RT-AX89X and repurposing an old computer
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@phill-0 said in RT-AX89X and repurposing an old computer:
While coming up with a plan to repurpose my computer, I came across an interesting piece of hardware.
RT-AX89XThe device is ARM and the only way you can install pfSense on non-Netgate ARM devices is through a custom-compiled version out of GitHub.
If you're just asking about any opinions on this hardware in general we can move this into the right category.
Sources:
https://wikidevi.wi-cat.ru/ASUS_RT-AX89X
https://www.qualcomm.com/products/application/networking/ipq8074 -
@rcoleman-netgate I'm going to put pfsense on my old computer and use it as NAS, 10 gigabit base T(CAT8/RJ45) passthrough, and 2.4ghz AP. Sorry if my post was confusing. I need the Asus to handle the 5ghz because pfsense will not.
I have 3 devices I want on the network. The Asus has 2 10 gigabit ports (fiber and copper), I want 2 in my old computer and 1 in my new computer. The setup will look like this:
---Fiber from ISP---> 5ghz ---copper---> pfsense(old pc) ---copper---> new pc
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@phill-0 OK.
The Hardware category is for hardware running pfSense. The questions you have are not related to pfSense but general networking. -
@rcoleman-netgate They're hardware compatibility questions about PFsense for the first part and questions about reusing an old PC for the last part. The 2.4ghz question might be off topic but I thought the rest would be OK.
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@phill-0 I see it as all about the RT-AX89X. Well, except the PSU question.
In my time running, configuring, and supporting pfSense I have yet to see a good deployment for Wireless on a firewall. FreeBSD simply doesn't handle wireless well (as a client or host). Run wire to your firewall. Don't worry about interference from your computer interfering with your AP too much but always have the AP in a centrally located space. This is just good RF maintenance.
Unless you're running 75 hard drives in the system it's unlikely you'll exceed a 750W power supply -- that's epically overkill. Your already installed liquid cooling is the only variable - determine how much it needs but without the GPU you're not going to come close to 750W.
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@rcoleman-netgate said in RT-AX89X and repurposing an old computer:
In my time running, configuring, and supporting pfSense I have yet to see a good deployment for Wireless on a firewall. FreeBSD simply doesn't handle wireless well (as a client or host).
Thank you. That sounds like good advice. The hardware guide made it sound like 2.4ghz was OK.
As for the liquid cooling, I'm joust concerned about damaging the CPU if I take it out and put something else in. It's been years since I built a computer but last I remember the CPU, Motherboard, and heatsink are considered things you should avoid separating because it's possible to cause irreparable damage in the process.
For the power supply, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I've never run RAID or a network anywhere close to this powerful. I've heard that underutilization can damage a power supply but you don't sound concerned. I suspected I was dangerously under but for all knew 4 drives and 2 smoking hot network cards all at once could be the end of everything. Just thought I'd ask. Thanks for the advice.
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@phill-0 said in RT-AX89X and repurposing an old computer:
For the power supply, I honestly had no idea what to expect. I've never run RAID or a network anywhere close to this powerful. I've heard that underutilization can damage a power supply but you don't sound concerned. I suspected I was dangerously under but for all knew 4 drives and 2 smoking hot network cards all at once could be the end of everything. Just thought I'd ask. Thanks for the advice.
Honestly I don't know who comes up with these ideas.
A power supply will never get damaged being underutilized
What you do get is worse power efficiency, but that's expected. Solid state electronics face all sorts of issues due to thermal degradation. As a rule of thump, whatever runs cooler lasts longer. And a psu lightly loaded will run much much cooler.Electronics have advanced and considered quite reliable, but there comes a day that they fail. In general it can't be predicted. For example voyager 1 was launched in 1977 with a bunch of state of the art electronics at that age. It had a power supply of 470watts
45 years later, having traveled about 14,5 billion miles, with a max speed of 61.500 km/h in harsh space conditions, its still there, transmitting data and executing commands.Fascinating to say the least.
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@netblues said in RT-AX89X and repurposing an old computer:
voyager 1 was launched in 1977 with a bunch of state of the art electronics at that age. It had a power supply of 470watts
I haven't checked, but I don't think my computer runs on plutonium. lol
My motherboard has outlasted a CPU. (something about the way FX-9k processers were made. It has an 8k in there now.) Newegg still has the hype page for it. With the way Asus talked about it in the promotional material, it better outlive us all. What's funny is that it's so old that the pcie is 2.0. One of the best parts about offloading so many parts to the wireless router is that with only 2 cards in, I can run them at 16x. That being said, 2.0 at 16x maxes out a 8 gigabits per second. I expect the board to outlive its ability to be connected to anything useful. It will at least run pfsense for me until I build the computer after this next one 8 years from now.
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@phill-0 said in RT-AX89X and repurposing an old computer:
The hardware guide made it sound like 2.4ghz was OK.
"OK" is relative. It functions. Is it great? Probably not.
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@phill-0 said in RT-AX89X and repurposing an old computer:
I haven't checked, but I don't think my computer runs on plutonium. lol
You'd also be amazed how long things last when surrounded by 0K space...