Live
Tag, You're It
A social app for real friends with no algorithmic feed. One Next.js codebase, shipped to the web, iOS and Android.
Networks you never think about. Software you actually want to use.
Layer One is an IT consultancy in Hartland, Wisconsin. We design secure business networks and build custom software for companies from Lake Country and Milwaukee to Chicago and its suburbs.
On-site across southeast Wisconsin and Chicagoland. Remote for software and advisory work.
- 7ApplicationCustom apps, APIs, AI automation
- 6PresentationEncryption, TLS, certificates
- 5SessionVPN, remote access, MFA
- 4TransportFirewall policy, ports, QoS
- 3NetworkRouting and segmentation
- 2Data linkSwitching, VLANs, Wi-Fi
- 1PhysicalCabling, hardware, power
- 10+ yearsin enterprise network engineering
- Shipped to both storesTag, You're It is live on the App Store and Google Play
- Region 5 ChairUtility Technology Council
- Vendor-agnosticFortinet, Cisco, Palo Alto, Arista, Microsoft 365
What we do
Five kinds of work, all done by the same engineer who answers your email.
Network & security
Firewalls, switching, Wi-Fi and VPNs designed, installed and documented so your office stays up and stays private.
Layers 1–7Custom software & apps
Web apps, mobile apps, booking and point-of-sale systems, and integrations with the tools you already pay for.
Layer 7AI & automation
Agents and workflows that draft the repetitive work so your team only has to review and decide.
Layer 7Infrastructure & backups
Virtual servers, storage and nightly backups that you can actually restore from when something breaks.
Layers 1–2Compliance & advisory
Plain-language technology plans, vendor selection and security reviews informed by NIST and utility-grade compliance work.
All layers
Recent work
Products we've designed, built and shipped. See every project.
! Generated by Henderson's Cisco Config Generator hostname FRONT-OFFICE-SW1 vlan 10 name DATA vlan 20 name VOICE interface range Gi1/0/1 - 24 switchport mode access switchport access vlan 10 switchport voice vlan 20 spanning-tree portfast ip ssh version 2 no ip http server
Free tool
Cisco config generator
Fill in a form, get a clean Catalyst or ISR configuration. Runs in your browser; nothing you type leaves it.
How a project runs
No retainers to start. You know what you're getting before any work begins.
Free consultation
A 30-minute call or visit. You describe the problem; we ask about what you already have.
Written plan
A short scope with what we'll do, what it costs and what you'll have at the end.
Build and install
Work is scheduled around your hours, tested before cut-over, and rolled back if anything misbehaves.
Hand-off
Diagrams, configs, passwords and a plain-English summary, so you're never locked in to us.
Family first
Who you'll work with
Joseph J. Henderson founded Layer One and still does the engineering himself. He's a husband and dad first, and he runs the business the way he'd want it run for his own family: straight answers, careful work, and nothing left undocumented.
- Co-Founder and Principal Engineer, Layer One
- Region 5 Chair, Utility Technology Council
- M.B.A., DePaul University
From Lake Country to Chicago
Based in Hartland. On-site across Waukesha County, the Milwaukee metro, Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Wisconsin
- Hartland
- Pewaukee
- Delafield
- Oconomowoc
- Sussex
- Merton
- Waukesha
- Brookfield
- Menomonee Falls
- New Berlin
- Wauwatosa
- Milwaukee
Illinois
- Chicago
- Evanston
- Skokie
- Arlington Heights
- Schaumburg
- Oak Brook
- Naperville
- Lake Forest
Questions people ask first
Do you work with small businesses?
Yes. Most clients are small and mid-sized businesses without a full-time network engineer. You get the same design standards used in enterprise networks, scaled to your office and your budget.
Do you work outside Hartland?
Layer One is based in Hartland and works on-site across Lake Country, Waukesha County, the Milwaukee area, Chicago and the Chicago suburbs. Software, automation and advisory work can be done remotely for clients anywhere.
Which equipment do you work with?
We're vendor-agnostic on purpose. Day to day that means Fortinet, Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, Arista and Microsoft 365, plus Proxmox, Docker and Synology for servers and storage. If you already own gear, we start with what you have.
Can you build an app or a website for my business?
Yes. We build web apps, mobile apps for the App Store and Google Play, booking and point-of-sale systems, and the integrations that connect them to the tools you already use.