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    NUT server and UPS general question

    General pfSense Questions
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    • occamsrazorO
      occamsrazor
      last edited by

      Yes if you have an APC brand UPS and it works with apcupsd then I feel that is the better way to go. The implementation in pfSense is better, more is configurable through the GUI and the widget has more detail. NUT is however more widespread it seems and so if you are needing to integrate with other devices etc then sometimes NUT may be preferable.

      pfSense CE on Qotom Q355G4 8GB RAM/60GB SSD
      Ubiquiti Unifi wired and wireless network, APC UPSs
      Mac OSX and IOS devices, QNAP NAS

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      • N
        netboy @occamsrazor
        last edited by netboy

        @occamsrazor Initially I thought a USB Hub can be connected to netgate 2100 and then attach 3 UPS's to them. I have since been "corrected" by the package author.
        Hence, my next solution is to use the APC (covers modem, router and my servers) to netgate USB as standalone.
        Additionally, configure NUT in raspberry pi and use it's USB to connect to other UPS's. That is the idea and I am working on it....

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        • J
          JimBob Indiana
          last edited by

          Thanks but I'm already using APCUSPD. If you can monitor more than one UPS that's the question.

          occamsrazorO 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • occamsrazorO
            occamsrazor @JimBob Indiana
            last edited by

            @jimbob-indiana said in NUT server and UPS general question:

            Thanks but I'm already using APCUSPD. If you can monitor more than one UPS that's the question.

            I don't think you can. I asked a similar question here:
            https://forum.netgate.com/topic/175536/multiple-ups-with-apcupsd-and-or-nut?_=1667928318795

            pfSense CE on Qotom Q355G4 8GB RAM/60GB SSD
            Ubiquiti Unifi wired and wireless network, APC UPSs
            Mac OSX and IOS devices, QNAP NAS

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              netboy @occamsrazor
              last edited by

              @occamsrazor
              I have a question to everyone....

              I have 1 UPS in a different location but would like to connect the same to my future NUT server on raspberry PI. I do have a extra ethernet jack in the same location. Was wondering can I use "USB over ethernet adapter" to connect the UPS USB to adapter and then connect to the wall ethernet jack. Same at the receiving end ....connect an adapter to the ethernet and connect the USB end to the PI - Has anybody done something like this?

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              • J
                JimBob Indiana @netboy
                last edited by

                @netboy usb to ethernet adapter.

                Drivers are the issue.

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                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by stephenw10

                  That's just a USB NIC it won't help you there.

                  You'd need an actual USB over Ethernet device. If you have separate cable between those locations you might be able to use something passive that doesn't need drivers (USB over Cat5 extender).

                  Steve

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                    netboy @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    @stephenw10 Got it! How about this?

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by

                      Yup, like that. Note that only works over a dedicated cable. It's not using Ethernet, can't pass a switch etc.

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                        netboy @stephenw10
                        last edited by netboy

                        @stephenw10 said in NUT server and UPS general question:

                        Note that only works over a dedicated cable. It's not using Ethernet, can't pass a switch etc.

                        Not sure I follow you? Can you kindly elaborate?

                        I do have a dedicated cable (ethernet) near my UPS to a switch in the PI location

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

                          @netboy said in NUT server and UPS general question:

                          I do have a dedicated cable (ethernet) near my UPS to a switch in the PI location

                          That's fine then.

                          If you had an Ethernet jack there connected to a central switch and the RasPi was at a different location also connected to that switch it would not work since that only uses the Cat5 cable to pass USB signals no Ethernet. An Ethernet switch has no idea what to do with USB signals.

                          Steve

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                          • N
                            netboy @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10
                            Just to be clear this is my setup:

                            • Connect one adapter to the USB of UPS and connect the ethernet to the existing ethernet wall jack near the UPS

                            • In the switch at my server rack connect from switch to my adapter using patch cable and then connect the USB to my raspberry PI.

                            Can I give it a try? What is your opinion? I am not asking you to vouch for it? If it fails that is ok

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              No that won't work. It can't go through the switch.

                              You have to connect directly to incoming cable that's connected to that wall jack.

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                              • occamsrazorO
                                occamsrazor
                                last edited by

                                I forget which model APC UPS you have (did you say?). If it is a Smart-UPS with a slot, and remote monitoring is important to you, then you'd be better off getting an APC network management card, they can be found secondhand for not too much.

                                pfSense CE on Qotom Q355G4 8GB RAM/60GB SSD
                                Ubiquiti Unifi wired and wireless network, APC UPSs
                                Mac OSX and IOS devices, QNAP NAS

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                                • N
                                  netboy @stephenw10
                                  last edited by

                                  @stephenw10 Oh Ok Got it ! Does it matter if this is a dump switch or managed switch?

                                  stephenw10S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • N
                                    netboy @occamsrazor
                                    last edited by

                                    @occamsrazor said in NUT server and UPS general question:

                                    I forget which model APC UPS you have (did you say?). If it is a Smart-UPS with a slot, and remote monitoring is important to you, then you'd be better off getting an APC network management card, they can be found secondhand for not too much.

                                    I am looking for cheapo consumer variety.....thx anyway

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                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @netboy
                                      last edited by

                                      @netboy No, neither will pass USB signals.

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                                        netboy @stephenw10
                                        last edited by

                                        @stephenw10
                                        Got it!
                                        Alternative is to use my UPS near NAS as standalone. The NAS has configuration for the NAS to run for xx minutes before shutting down (NAS can communicate to the UPS).
                                        Thanks all.

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                                        • dennypageD
                                          dennypage
                                          last edited by

                                          So, one question comes to mind: Is your intent to manage the UPSs and attached devices, or just display their status?

                                          If the UPSs have computer systems attached to them, you want each system to manage the UPS that controls its power. This is important to allow the computer system to execute its shutdown at the appropriate time. Your NAS is a good example of this. On the other hand, if all the devices attached to the UPS lack the ability to shutdown, say like a cable modem or printer, then no active UPS management is needed (or appropriate).

                                          Either way you can use NUT on your Pi to display the status of the multiple UPSs. Remote NUT connection for systems that run NUT and manage their own UPS (such as your NAS), and (perhaps) direct USB or other approaches for systems that do not have attached computer systems.

                                          Regardless, you're going to need to read up a bit on NUT. You need to configure NUT to simply report status rather than take action for the UPSs that do not control the power to the Pi.

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                                          • N
                                            netboy @dennypage
                                            last edited by

                                            @dennypage Excellent point.
                                            First iteration (I am learning).... I need a visibility of all the UPS's. Right now I don't. I want to know how healthy the UPS's are and so on.....

                                            On second iteration (After I have learned a little).... I would like NUT to control shut down UPS 3

                                            UPS 1

                                            • Modem

                                            • Router

                                            • POE switches

                                            UPS 2

                                            • Dump Switches

                                            • HDHomerun

                                            • Raspberry PI which has NUT installed

                                            UPS 3

                                            • 3 servers

                                            UPS 4

                                            • Attached to NAS which can communicate to UPS

                                            I want UPS 3 to control shut down my servers. Is this possible using NUT (I know you are the package owner and are very knowledgeable). My servers are debian UBUNTU. UPS 1: I really do not care about control shut down because there is nothing to fail (like hard disk getting corrupted and so on ) and also they have the max run time. Regarding UPS 3 I really do not care because they are just switches. Worst case things attached to the switches will not work.

                                            What do you think? Can I make UBUNTU servers talk to NUT and control shut down?

                                            dennypageD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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