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    New Alix board for 2013

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      Ah, of course. I knew I was missing something. Thanks.

      Steve

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      • GruensFroeschliG
        GruensFroeschli
        last edited by

        @mbpfsense:

        The new Alix (apu1c) is expected on 5.3.2014:

        http://www.pcengines.ch/order1.php?c=63124

        Seems the entry on the page got removed.
        Too bad that tomorrow isn't second christmas. ^^"

        We do what we must, because we can.

        Asking questions the smart way: http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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        • M
          mircsicz
          last edited by

          @GruensFroeschli:

          Seems the entry on the page got removed.
          Too bad that tomorrow isn't second christmas. ^^"

          according to my german provider, they're still expected this week… Already ordered two for tests! Hope to have em soon...

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          • T
            tirsojrp
            last edited by

            Price increased and 4GB version listed:

            2GB > 145
            4GB > 165

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            • Z
              zatoichi
              last edited by

              Updated…

              | Board | apu1c4 | $165 | http://www.pcengines.ch/apu1c4.htm | |
              | Enclosure | case1d2redu | $9.3 | http://www.pcengines.ch/case1d2redu.htm | |
              | US Plug | ac12vus | $4.5 | http://www.pcengines.ch/ac12vus.htm | |
              | M-SATA SSD | msata16a | $20 | http://www.pcengines.ch/msata16a.htm | |
              | Wireless Card | wle200nx | $18.7 | http://www.pcengines.ch/wle200nx.htm | |
              | VPN Card | ?? | | | |
              | CPU Info | | | http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Bobcat/AMD-G%20Series%20G-T40E%20-%20GET40EFQB22GVE.html | |
              | Order Page | | | http://www.pcengines.ch/order1.php?c=63124 | |
              | | | $217.5 | | |
              | | Shipping | $44 | | |
              | | | $261.5 | | |

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                You think that crypto card is going to actually accelerate anything on the new board?
                More importantly the APU board doesn't have any mini-PCI slots!  ;)

                Steve

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                • Z
                  zatoichi
                  last edited by

                  you are right..

                  My bad .. apologies

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                  • Z
                    ZGruk
                    last edited by

                    I see that wireless card is (according to PC engines) unsupported by pfSense. Anyone know if that's true? Or if there's a miniPCIe card available that would work?

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                    • nesenseN
                      nesense
                      last edited by

                      @ZGruk:

                      I see that wireless card is (according to PC engines) unsupported by pfSense. Anyone know if that's true? Or if there's a miniPCIe card available that would work?

                      That is true, check this: https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,70700.msg385961.html and this: https://redmine.pfsense.com/issues/3423

                      2.1.1 won't have updated Atheros drivers to support cards like this, so you'll have to wait for 2.2 to use any wireless on this board according to this https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,72763.msg396957.html#msg396957

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                      • P
                        powerrc
                        last edited by

                        This is way too expensive.
                        Intel NUC Kit DCCP847DYE is merely $144 with case/power and , a much more powerful cpu
                        what's the point to stick to ALIX still?
                        Did I miss something?

                        @zatoichi:

                        Updated…

                        | Board | apu1c4 | $165 | http://www.pcengines.ch/apu1c4.htm | |
                        | Enclosure | case1d2redu | $9.3 | http://www.pcengines.ch/case1d2redu.htm | |
                        | US Plug | ac12vus | $4.5 | http://www.pcengines.ch/ac12vus.htm | |
                        | M-SATA SSD | msata16a | $20 | http://www.pcengines.ch/msata16a.htm | |
                        | Wireless Card | wle200nx | $18.7 | http://www.pcengines.ch/wle200nx.htm | |
                        | VPN Card | ?? | | | |
                        | CPU Info | | | http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/Bobcat/AMD-G%20Series%20G-T40E%20-%20GET40EFQB22GVE.html | |
                        | Order Page | | | http://www.pcengines.ch/order1.php?c=63124 | |
                        | | | $217.5 | | |
                        | | Shipping | $44 | | |
                        | | | $261.5 | | |

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • A
                          Applied
                          last edited by

                          @powerrc:

                          what's the point to stick to ALIX still?
                          Did I miss something?

                          For starters:

                          • SSD / wireless card / RAM:
                            Your price point of $144 for the NUC does not include either SSD, RAM or wireless card (not yet supported on pfSense but elsewhere and this is talking about hardware price), while the quoted $217.50 for the APU does include wireless NIC, SSD and 2GB RAM

                          • Ethernet ports:
                            ALIX / APU features 3 ethernet ports.
                            DCCP847DYE kit has only one single ethernet port and there’s no way of adding another one internally (due to the case).
                            So how would you go about setting this up as a router? (USB ethernet just plain doesn’t work reliably on pfSense)

                          • APU has bootable SD card slot, which can act as even less expensive boot media than SSD

                          • APU is fanless while the NUC includes a fan (though, granted, this might also be taken as an advantage in some environments)

                          • APU has a serial interface which obviates need for a display

                          • APU allows for easier internal installation of supported 3G/4G (e.g. for backup connectivity)

                          • APU uses open source BIOS, whereas Intel probably uses some closed source firmware (and can you trust American companions not to put some backdoors in their kit?)

                          Don't get me wrong, I think the NUC is an interesting concept and I can see some applications for it - but I don't think it's particularly well-suited for pfSense or any firewalling/gateway use

                          @powerrc:

                          This is way too expensive.

                          I think it depends on how you look at it:
                          Its price point may seem steep if compared to consumer-grade hardware in sheer price/performance ratio.
                          But it is relatively inexpensive compared to most embedded / network appliance hardware.

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                          • nesenseN
                            nesense
                            last edited by

                            @Applied:

                            So how would you go about setting this up as a router? (USB ethernet just plain doesn’t work reliably on pfSense)

                            I've been using Apple USB Ethernet Adapters on multiple machines for a couple of years now with zero issues, a bit overpriced (about $30 now) but it works.

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                            • GruensFroeschliG
                              GruensFroeschli
                              last edited by

                              @Applied:

                              For starters:

                              • SSD / wireless card / RAM:
                                Your price point of $144 for the NUC does not include either SSD, RAM or wireless card (not yet supported on pfSense but elsewhere and this is talking about hardware price), while the quoted $217.50 for the APU does include wireless NIC, SSD and 2GB RAM

                              The quoted board is even the version with 4GB ram.
                              The 2 GB version costs about 20$ less.

                              We do what we must, because we can.

                              Asking questions the smart way: http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

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                              • P
                                p1erre
                                last edited by

                                ;D just received my apu1c today. Upgrading from alix using export/import configuration worked just fine.

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                                • T
                                  tirsojrp
                                  last edited by

                                  @p1erre:

                                  ;D just received my apu1c today. Upgrading from alix using export/import configuration worked just fine.

                                  We want more!!!!!
                                  Idle/Full load temperatures and power consumption?
                                  Performance?

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                                  • G
                                    gidi
                                    last edited by

                                    Moved from alix to an apu1c using a sdhc card (temporarly) and restored a modified alix config.
                                    Works nicely so far…

                                    FreeBSD/amd64 (test.lan) (console)

*** Welcome to pfSense 2.1-RELEASE-nanobsd (amd64) on test ***

 WAN (wan)       -> re0        -> v4/DHCP4: 192.168.69.139/24
 BRIDGE (lan)    -> bridge0    -> v4: 192.168.70.1/24
 WIFI (opt1)     -> ath0_wlan0 ->
 LAN (opt2)      -> re1        ->

 0) Logout (SSH only)                  8) Shell
 1) Assign Interfaces                  9) pfTop
 2) Set interface(s) IP address       10) Filter Logs
 3) Reset webConfigurator password    11) Restart webConfigurator
 4) Reset to factory defaults         12) pfSense Developer Shell
 5) Reboot system                     13) Upgrade from console
 6) Halt system                       14) Disable Secure Shell (sshd)
 7) Ping host                         15) Restore recent configuration

Enter an option:

                                    dmesg | grep -i cpu
                                    CPU: AMD G-T40E Processor (1000.00-MHz K8-class CPU)
                                    FreeBSD/SMP: Multiprocessor System Detected: 2 CPUs
                                    cpu0 (BSP): APIC ID:  0
                                    cpu1 (AP): APIC ID:  1
                                    cpu0: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
                                    cpu1: <acpi cpu="">on acpi0
                                    acpi_throttle0: <acpi cpu="" throttling="">on cpu0
                                    SMP: AP CPU #1 Launched!</acpi></acpi></acpi>

                                    sysctl -a | egrep -i 'hw.machine|hw.model|hw.ncpu'
                                    hw.machine: amd64
                                    hw.model: AMD G-T40E Processor
                                    hw.ncpu: 2
                                    hw.machine_arch: amd64

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                                    • M
                                      MaxPF
                                      last edited by

                                      With the new APU board and a m-sata ssd I assume that the full install is preferable to the nanobsd, correct?

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • nesenseN
                                        nesense
                                        last edited by

                                        @MaxPF:

                                        With the new APU board and a m-sata ssd I assume that the full install is preferable to the nanobsd, correct?

                                        Tried copying the CF image on SD but didn't boot, also booting from USB CD image failed & which lacks serial output, only memstick-serial then installing to M-SATA worked for me, haven't tried installing on SATA since beta board lacks it.

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                                        • C
                                          Clown
                                          last edited by

                                          @MaxPF:

                                          With the new APU board and a m-sata ssd I assume that the full install is preferable to the nanobsd, correct?

                                          Yes, I did copy the full Image "pfSense-memstick-serial-2.1-RELEASE-amd64-20130911-1816.img" from a SD Card and this installes the m-sata-ssd.

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                                          • C
                                            Clown
                                            last edited by

                                            Would be nice to have for the new APU board:

                                            • LED Support
                                            • Thermal sensors
                                            • as mentioned in an other thread (GPU prozessors as crypto device)
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