Warning: Dell PE R410 & R510 Servers No Good for pfSense
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I added mine via GUI under advance setting and system tunable. For the netstat command, I think you can run via GUI after install command prompt add-on.
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Interesting… we're using an R210 and it's working like a dream.
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Oh sure… Rub it in ;)
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I may have a breakthrough…. :)
Based on what I read in another thread, I tried several different keyboards on my R410 server. I came across a keyboard that consistently produces a smooth install and configuration. The only difference between this keyboard and the other 3 that I tried is that this one is 5v, 1.5A. Whereas the other keyboards are 5v, 100 mA.
I never would have guessed that a different amperage on the keyboard would affect the software... (especially since linux installed fine)
I'm going to try this keyboard on the R510 and post back my results next week.
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Surely it's not the keyboard…
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I guess I got to hopefull :(
Tried the same keyboard on the R510 and the install has hung up at "Configuring WAN Interface…"
I may go back and give ESXi another go...
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Back on the R410…
Swapped out 4-port PCI-e Intel NIC w/ 2-port PCI-e Broadcom NIC (didn't need that many interfaces)
Now the install is hanging during the install to the hard drive again...
I give up on these freaking boxes!!!!
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Load ESX 4.1 and build a VM pfSense
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i second that
pfsense runs very well on esxi with dell Rxxx
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I did try that and I posted in another thread that I saw considerable (at least what I think) throughput loss compared to pfSense installed on bare metal (I was able to install pfSense on the R410 without any of the PCIe NICs installed). I saw approximately a 50 mbits/sec loss using ESXi. For completeness here is my testing methology:
Using iperf ("iperf -s" on 1 laptop and "iperf -c x.x.x.x -t 30" on the other laptop) with a crossover cable between 2 vostro laptops yields an average of 172 mbits/s. I did the same test thru the following firewall distros: Here are those results:
Laptop -> Laptop via Crossover cable
172 Mbits/sec
pfSense on bare metal
Intel -> Broadcom = 140 mbit/sec
pfSense on ESXi using e1000 (with or without vm tools installed)
Intel -> Broadcom = 85 mbit/sec
Astaro
Intel -> Intel = 165 Mbits/sec
Intel -> Broadcom = 147 Mbits/sec
Broadcom -> Intel = 132 Mbits/sec
Broadcom -> Broadcom = 140 Mbits/secVyatta
Intel -> Broadcom = 114 Mbits/sec
Untangle
Intel -> Intel = 165 Mbits/sec
Intel -> Broadcom = 160 Mbits/sec
Broadcom -> Intel = 200 Mbits/sec
Broadcom -> Broadcom = 200 Mbits/secNote: the NICs in use also made a difference. When I did the pfSense test, I only tested going from Intel -> Broadcom.