Attention Firebox X Series Users - Testing Needed

DimitriRodis

Just FYI, haven't been able to reproduce timeouts on 2.0 still, using cat /dev/random. As you can see, about 40GB of traffic has come out of that interface, Not a single watchdog timeout on 2.0.

LAN interface (re2)
Status up
MAC address 00:90:7f:32:8a:94
IP address 192.168.1.1
Subnet mask 255.255.255.0
Media 100baseTX <full-duplex>
In/out packets 41004200/41004169 (2.63 GB/41.24 GB)
In/out packets (pass) 41004169/64873580 (2.63 GB/41.24 GB)
In/out packets (block) 31/0 (3 KB/0 bytes)
In/out errors 0/0
Collisions 0

Have you tried a fresh default flash of 2.0 yet?</full-duplex>

rewt

The problem still exists after a clean reinstall. Tested against 2009-04-25 17:12 build, with the following configuration:

Added to /boot/loader.conf:
hw.ata.ata_dma=0
Configured interfaces (set WAN=re0, set LAN=re1, configured IP/netmask on re1)
Configured DHCP (reservations, address range, domain name, NTP server)

Cat'ing /dev/random still causes watchdog errors within 15-20 seconds. ACPI errors still show in dmesg. I also reset BIOS settings to defaults (via front LCD panel), with no noticeable changes.

DimitriRodis

Any particular reason you're editing loader.conf and adding hw.ata.ata_dma=0? Like I said, Im using all defaults– the only other diff that I can see between you and me (besides the ACPI error) is that you are using re1 for LAN, and I am using re2 (normally I leave re0 and re1 in case I have multiple WANs-- my re1 is empty currently).

What is your LAN interface plugged into (a switch I presume? what kind)? My re2 (LAN) is plugged directly into my laptop with a crossover cable. I have also changed speed/duplex settings on my laptop during tests last week just to be sure there isn't a problem with a particular speed, and there is not.

Would it be possible to plug your LAN interface directly into a computer (via crossover) to take the switch out of the equation?

I am still puzzled by the ACPI errors in your dmesg output-- I have 3 firebox x5/7/1000 series units, and none of them have that error during bootup.

DimitriRodis

Ok, so I just flashed a 2.0 image, and changed my LAN interface to be re1 instead of re2–- guess what? watchdog timeouts.

rewt

That is odd, because I changed my LAN interface to re2 and still had watchdog timeouts. I haven't yet had a chance to connect directly without a switch, to see if that makes any difference. I'm currently running a Linksys SD2008, which is a 8-port unmanaged gig switch - By this weekend I'll probably have a Cisco 2950-24 sitting inline between the Firebox and Linksys. I'll update this thread with the results of direct vs Cisco vs Linksys, once I get to test.

DimitriRodis

For those of you watching this thread–stay tuned. I am still working with Pyun. I have another patch to test!

tehtrk

@rewt:

@DimitriRodis:

If you are able to get into the BIOS on your firebox, can you make sure you are testing with ACPI enabled? The error on your dmesg indicates that ACPI might be turned off in the BIOS.

If I can find the PS2 port pinout for the motherboard, a PS2 connector I can repurpose, a PCI video card, and the time, I'll see what I can manage. Unless there is an easier way I'm missing?

See my keyboard hack here: http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,7458.msg84324.html#msg84324

emigrating

I have to say, ever since this thread was started I've been having more and more watchdog timeouts.

In previous builds I would get them very seldom (not even once a day), but since whatever code was changed to fix this I am seeing them, on average, 5 times a day, often for about a minute each time.

Nothing has changed configuration wise between builds, I'm running WAN on re0, LAN on re1, DMZ on re2 and Wifi on re4/5. From what I can tell I never have any timeouts on re0/1.

In any case, I'll give it a few more builds, but unless we can get it fixed I'll have to roll back to the earlier build as the system, as it stands today, is getting to be unusable (and yes, I know, don't run v2.0 in production :p).

DimitriRodis

There have only been 2 patches that have even made it into the publicly downloadable builds, and 1 of them was late late yesterday. My guess is that you are seeing more watchdog timeouts due to something changing in your environment as opposed to changes in pfSense– since, with respect to the Realtek interface code, it has only changed twice (and one of those changes was for the better), the other patch that just got put in yesterday will likely be rolled back since it did not seem to improve things (and it actually may have made it worse). Working with the driver maintainer is challenging since there is a 17 hour time difference between he and I, plus I need to have his patches incorporated and wait for a new build to test before I can get back to him.

Like I said, stay tuned. When I've worked out something that appears to have solved it, I will need people like you to beat it up--originally, I thought I had it licked (since it solved the particular problem that I was causing), but there are still others present.

loki

Hello Dimitri

got a firebox x500 off of ebay and was hoping i wouldnt run into the watchdog errors with the realtec network cards, but i wasnt that lucky.

gave pfSense-1.2.3-20090708-1942 snapshot a test tonight and i am able to reproduce the watchdog errors with the cat /dev/urandom test or even by installing the NUT package and then going to the web interface "Services -> NUT" about 5-8 secs after the page starts to load i get the following error in the console:


 re2: watchdog timeout

once this error pops up in the console screen i am unable to ping to/from that interface until i hardpower off the x500 device. From the console if i hit 5 "Reboot System" or type reboot pfsense starts running the shutdown process but then stops at the "Rebooting…" message.


re2:watchdog timeout
re2:watchdog timeout
re2:watchdog timeout
 # reboot
 pflog0: promiscuous mode disabled
 TWaiting (max 60 seconds) for system process `vnlru' to stop...done 
 Waiting (max 60 seconds) for system process `bufdaemon' to stop...done 
 Waiting (max 60 seconds) for system process `syncer' to stop...
 Syncing disks, vnodes remaining...4 2 0 0 done
 All buffers synced.
 Uptime: 38m24s
 Rebooting...

Another oddity

Running "halt system" from the console menu works until i hit the "press any key to reboot" part. As soon as i hit the "AnyKey" the speaker on the x500 screams like crazy. Both "reboot" and "halt/reboot" work just fine until the watchdog errors starts to pop up. Any other debugging i can do on my end to help?

-loki

pciconf -lcv


hostb0@pci0:0:0:0:      class=0x060000 card=0x11308086 chip=0x11308086 rev=0x04 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
    cap 09[88] = vendor (length 4) Intel cap 14 version 1
    cap 02[a0] = AGP 2x 1x SBA disabled
pcib1@pci0:0:1:0:       class=0x060400 card=0x00000000 chip=0x11318086 rev=0x04 hdr=0x01
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib2@pci0:0:30:0:      class=0x060400 card=0x00000000 chip=0x244e8086 rev=0x05 hdr=0x01
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
isab0@pci0:0:31:0:      class=0x060100 card=0x00000000 chip=0x24408086 rev=0x05 hdr=0x00
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-ISA
atapci0@pci0:0:31:1:    class=0x010180 card=0x24408086 chip=0x244b8086 rev=0x05 hdr=0x00
    class      = mass storage
    subclass   = ATA
ral0@pci0:2:6:0:        class=0x028000 card=0x3c421186 chip=0x02011814 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    cap 01[40] = powerspec 2  supports D0 D3  current D0
re0@pci0:2:9:0: class=0x020000 card=0x813910ec chip=0x813910ec rev=0x20 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
    cap 01[50] = powerspec 2  supports D0 D1 D2 D3  current D0
re1@pci0:2:10:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x813910ec chip=0x813910ec rev=0x20 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
    cap 01[50] = powerspec 2  supports D0 D1 D2 D3  current D0
re2@pci0:2:11:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x813910ec chip=0x813910ec rev=0x20 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
    cap 01[50] = powerspec 2  supports D0 D1 D2 D3  current D0
re3@pci0:2:12:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x813910ec chip=0x813910ec rev=0x20 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
    cap 01[50] = powerspec 2  supports D0 D1 D2 D3  current D0
re4@pci0:2:13:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x813910ec chip=0x813910ec rev=0x20 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
    cap 01[50] = powerspec 2  supports D0 D1 D2 D3  current D0
re5@pci0:2:14:0:        class=0x020000 card=0x813910ec chip=0x813910ec rev=0x20 hdr=0x00
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
    cap 01[50] = powerspec 2  supports D0 D1 D2 D3  current D0

dmesg


Copyright (c) 1992-2009 The FreeBSD Project.
Copyright (c) 1979, 1980, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994
        The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
FreeBSD is a registered trademark of The FreeBSD Foundation.
FreeBSD 7.2-RELEASE-p2 #0: Wed Jul  8 19:39:37 EDT 2009
    sullrich@FreeBSD-7_2-RELENG_1_2-snapshots.pfsense.org:/usr/obj.pfSense/usr/pfSensesrc/src/sys/pfSense_SMP.7
Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
CPU: Intel(R) Celeron(TM) CPU                1200MHz (1202.73-MHz 686-class CPU)
  Origin = "GenuineIntel"  Id = 0x6b4  Stepping = 4
  Features=0x383f9ff <fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,pse36,mmx,fxsr,sse>real memory  = 536870912 (512 MB)
avail memory = 508604416 (485 MB)
wlan: mac acl policy registered
kbd1 at kbdmux0
cryptosoft0: <software crypto="">on motherboard
pcib0: <intel 82815="" (i815="" gmch)="" host="" to="" hub="" bridge="">pcibus 0 on motherboard
pir0: <pci 11="" interrupt="" routing="" table:="" entries="">on motherboard
$PIR: Using invalid BIOS IRQ 9 from 2.13.INTA for link 0x63
pci0: <pci bus="">on pcib0
agp0: <intel 82815="" (i815="" gmch)="" host="" to="" pci="" bridge="">on hostb0
pcib1: <pci-pci bridge="">at device 1.0 on pci0
pci1: <pci bus="">on pcib1
pcib2: <pcibios pci-pci="" bridge="">at device 30.0 on pci0
pci2: <pci bus="">on pcib2
ral0: <ralink technology="" rt2560="">mem 0xefefe000-0xefefffff irq 3 at device 6.0 on pci2
ral0: MAC/BBP RT2560 (rev 0x04), RF RT2525
ral0: Ethernet address: 00:0f:a3:74:4a:7a
ral0: [ITHREAD]
re0: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xd500-0xd5ff mem 0xefefa000-0xefefa1ff irq 10 at device 9.0 on pci2
re0: Chip rev. 0x74800000
re0: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus0: <mii bus="">on re0
rlphy0: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">PHY 0 on miibus0
rlphy0:  10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re0: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:2f:1a:63
re0: [FILTER]
re1: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xd600-0xd6ff mem 0xefefb000-0xefefb1ff irq 5 at device 10.0 on pci2
re1: Chip rev. 0x74800000
re1: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus1: <mii bus="">on re1
rlphy1: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">PHY 0 on miibus1
rlphy1:  10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re1: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:2f:1a:64
re1: [FILTER]
re2: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xd900-0xd9ff mem 0xefefc000-0xefefc1ff irq 11 at device 11.0 on pci2
re2: Chip rev. 0x74800000
re2: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus2: <mii bus="">on re2
rlphy2: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">PHY 0 on miibus2
rlphy2:  10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re2: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:2f:1a:65
re2: [FILTER]
re3: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xda00-0xdaff mem 0xefefd000-0xefefd1ff irq 12 at device 12.0 on pci2
re3: Chip rev. 0x74800000
re3: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus3: <mii bus="">on re3
rlphy3: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">PHY 0 on miibus3
rlphy3:  10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re3: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:2f:1a:66
re3: [FILTER]
re4: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xdd00-0xddff irq 9 at device 13.0 on pci2
re4: Chip rev. 0x74800000
re4: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus4: <mii bus="">on re4
rlphy4: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">PHY 0 on miibus4
rlphy4:  10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re4: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:2f:1a:67
re4: [FILTER]
re5: <realtek 10="" 8139c+="" 100basetx="">port 0xde00-0xdeff irq 6 at device 14.0 on pci2
re5: Chip rev. 0x74800000
re5: MAC rev. 0x00000000
miibus5: <mii bus="">on re5
rlphy5: <realtek internal="" media="" interface="">PHY 0 on miibus5
rlphy5:  10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, auto
re5: Ethernet address: 00:90:7f:2f:1a:68
re5: [FILTER]
isab0: <pci-isa bridge="">at device 31.0 on pci0
isa0: <isa bus="">on isab0
atapci0: <intel ich2="" udma100="" controller="">port 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6,0x170-0x177,0x376,0xff00-0xff0f at device 31.1 on pci0
ata0: <ata 0="" channel="">on atapci0
ata0: [ITHREAD]
ata1: <ata 1="" channel="">on atapci0
ata1: [ITHREAD]
cpu0 on motherboard
pmtimer0 on isa0
orm0: <isa option="" rom="">at iomem 0xe0000-0xe0fff pnpid ORM0000 on isa0
atkbdc0: <keyboard controller="" (i8042)="">at port 0x60,0x64 on isa0
atkbd0: <at keyboard="">irq 1 on atkbdc0
kbd0 at atkbd0
atkbd0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
atkbd0: [ITHREAD]
ppc0: <parallel port="">at port 0x378-0x37f irq 7 on isa0
ppc0: Generic chipset (ECP/PS2/NIBBLE) in COMPATIBLE mode
ppc0: FIFO with 16/16/16 bytes threshold
ppbus0: <parallel port="" bus="">on ppc0
ppbus0: [ITHREAD]
plip0: <plip network="" interface="">on ppbus0
plip0: WARNING: using obsoleted IFF_NEEDSGIANT flag
lpt0: <printer>on ppbus0
lpt0: Interrupt-driven port
ppi0: <parallel i="" o="">on ppbus0
ppc0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
ppc0: [ITHREAD]
sio0 at port 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4 flags 0x10 on isa0
sio0: type 16550A, console
sio0: [FILTER]
sio1: configured irq 3 not in bitmap of probed irqs 0
sio1: port may not be enabled
unknown: <pnp0c01>can't assign resources (memory)
unknown: <pnp0303>can't assign resources (port)
speaker0: <pc speaker="">at port 0x61 pnpid PNP0800 on isa0
unknown: <pnp0501>can't assign resources (port)
unknown: <pnp0401>can't assign resources (port)
RTC BIOS diagnostic error 20 <config_unit>Timecounter "TSC" frequency 1202733008 Hz quality 800
Timecounters tick every 1.000 msec
IPsec: Initialized Security Association Processing.
ad2: DMA limited to UDMA33, controller found non-ATA66 cable
ad2: 57231MB <ic25n060atmr04 0="" mo3oad5a="">at ata1-master UDMA33
GEOM: ad2: partition 1 does not start on a track boundary.
GEOM: ad2: partition 1 does not end on a track boundary.
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ad2s1a
re2: link state changed to UP
re2: link state changed to DOWN
re0: link state changed to UP
re0: link state changed to DOWN
re2: link state changed to UP
re0: link state changed to UP
re1: link state changed to DOWN
re3: link state changed to DOWN
re4: link state changed to DOWN
re5: link state changed to DOWN
pflog0: promiscuous mode enabled</ic25n060atmr04></config_unit></pnp0401></pnp0501></pc></pnp0303></pnp0c01></parallel></printer></plip></parallel></parallel></at></keyboard></isa></ata></ata></intel></isa></pci-isa></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></realtek></mii></realtek></ralink></pci></pcibios></pci></pci-pci></intel></pci></pci></intel></software></fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,pse36,mmx,fxsr,sse>

vmstat -i


interrupt                          total       rate
irq0: clk                        2445041       1000
irq4: sio0                           736          0
irq7: ppbus0 ppc0                      1          0
irq8: rtc                         312912        127
irq10: re0                           849          0
irq11: re2                          3204          1
irq15: ata1                        10586          4
Total                            2773329       1134

DimitriRodis

Not yet– Pyun has a couple of paid projects so the progress on this issue is at a bit of a standstill.

I will preface that what I am about to say may be completely rediculous, but my understanding is that the WatchGuard OS is based on Linux. If that's true, then perhaps someone can look at the Linux driver and compare it to the BSD one? Obviously they are structured differently and this may not make sense, but when the WatchGuard box is running the WatchGuard software, the firebox is a very stable unit, so someone knows how to make these realtek chips work!

loki

Not yet – Pyun has a couple of paid projects so the progress on this issue is at a bit of a standstill.

ok thanks for the update.

then perhaps someone can look at the Linux driver and compare it to the BSD one?

I will try a debian install on the X500 some time this weekend.

Think the linux driver might have the same issue with the realtek drivers, its hard to find of the issue was ever fix or people just started using other network cards.
google around for:
"8139c problem oversized ethernet frame"
"realtec 8139c Abnormal interrupt"

http://www.joshua.raleigh.nc.us/docs/linux-2.4.10_html/286454.html
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.drivers.realtek.devel/420

The X500 does have a pci slot, gonna try using a old sun pci quad port 10/100 network card which works in another pc running 1.2.3.rc2 version of pfsense. At least this should prove the X500 motherboard doesnt have issues controlling acpi/dma/interrupts of network cards.

Here is a pic of the sun card
http://www.sun.com/products/networking/ethernet/sunquadfastethernet/images/I1_hw_quadfastether_pci_i.jpg

loki

Debian net install works on the X500, now just need to find a way to overlay all the pfsense extras on the base Debian install :)

Using the same switch/cable/client the debian network driver seems to provide higher throughput.

Debian
iperf -c 192.168.100.2 -p 5010 -t 60


------------------------------------------------------------
[ ID] Interval       Transfer     Bandwidth
[108]  0.0-60.0 sec   602 MBytes  84.1 Mbits/sec

Freebsd7.2/Pfsense 1.2.3rc2

iperf -c 192.168.100.2 -p 5010 -t 60


------------------------------------------------------------
[ ID] Interval       Transfer     Bandwidth
[108]  0.0-60.0 sec   465 MBytes  65.0 Mbits/sec

Wish i knew why this watchdog issue happens to some X500's device more then others.

madas

I'm having exactly the same on my X500 too.

re0: watchdog timeout
re0: watchdog timeout
re0: watchdog timeout
re0: watchdog timeout
re0: watchdog timeout

I get them on all ports, internal, external whether connected to a switch/cable modem etc etc, nothing makes a difference. Its a shame, the Firebox running pfSense is really good except for the watchdog timeouts!

louis-m

i only get the odd occassional timeout on my x500 since i've upgraded. is the updated code in the new embedded version? i'm running embedded 1.2.3-rc2 and fancy moving over to the new embedded but don't wreck what appears to be a stable install.
of the timeouts i get, they are generally when i'm playing about in the web interface. there's no timeouts if i leave it alone

louis-m

spoke too soon. still getting them but no where near as much. does the new nanobsd embedded have the patch installed?

teh

I am planning to install debian on my x500 and use it as a "LAMP" server.

How was the net install conducted? Did you manage to get a keyboard to work as I'm having no luck following diagrams on another topic.

Cheers,

Andy

gsiener

Wondering if there's any progress/updates here? I've got two different Firebox x700s that both display the watchdog timeouts on re0 (my LAN port). I was originally running 1.2.3 RC2 and upgraded to the latest firmware in the 1.2.X snapshots.

loki - care to elaborate on how you prepped your firebox for a netboot install of debian?

loki

loki - care to elaborate on how you prepped your firebox for a netboot install of debian?

install a base debian from a net install cd on a normal pc. edited /etc/fstab and set the serial port for console access, pop the drive back into the firebox.

Overall wasnt very happy with the older firebox hardware, the network cards just dont seem to have great support with bsd.

I am now running the following jetway with 2g of mem and 1.2.3rc2, pretty happy with it.

xxxx://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856107059

Spy Alelo

I know it's been a while, but is there any progress on this? ???