software development practices.

Software Development Team Collaboration Enterprise IT Professional Experience
2022 - 2026

BSc Computer Science - Ulster University

Comprehensive computer science education with focus on networking, security, and systems. Completed coursework in network protocols, cybersecurity, algorithms, and software engineering.

Networking Security Programming Systems
2023 - 2024

Network Engineering Self-Study

Started building homelab and pursuing networking certifications. Implemented pfSense firewall, VLANs, and network monitoring. Began hands-on learning with real network equipment and virtual environments.

pfSense VLANs Homelab Self-Learning

Engineering Philosophy

Security First

Every network design prioritizes security through defense-in-depth, zero-trust principles, and continuous monitoring

Automate Everything

Reduce human error and increase efficiency through comprehensive automation and infrastructure as code

Document Thoroughly

Maintain detailed documentation, network diagrams, and runbooks for knowledge sharing and troubleshooting

Monitor & Optimize

Implement comprehensive monitoring with metrics, logging, and alerting to ensure optimal performance

Homelab Infrastructure

My homelab serves as both a learning environment and a production infrastructure, running 24/7 with enterprise-grade equipment and configurations. It's where theory meets practice, allowing me to test, break, and rebuild complex networking scenarios in a controlled environment.

Compute

  • 3x Proxmox Nodes (Cluster)
  • Intel Xeon / AMD Ryzen processors
  • 128GB+ RAM total
  • 20+ Virtual Machines
  • Ceph storage cluster

Networking

  • Managed Layer 3 switches
  • pfSense firewall appliance
  • Multiple VLAN segments
  • 10GbE backbone
  • Ubiquiti UniFi APs

Storage & Services

  • TrueNAS storage server
  • 10TB+ usable storage
  • Automated backups (3-2-1 rule)
  • Docker Swarm cluster
  • Kubernetes cluster

Monitoring

  • Grafana + Prometheus stack
  • ELK stack for logging
  • SNMP monitoring
  • Uptime Kuma
  • NetFlow analysis

Skills Learning Journey

2022 - Foundation

Started Computer Science degree at Ulster University

Python Linux Networking Basics

2023 - Expansion

Built first homelab, learned virtualization and security

Proxmox pfSense Docker VLANs

2024 - Professional

Junior Developer at IDOX PLC, advanced ML projects

Machine Learning Scikit-learn IDS/IPS

2025 - Current Focus

Pursuing Network+ cert, building production-grade infrastructure

Network+ Ansible Terraform K8s

Skills Overview

Networking

Network Protocols 90%
VLANs & Routing 85%
Network+ (In Progress) 75%

Security

Firewall Configuration 88%
IDS/IPS 82%
VPN Technologies 80%

Development

Python 90%
Bash/Shell Scripting 85%
Machine Learning 75%

DevOps

Docker 88%
Ansible 78%
Infrastructure as Code 75%

Connect on LinkedIn

Follow My Professional Journey

I regularly share insights on network engineering, homelab projects, security implementations, and my learning journey toward Network+ certification.

View LinkedIn Profile View Latest Posts

Network Engineering

Infrastructure & Security

Homelab Projects

Builds & Tutorials

Learning Journey

Certifications & Growth

Certifications & Training

CompTIA Network+

In Progress

Studying

BSc Computer Science

Ulster University

2026

Let's Build Something Amazing

I'm always interested in new opportunities and collaborations