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    PC Engines apu2 experiences

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    • S
      soder @Qinn
      last edited by

      @qinn said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

      I would check the advice from @fireodo; "A little question: Have you CPU Boost activated?" as this makes a lot off difference.

      Then I may add, always install pfSense using the ZFS filesystem not the UFS (default). For a few reasons;

      TRIM is default enabled (I am using mSATA), but this can also be enabled manually on a UFS filesystem, but the most important reason I advice to use ZFS is that it can 100% safegard you against bit errors, because the APU2 has ECC memory ๐Ÿ˜‰

      Just wanted to correct you, before you mislead the community: only the 4 Gigabyte RAM APU2/3/4 (and so on) SKU has ECC RAM, the 2 GB editions do NOT have ECC RAM. The community can blame pcengines.ch clearly, the specification on their page is misleading A.F.

      QinnQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
      • QinnQ
        Qinn @soder
        last edited by

        @soder Thanks for clearing this

        Hardeware: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz 102 GB mSATA SSD (ZFS)
        Firmware: Latest-stable-pfSense CE (amd64)
        Packages: pfBlockerNG devel-beta (beta tester) - Avahi - Notes - Ntopng - PIMD/udpbroadcastrelay - Service Watchdog - System Patches

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        • QinnQ
          Qinn
          last edited by

          Btw does anyone know why the package manager in the pfS GUI doesn't keep track or better does not show packages that are installed from the CLI, like flashrom ?

          Cheers Qinn

          Hardeware: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz 102 GB mSATA SSD (ZFS)
          Firmware: Latest-stable-pfSense CE (amd64)
          Packages: pfBlockerNG devel-beta (beta tester) - Avahi - Notes - Ntopng - PIMD/udpbroadcastrelay - Service Watchdog - System Patches

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          • stephenw10S
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            It only shows pfSense packages, which can also be installed from the CLI. They contain the xml element the package manager reads to get the version info etc. For example:
            https://github.com/pfsense/FreeBSD-ports/blob/devel/sysutils/pfSense-pkg-Netgate_Firmware_Upgrade/files/usr/local/share/pfSense-pkg-Netgate_Firmware_Upgrade/info.xml

            Steve

            QinnQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • QinnQ
              Qinn @stephenw10
              last edited by

              @stephenw10 Thanks for the explanation, so in my case the Netgate coreboot upgrader won't work on an APU2C4, understandable of course as it is not Netgate certified hardware.

              Hardeware: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz 102 GB mSATA SSD (ZFS)
              Firmware: Latest-stable-pfSense CE (amd64)
              Packages: pfBlockerNG devel-beta (beta tester) - Avahi - Notes - Ntopng - PIMD/udpbroadcastrelay - Service Watchdog - System Patches

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                Indeed, it doesn't include any ROMs for APU or recognise the hardware to offer it.
                It does install flashrom though so you can use it to add that via the gui.

                Steve

                QinnQ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • QinnQ
                  Qinn @stephenw10
                  last edited by Qinn

                  @stephenw10 I can't use the GUI and I don't like to have something in the GUI menu that doe not work. Flashrom is already installed using pkg

                  Hardeware: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz 102 GB mSATA SSD (ZFS)
                  Firmware: Latest-stable-pfSense CE (amd64)
                  Packages: pfBlockerNG devel-beta (beta tester) - Avahi - Notes - Ntopng - PIMD/udpbroadcastrelay - Service Watchdog - System Patches

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    The only advantage to doing that is that the package is in the config so if you ever re-install and restore the config flashrom gets installed again. You still need to use flashrom in the CLI.

                    Steve

                    K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • QinnQ
                      Qinn
                      last edited by Qinn

                      @stephenw10 I can't use the GUI and I don't like to have something in the GUI menu that does not work. Flashrom is already installed using pkg

                      Hardeware: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz 102 GB mSATA SSD (ZFS)
                      Firmware: Latest-stable-pfSense CE (amd64)
                      Packages: pfBlockerNG devel-beta (beta tester) - Avahi - Notes - Ntopng - PIMD/udpbroadcastrelay - Service Watchdog - System Patches

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • K
                        kevindd992002 @stephenw10
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                        The only advantage to doing that is that the package is in the config so if you ever re-install and restore the config flashrom gets installed again. You still need to use flashrom in the CLI.

                        Steve

                        This is what I do. Even though I don't use the package (since it doesn't work for my APU2C4) I have it installed so that flashrom gets installed persistently even after updating pfsense or reinstalling it.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                        • K
                          kevindd992002 @kevindd992002
                          last edited by

                          @kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                          For the APU2C4, why is it that when I have a serial cable connected between its serial port and a computer, its USB ports don't work? I have a UPS plugged in to one of its USB ports and I use the NUT package in pfsense. As soon as I connect to the hardware through the serial port (using putty), the USB port does not work. Unplugging the serial cable fixes the issue and that's why I know it's the one causing it. This is happening for both of my APU2C4 boxes.

                          As an update to this issue, I bought a Gearmo USB to Serial adapter and it solved the issue I'm having. So the cause is definitely because of the old cheap cable that I was using. Lesson learned.

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                          • stephenw10S stephenw10 referenced this topic on
                          • stephenw10S stephenw10 referenced this topic on
                          • L
                            logan5247
                            last edited by

                            Anyone try 2.6.0 (or upgrade to pfSense Plus) on the APU2 yet?

                            https://www.reddit.com/r/PFSENSE/comments/ssabdz/pfsense_plus_version_2201_and_pfsense_ce_version/

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                            • V
                              Vollans @logan5247
                              last edited by

                              @logan5247 I don't plan to until I know there are APU LED drivers available, as for sanity at home I rely on those a lot to know whether NBN is working or the backup connection.

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                              • R
                                rcoleman-netgate Netgate @logan5247
                                last edited by

                                @logan5247 During testing I migrated mine without a single issue.

                                Ryan
                                Repeat, after me: MESH IS THE DEVIL! MESH IS THE DEVIL!
                                Requesting firmware for your Netgate device? https://go.netgate.com
                                Switching: Mikrotik, Netgear, Extreme
                                Wireless: Aruba, Ubiquiti

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                                • K
                                  kinch @logan5247
                                  last edited by

                                  @logan5247 not yet, but i will do it later today, provide feedback then...

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                                  • QinnQ
                                    Qinn
                                    last edited by Qinn

                                    Upgraded pfS 2.5.2 CE to 2.6.0 took about 11 minutes, all went well, after upgrade had to update Avahi.

                                    Thnx Netgate!

                                    Hardeware: Intel(R) Celeron(R) J4125 CPU @ 2.00GHz 102 GB mSATA SSD (ZFS)
                                    Firmware: Latest-stable-pfSense CE (amd64)
                                    Packages: pfBlockerNG devel-beta (beta tester) - Avahi - Notes - Ntopng - PIMD/udpbroadcastrelay - Service Watchdog - System Patches

                                    DaddyGoD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • DaddyGoD
                                      DaddyGo @Qinn
                                      last edited by DaddyGo

                                      @qinn said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                                      Thnx Netgate!

                                      same here on test apu4d4 / FW v4.15.0.2 ๐Ÿ‘

                                      11eb3823-191d-4276-8c0d-107b2dad2535-image.png

                                      ++++edit:

                                      and it also worked perfectly (let's see what it will show us).... ๐Ÿ˜‰

                                      d3322619-b48b-47f2-b02a-93c524251ce4-image.png

                                      Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                                      (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

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                                      • V
                                        Vollans @DaddyGo
                                        last edited by

                                        I can confirm the apuled.ko driver that worked in 2.5.2 still works in 2.6

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • K
                                          kevindd992002
                                          last edited by

                                          What is the use of the apuled driver and how do you install it?

                                          fireodoF V 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • fireodoF
                                            fireodo @kevindd992002
                                            last edited by

                                            @kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                                            What is the use of the apuled driver and how do you install it?

                                            A possible utilisation you can find here:
                                            Apuled

                                            Regards,
                                            fireodo

                                            Kettop Mi4300YL CPU: i5-4300Y @ 1.60GHz RAM: 8GB Ethernet Ports: 4
                                            SSD: SanDisk pSSD-S2 16GB (ZFS) WiFi: WLE200NX
                                            pfsense 2.8.0 CE
                                            Packages: Apcupsd, Cron, Iftop, Iperf, LCDproc, Nmap, pfBlockerNG, RRD_Summary, Shellcmd, Snort, Speedtest, System_Patches.

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