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    New Alix board for 2013

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • T
      tmueko
      last edited by

      @tohil:

      hi

      i tried to install the embedded version on a 4GB Kingston SD Card. but it doesn't fit, so i used the 2GB nanobsd edition.
      but when i try to boot, i got errors about mounting the root parition, wrong geometry aborting startup

      can i fix this by this
      https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Soekris_6501_USB_Flash_installation#Root_Mount_error

      or the USB Boot Problem article?

      Yes, that are the steps, you have to go, but 'set kern.cam.boot_delay="5000"'  will be enough.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • forbiddenlakeF
        forbiddenlake
        last edited by

        Is there a way to speed up crypto? Like a Mini-PCI crypto accelerator?

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • D
          doktornotor Banned
          last edited by

          @forbiddenlake:

          Like a Mini-PCI crypto accelerator?

          No such slot on the board.

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • forbiddenlakeF
            forbiddenlake
            last edited by

            @doktornotor:

            No such slot on the board.

            ?

            http://pcengines.ch/apu1c.htm

            "Expansion: 2 miniPCI express (one with SIM socket)"

            "Use with …
            wle200nx miniPCI express wireless module"

            Looks like it does to me?

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • T
              tirsojrp
              last edited by

              MiniPCI Express not just MiniPCI

              Use Google

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • T
                tmueko
                last edited by

                I just tracked down my performance-problem with the APU: It is a problem with the realtek-chipset on freebsd! That Device is unusable with pfSense yet:

                The same APU, one time bootet with ipfire, one time with pfSense:

                ipfire(linux):
                [root@ipfire ~]# iperf -c 192.168.0.67 -p 1000
                –----------------------------------------------------------
                Client connecting to 192.168.0.67, TCP port 1000
                TCP window size: 21.0 KByte (default)

                [  3] local 192.168.0.7 port 32863 connected with 192.168.0.67 port 1000
                [ ID] Interval      Transfer    Bandwidth
                [  3]  0.0-10.0 sec  667 MBytes  559 Mbits/sec

                pfSense-2.1(FreeBSD-8.3)
                [2.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(14): iperf -c 192.168.0.67 -p 1000
                –----------------------------------------------------------
                Client connecting to 192.168.0.67, TCP port 1000
                TCP window size: 65.0 KByte (default)

                [  3] local 192.168.0.121 port 9760 connected with 192.168.0.67 port 1000
                [ ID] Interval      Transfer    Bandwidth
                [  3]  0.0- 2.7 sec  8.62 MBytes  26.4 Mbits/sec

                I'll try to build a NanoBSD-Image from 10.0 …

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • T
                  tohil
                  last edited by

                  @tmueko:

                  @tohil:

                  hi

                  i tried to install the embedded version on a 4GB Kingston SD Card. but it doesn't fit, so i used the 2GB nanobsd edition.
                  but when i try to boot, i got errors about mounting the root parition, wrong geometry aborting startup

                  can i fix this by this
                  https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Soekris_6501_USB_Flash_installation#Root_Mount_error

                  or the USB Boot Problem article?

                  Yes, that are the steps, you have to go, but 'set kern.cam.boot_delay="5000"'  will be enough.

                  Thanks for your reply. Will this maybe added to the nanobsd image as default? also the automatic mapping of the new APU interfaces re0 re1 re2?

                  I used now the normal installer from a usb stick. i installed the embedded kernel and set a ramdisk for /tmp and /var in the webconfigurator. is this enough, that my SD card will not die in a few weeks or have i better to reinstall the whole boxes with the embedded edition?

                  regards angelo

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

                    What makes you think that it's the Realtek driver rather than something else? I'm fully prepare to believe it might be but just curious as to your thinking.
                    Also your window size is not consistent between those tests so the numbers are not directly comparable. Though the larger window in pfSense should be favourable.

                    It's better to run Nano on flash media.

                    Steve

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • O
                      Oliver_
                      last edited by

                      @ tmueko

                      Nice test! would be interesting to test with freebsd 10, hoping the troughput is increasing!

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • P
                        p1erre
                        last edited by

                        @tmueko:

                        I just tracked down my performance-problem with the APU: It is a problem with the realtek-chipset on freebsd! That Device is unusable with pfSense yet:

                        The same APU, one time bootet with ipfire, one time with pfSense:

                        ipfire(linux):
                        [root@ipfire ~]# iperf -c 192.168.0.67 -p 1000
                        –----------------------------------------------------------
                        Client connecting to 192.168.0.67, TCP port 1000
                        TCP window size: 21.0 KByte (default)

                        [  3] local 192.168.0.7 port 32863 connected with 192.168.0.67 port 1000
                        [ ID] Interval      Transfer    Bandwidth
                        [  3]  0.0-10.0 sec  667 MBytes  559 Mbits/sec

                        pfSense-2.1(FreeBSD-8.3)
                        [2.1-RELEASE][root@pfSense.localdomain]/root(14): iperf -c 192.168.0.67 -p 1000
                        –----------------------------------------------------------
                        Client connecting to 192.168.0.67, TCP port 1000
                        TCP window size: 65.0 KByte (default)

                        [  3] local 192.168.0.121 port 9760 connected with 192.168.0.67 port 1000
                        [ ID] Interval      Transfer    Bandwidth
                        [  3]  0.0- 2.7 sec  8.62 MBytes  26.4 Mbits/sec

                        I'll try to build a NanoBSD-Image from 10.0 …

                        Hi I just did a quick test from my NAS running Debian Jessie and connected over a 1GB switch to the APU.

                        iperf -c pfsense -i                                                                                    ⏎
                        iperf: option requires an argument -- i
                        ------------------------------------------------------------
                        Client connecting to pfsense, TCP port 5001
                        TCP window size: 85.0 KByte (default)
                        ------------------------------------------------------------
                        [  3] local 192.168.1.30 port 46982 connected with 192.168.1.1 port 5001
                        [ ID] Interval       Transfer     Bandwidth
                        [  3]  0.0-10.0 sec   357 MBytes   299 Mbits/sec
                        

                        Pfsense running 2.1.1 Prerelease

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • GruensFroeschliG
                          GruensFroeschli
                          last edited by

                          I have somewhat different results:

                          
                              10.0.8.3                10.0.8.1 (LAN - re0)
                              ----------              ----------
                              |   PC1  |--------------|  APU   |
                              ----------              ----------
                                                           |   10.0.42.237 (WAN - re2)
                                                           |
                                                           |
                                                    -----------
                                                    |   PC2   | 10.0.42.2
                                                    -----------
                          
                          
                          • pfSense 2.1
                          • portforward from WAN to PC1
                          • 50 concurrent iperf connections from PC1 to PC2
                          • 50 concurrent iperf connections from PC2 to PC1
                          • Quite constant 440~445 Mbit/s (see quotes below)

                          @PC1:

                          TCP window size: 85.3 KByte (default)
                          [SUM] 2230.0-2240.0 sec  259 MBytes  217 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2240.0-2250.0 sec  262 MBytes  219 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2250.0-2260.0 sec  257 MBytes  216 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2260.0-2270.0 sec  259 MBytes  217 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2270.0-2280.0 sec  257 MBytes  215 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2280.0-2290.0 sec  260 MBytes  219 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2290.0-2300.0 sec  256 MBytes  215 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2300.0-2310.0 sec  258 MBytes  217 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2310.0-2320.0 sec  259 MBytes  217 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2320.0-2330.0 sec  259 MBytes  217 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2330.0-2340.0 sec  260 MBytes  218 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2340.0-2350.0 sec  260 MBytes  218 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2350.0-2360.0 sec  259 MBytes  217 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2360.0-2370.0 sec  262 MBytes  219 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2370.0-2380.0 sec  257 MBytes  216 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2380.0-2390.0 sec  260 MBytes  218 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2390.0-2400.0 sec  260 MBytes  218 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2400.0-2410.0 sec  258 MBytes  217 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2410.0-2420.0 sec  260 MBytes  218 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2420.0-2430.0 sec  263 MBytes  220 Mbits/sec

                          @PC2:

                          TCP window size: 85.3 KByte (default)
                          [SUM] 2230.0-2240.0 sec  271 MBytes  227 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2240.0-2250.0 sec  270 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2250.0-2260.0 sec  270 MBytes  227 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2260.0-2270.0 sec  268 MBytes  225 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2270.0-2280.0 sec  268 MBytes  225 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2280.0-2290.0 sec  269 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2290.0-2300.0 sec  270 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2300.0-2310.0 sec  270 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2310.0-2320.0 sec  271 MBytes  227 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2320.0-2330.0 sec  269 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2330.0-2340.0 sec  273 MBytes  229 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2340.0-2350.0 sec  271 MBytes  227 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2350.0-2360.0 sec  268 MBytes  225 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2360.0-2370.0 sec  268 MBytes  225 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2370.0-2380.0 sec  270 MBytes  227 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2380.0-2390.0 sec  270 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2390.0-2400.0 sec  271 MBytes  227 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2400.0-2410.0 sec  269 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2410.0-2420.0 sec  269 MBytes  225 Mbits/sec
                          [SUM] 2420.0-2430.0 sec  269 MBytes  226 Mbits/sec

                          We do what we must, because we can.

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

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • GruensFroeschliG
                            GruensFroeschli
                            last edited by

                            After pushing traffic for 3 hours i took a look at the board with our thermal camera.

                            IR000609: From top, closed case.

                            IR000611: From bottom, closed case.

                            IR000613: From top, open case.

                            IR000609.JPG
                            IR000609.JPG_thumb
                            IR000611.JPG
                            IR000611.JPG_thumb
                            IR000613.JPG
                            IR000613.JPG_thumb

                            We do what we must, because we can.

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

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • W
                              watercooled
                              last edited by

                              Some great images there, cheers!

                              What colour case do you have BTW (I'm thinking about emissivity)?

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • GruensFroeschliG
                                GruensFroeschli
                                last edited by

                                It's the black case.

                                We do what we must, because we can.

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

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • forbiddenlakeF
                                  forbiddenlake
                                  last edited by

                                  @tirsojrp:

                                  MiniPCI Express not just MiniPCI

                                  Use Google

                                  Oops  :-[

                                  Google tells me there are no Mini-PCIe crypto accelerators, so I guess it's moot anyway.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • T
                                    tmueko
                                    last edited by

                                    @GruensFroeschli:

                                    I have somewhat different results:

                                    
                                        10.0.8.3                10.0.8.1 (LAN - em0)
                                        ----------              ----------
                                        |   PC1  |--------------|  APU   |
                                        ----------              ----------
                                                                     |   10.0.42.237 (WAN - em2)
                                                                     |
                                                                     |
                                                              -----------
                                                              |   PC2   | 10.0.42.2
                                                              -----------
                                    
                                    

                                    You em0 .. em2 on your APU? Is that the 4GB Device? Can you post a dmesg from boot?

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

                                      Nice, love the thermal images.  :)

                                      You surely mean re0-1 though rather than em?

                                      Steve

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • GruensFroeschliG
                                        GruensFroeschli
                                        last edited by

                                        Wooops.
                                        Yes i meant re.
                                        I have a dual miniPCIe gbit card which is (em).
                                        Going to test the board with them tomorrow.

                                        We do what we must, because we can.

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

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • G
                                          gkri
                                          last edited by

                                          I have received my board today  :)

                                          I will be using this board to upgrade an Alix system.

                                          The fit of the board in the Alix case is no good :(
                                          EDIT: Netgate told me that my case is an old Netgate made case (not PCEngine), and do not work with APU board :(

                                          The board is curved and it's impossible to align the leds an reset button with the case holes.
                                          EDIT: Netgate told me that my case is an old Netgate made case (not PCEngine), and do not work with APU board :(

                                          I hope Netgate get the new cases soon.
                                          (I just order 2 correct cases)

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • GruensFroeschliG
                                            GruensFroeschli
                                            last edited by

                                            One noteworthy point of the test i did.
                                            During the test the board is not responsive anymore.
                                            E.g:

                                            • serial console is dead
                                            • webinterface doesn't load anymore

                                            As soon as the test-traffic is disabled, everything works immediately again.

                                            When i stopped the test i saw lots of these messages in the syslog:

                                            ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459663
                                            ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459599
                                            ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459515
                                            ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459663
                                            ata2: FAILURE - already active DMA on this device
                                            ata2: setting up DMA failed
                                            ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=21459523
                                            g_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987307008, length=32768)]error = 5
                                            ad4: WARNING - WRITE_DMA requeued due to channel reset LBA=21459515
                                            ata2: FAILURE - already active DMA on this device
                                            ata2: setting up DMA failed
                                            ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=2145953g5
                                            _vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987231232, length=2048)]error = 5
                                            ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=21459523
                                            ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=21459535
                                            ad4: FAILURE - WRITE_DMA timed out LBA=21459535
                                            g_vfs_done():ad4s1a[WRITE(offset=10987241472, length=32768)]error = 5
                                            ad4: TIMEOUT - WRITE_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=1152271
                                            .
                                            .
                                            .
                                            etc.

                                            i guess this are failed writes of the RRD graph (or is there anything else writing regularly to the disk?).
                                            Without investigating this further for now, my bet is that the realtek cards generate an interrupt storm that stops the rest of the system from working correctly.
                                            Let's see how everything behaves with the intel cards :)

                                            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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