Fit-PC2i

jaime

So it appears we have our ALIX killer now. jaime, how much power does it take? Where did you buy it?

lol, I don't have the fit yet, still looking to see where the lowest price is and reading more on it, but I am really considering one, I currently have a small MATX/ITX system that I use since I like to mess around with the innards alot and experiment, but im really thinking of getting one of the Pc2i with Wi-Fi and dual ethernet ports so I can have something for when I am on the go at a hotel (I don't trust unknown networks hehe) and use that as a portable firewall unit.

bendsley

Just order the damn thing direct. They are taking components and packaging into a nice little case, etc.

http://www.fit-pc.com/web/purchase/order-fit-pc2i/

You're not going to find it cheaper because no one else is selling it like this yet.

valnar

I'm holding off for a bit. I've written the parent company CompuLab to see if they would be willing to come out with a version that had Intel gigabit ports instead. There are embedded motherboards with an Atom Z510/Z530 and US15W chipset which do, so it's not that unusual. They simply chose to use Realtek. (I imagine for the cost).

Here is one, although it probably costs a lot more because of the intended audience.
http://www.rackmountnet.com/intel-atom-z530-16ghz-us15w-35inch-disk-size-dual-gigabit-id398-p-2936.html

Manjo

I know my post is a bit late but I became a member just a few minutes ago.

To business, I'm using a 1.6MHz pc2i with 1Gb RAM with pfsense 1.2.3 and it works like a charm with the exception that I cant get the wifi up and running. But I do have a feeling that the later will be solved when I find some free time in my agenda.

I also spoke with the pc2i company and they are about to release a new upgraded box during the summer so if you haven't already got one it could be a quite good idea and give it a few more month.

valnar

I never got a reply from them but I stopped caring once I saw the Hacom units. They are small - just not tiny - but they include Intel NIC's.

p51boy1

Has anyone had any luck getting the wireless card in the PC2i operational? I've had great luck with these devices as IPSec routers, but if I could use them as wireless access points, it would be excellent.

wallabybob

A quick look didn't reveal any hints of what device is used for the WLAN interface.

Please post the output from the pfSense shell command dmesg so I can see what devices are present and what version of pfSense you are using.

dreamslacker

The Fit PC2i wireless variant uses a mini-PCIe card slot for the wifi adapter. According to their forums posts, this is a RT3070; uses the USB connection provided on the connector.
I do suppose you could swap it out for a 3945ABG if the drivers are not supported for the Ralink.

wallabybob

I found some certification certificates on the fit PC site for RT3090.

p51boy1: You want a card supporting wireless Access Point mode?

p51boy1

I would love to use this as an access point. I'm currently using 1.2.3 release. Here is my dmesg log.

Copyright 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-p5 #0: Sun Dec 6 23:20:31 EST 2009
sullrich@FreeBSD_7.2_pfSense_1.2.3_snaps.pfsense.org:/usr/obj.pfSense/usr/pfSensesrc/src/sys/pfSense_SMP.7
Timecounter "i8254" frequency 1193182 Hz quality 0
CPU: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU Z530 @ 1.60GHz (1596.00-MHz 686-class CPU)
Origin = "GenuineIntel" Id = 0x106c2 Stepping = 2
Features=0xbfe9fbff <fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,apic,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,clflush,dts,acpi,mmx,fxsr,sse,sse2,ss,htt,tm,pbe>Features2=0x40c3bd<sse3,dtes64,mon,ds_cpl,vmx,est,tm2,ssse3,xtpr,pdcm,<b22>>
AMD Features=0x100000 <nx>AMD Features2=0x1 <lahf>Logical CPUs per core: 2
real memory = 1063976960 (1014 MB)
avail memory = 1027235840 (979 MB)
ACPI APIC Table: <ptltd ="" apic ="">FreeBSD/SMP: Multiprocessor System Detected: 2 CPUs
cpu0 (BSP): APIC ID: 0
cpu1 (AP/HT): APIC ID: 1
ioapic0 <version 2.0="">irqs 0-23 on motherboard
wlan: mac acl policy registered
kbd1 at kbdmux0
cryptosoft0: <software crypto="">on motherboard
padlock0: No ACE support.
acpi0: <ptltd ="" xsdt="">on motherboard
acpi0: [ITHREAD]
ACPI Error (evxfevnt-0288): Could not enable PowerButton event [20070320]
ACPI Warning (evxface-0235): Could not enable fixed event 2 [20070320]
acpi0: Power Button (fixed)
Timecounter "ACPI-fast" frequency 3579545 Hz quality 1000
acpi_timer0: <24-bit timer at 3.579545MHz> port 0x1008-0x100b on acpi0
acpi_ec0: <embedded controller:="" gpe="" 0xd="">port 0x62,0x66 on acpi0
acpi_hpet0: <high precision="" event="" timer="">iomem 0xfed00000-0xfed003ff on acpi0
Timecounter "HPET" frequency 14318180 Hz quality 900
acpi_acad0: <ac adapter="">on acpi0
battery0: <acpi control="" method="" battery="">on acpi0
battery1: <acpi control="" method="" battery="">on acpi0
battery2: <acpi control="" method="" battery="">on acpi0
acpi_button0: <power button="">on acpi0
pcib0: <acpi host-pci="" bridge="">port 0xcf8-0xcff on acpi0
pci0: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib0
vgapci0: <vga-compatible display="">port 0x1800-0x1807 mem 0xd8080000-0xd80fffff,0xd0000000-0xd7ffffff,0xd8000000-0xd801ffff irq 16 at device 2.0 on pci0
pcib1: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 17 at device 28.0 on pci0
pci2: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib1
re0: <realtek 8168="" 8168b="" 8168c="" 8168cp="" 8168d="" 8111b="" 8111c="" 8111cp="" pcie="" gigabit="" ethernet="">port 0x2000-0x20ff mem 0xd8100000-0xd8100fff,0xd8500000-0xd850ffff irq 16 at device 0.0 on pci2
re0: Using 1 MSI messages
re0: Chip rev. 0x3c000000
re0: MAC rev. 0x00400000
miibus0: <mii bus="">on re0
rgephy0: <rtl8169s 8110s="" 8211b="" media="" interface="">PHY 1 on miibus0
rgephy0: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, 1000baseT, 1000baseT-FDX, auto
re0: Ethernet address: 00:01:c0:06:38:ee
re0: [FILTER]
pcib2: <acpi pci-pci="" bridge="">irq 16 at device 28.1 on pci0
pci3: <acpi pci="" bus="">on pcib2
re1: <realtek 8168="" 8168b="" 8168c="" 8168cp="" 8168d="" 8111b="" 8111c="" 8111cp="" pcie="" gigabit="" ethernet="">port 0x3000-0x30ff mem 0xd8200000-0xd8200fff,0xd8600000-0xd860ffff irq 17 at device 0.0 on pci3
re1: Using 1 MSI messages
re1: Chip rev. 0x3c000000
re1: MAC rev. 0x00400000
miibus1: <mii bus="">on re1
rgephy1: <rtl8169s 8110s="" 8211b="" media="" interface="">PHY 1 on miibus1
rgephy1: 10baseT, 10baseT-FDX, 100baseTX, 100baseTX-FDX, 1000baseT, 1000baseT-FDX, auto
re1: Ethernet address: 00:01:c0:06:38:ef
re1: [FILTER]
uhci0: <uhci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">port 0x1820-0x183f irq 23 at device 29.0 on pci0
uhci0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
uhci0: [ITHREAD]
usb0: <uhci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on uhci0
usb0: USB revision 1.0
uhub0: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usb0
uhub0: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhci1: <uhci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">port 0x1840-0x185f irq 19 at device 29.1 on pci0
uhci1: [GIANT-LOCKED]
uhci1: [ITHREAD]
usb1: <uhci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on uhci1
usb1: USB revision 1.0
uhub1: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usb1
uhub1: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
uhci2: <uhci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">port 0x1860-0x187f irq 18 at device 29.2 on pci0
uhci2: [GIANT-LOCKED]
uhci2: [ITHREAD]
usb2: <uhci (generic)="" usb="" controller="">on uhci2
usb2: USB revision 1.0
uhub2: <intel 1="" 9="" uhci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 1.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usb2
uhub2: 2 ports with 2 removable, self powered
ehci0: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">mem 0xd8020000-0xd80203ff irq 21 at device 29.7 on pci0
ehci0: [GIANT-LOCKED]
ehci0: [ITHREAD]
usb3: EHCI version 1.0
usb3: companion controllers, 2 ports each: usb0 usb1 usb2
usb3: <ehci (generic)="" usb="" 2.0="" controller="">on ehci0
usb3: USB revision 2.0
uhub3: <intel 1="" 9="" ehci="" root="" hub,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.00,="" addr="">on usb3
uhub3: 8 ports with 8 removable, self powered
ugen0: <ralink 0="" 2="" 802.11="" n="" wlan,="" class="" 0,="" rev="" 2.00="" 1.01,="" addr="">on uhub3
isab0: <pci-isa bridge="">at device 31.0 on pci0
isa0: <isa bus="">on isab0
atapci0: <intel ata="" controller="">port 0x1f0-0x1f7,0x3f6,0x170-0x177,0x376,0x1810-0x181f at device 31.1 on pci0
ata0: <ata 0="" channel="">on atapci0
ata0: [ITHREAD]
ata1: <ata 1="" channel="">on atapci0
ata1: [ITHREAD]
acpi_tz0: <thermal zone="">on acpi0
acpi_tz1: <thermal zone="">on acpi0
sio0: <16550A-compatible COM port> port 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4 flags 0x10 on acpi0
sio0: type 16550A, console
sio0: [FILTER]
cpu0: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
est0: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu0
p4tcc0: <cpu frequency="" thermal="" control="">on cpu0
cpu1: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
est1: <enhanced speedstep="" frequency="" control="">on cpu1
p4tcc1: <cpu frequency="" thermal="" control="">on cpu1
pmtimer0 on isa0
orm0: <isa option="" roms="">at iomem 0xce800-0xcf7ff,0xcf800-0xd07ff,0xe0000-0xe17ff 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]
sc0: <system console="">at flags 0x100 on isa0
sc0: VGA <16 virtual consoles, flags=0x300>
sio1: configured irq 3 not in bitmap of probed irqs 0
sio1: port may not be enabled
vga0: <generic isa="" vga="">at port 0x3c0-0x3df iomem 0xa0000-0xbffff on isa0
Timecounters tick every 1.000 msec
IPsec: Initialized Security Association Processing.
ad0: FAILURE - SET_MULTI status=51 <ready,dsc,error>error=4 <aborted>ad0: 7641MB <sandisk pssd-s2="" 8gb="" ssd="" 6.00="">at ata0-master UDMA33
SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched!
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ad0s1a
pflog0: promiscuous mode enabled
re0: link state changed to UP
re1: link state changed to UP
WARNING: pseudo-random number generator used for IPsec processing</sandisk></aborted></ready,dsc,error></generic></system></at></keyboard></isa></cpu></enhanced></acpi></cpu></enhanced></acpi></thermal></thermal></ata></ata></intel></isa></pci-isa></ralink></intel></ehci></ehci></intel></uhci></uhci></intel></uhci></uhci></intel></uhci></uhci></rtl8169s></mii></realtek></acpi></acpi></rtl8169s></mii></realtek></acpi></acpi></vga-compatible></acpi></acpi></power></acpi></acpi></acpi></ac></high></embedded></ptltd ></software></version></ptltd ></lahf></nx></sse3,dtes64,mon,ds_cpl,vmx,est,tm2,ssse3,xtpr,pdcm,<b22></fpu,vme,de,pse,tsc,msr,pae,mce,cx8,apic,sep,mtrr,pge,mca,cmov,pat,clflush,dts,acpi,mmx,fxsr,sse,sse2,ss,htt,tm,pbe>

wallabybob

The wireless device in the box is clearly unsupported by pfSense 1.2.3. However it looks very like a device newly supported in pfSense 2.0 BETA by the run driver which supports Access Point mode. The wireless device you have apparently uses the USB electrical interface on the mini PCIe connector and reports itself similarly to a USB stick I have that is recognised by the run driver in pfSense 2.0.

On my pfSense 2.0 system the reported USB devices are:

# usbconfig
ugen0.1: <uhci root="" hub="" via="">at usbus0, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=FULL (12Mbps) pwr=ON
ugen1.1: <uhci root="" hub="" via="">at usbus1, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=FULL (12Mbps) pwr=ON
ugen2.1: <uhci root="" hub="" via="">at usbus2, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=FULL (12Mbps) pwr=ON
ugen3.1: <ehci root="" hub="" via="">at usbus3, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON
ugen3.2: <802.11 n WLAN Ralink> at usbus3, cfg=0 md=HOST spd=HIGH (480Mbps) pwr=ON</ehci></uhci></uhci></uhci> 
```and the system startup reports that WLAN device in this fashion:

ugen3.2: <ralink>at usbus3
run0: <1.0> on usbus3
run0: MAC/BBP RT3070 (rev 0x0201), RF RT3020 (MIMO 1T1R), address c8:3a:35:c4:ee:f3
run0: firmware RT2870 loaded</ralink>

It looks to me as you could probably put pfSense 2.0 on that box and be able to use it as a Wireless Access Point pretty soon after. (One problem you will probably encounter is that it is necessary to do a tweak to get the firmware loaded: search the pfSense 2.0 forum for the string "runfw" for the details.)

Because pfSense 2.0 is not yet ready for production use it can be (and has been) unstable. You might not yet be ready to play with it. If I recall correctly, I've seen mini PCIe WLAN cards that should be supported in pfSense 1.2.3 and are capable of operating in Access Point mode available for purchase on eBay for reasonable prices.
more details of the WLAN device are:

p51boy1

Very interesting. I have a spare pc2i here that I've been testing 2.0 beta on. I'll try runfw tomorrow and see what happens. I'll report back if I find anything out. THanks for your help!

p51boy1

Yep, that worked. Recognized the wireless card and I was able to set it up as an access point. 2.0 is still pretty buggy, so I'll stick with 1.2.3 until 2.0 release.

Thanks for all your help!

Inferno

Just some other question about the fitPC2i, which I own, all is running fine except rebooting the machine

I tried with and without ACPI tried the sysctl acpi reboot options, however when I request the machine hangs and I need to remove the power, since the keyboard ain't working as well.

Running the latest pfSense 2.0 BETA4

vho

I have exactly the same problem as you Inferno.
I have updated to the latest snapshot (pfSense-Full-Update-2.0-beta5-i386-1430.tgz 12-Jan-2011 18:42) and the problem persists with that you can not restart it. I need to remove the power.

Have you found any solution yet?

Inferno

I didn't found a fix yet

vho

I've tested the new snapshot 2.0-BETA5 (i386) built on Sun Jan 16 22:00:36 EST 2011 with no luck.

Setting "sysctl -w hw.acpi.handle_reboot=1" makes no difference.

JohnSwenson

Hi All,
this is my first post here. I jut got a fitpc2i with the included 8G SSD and loaded 2.0rc1 embedded version on it. The install went very well. The only difficulty is that the SSD cannot be easily removed so getting it loaded was interesting. I wound up creating a puppy linux version on a USB stick, booting off that, going online and getting the embedded file and copying that to the SSD. Having done searching here I knew I was going to need to use the serial port for the initial setup, that went very well, it took about 1 minute and I was up and running over the web interface. I had everything setup in about 2 minutes after that.

This has been the quickest, easiest install I have ever done! Hats off to the development team, I was really impressed.

So far everything is working great, I'm typing this message with my laptop hooked up to the LAN port so it does work! I haven't had time to do any stress testing yet, but so far the results are encouraging. Its handing out DHCP leases about 20 times faster that my previous router which is really greatly appreciated.

Oh and BTW the reboot issue seems to have been fixed. I've had no problem whatsoever rebooting from several different programs. I'm not sure if this is a firmware or hardware upgrade.

Next week my Cisco switch comes in at which point I'm going to get heavily intoVLANs etc. If today is any indication I'm going to have everything up and doing exactly what I want in a much shorter time than I had allocated.

So far I'm very pleased with the combination.

John S.