APU set up with Wi-Fi

eiger3970 · May 5, 2014, 11:09 PM

Hi, I'm continuing on from this pfSense thread.

I bought an
APU (not an ALIX) and an
APU cover.

I think I need to buy a power supply with 12V and 1 or 2 Amps and 2.5mm plug.
I would also like Wi-Fi if it can be done.

How do I install pfSense onto the APU. I think I need to buy a mini SD or SD for 4GB or 8GB.
How do I install the pfSense to the APU then?

Then I can remove my old Linksys Wi-Fi router with 4 Ethernet port and my 3 port Switch.
Does anyone know of a good 12-48 port switch for home use?

Also, I'm thinking of upgrading to a fanless silent server with low 20-30 Watt power needs.
Any suggestions?

eiger3970 · May 6, 2014, 2:44 AM

Okay, so I bought an 8GB Transcend microSDHD with SD adapter.
Specs are up to 20 MB/s 133X, Class 10.

Will pfSense run on this SD card, or do I need a Compact Flash card?

eiger3970 · May 6, 2014, 3:24 AM

Well, plugged APU in with SD card with img.gz, but can't plug my monitor's 15 pin male VGA cable into the APU serial port 9 pin male.

Haven't found an adaptor yet, anyone know a solution to this?

eiger3970 · May 6, 2014, 3:37 AM

Ok, ordered a bunch of cables:
Serial port 9 pin female to female adaptor.
Serial port 9 pin male to VGA port 15 pin male.
VGA port 15 pin female to female adaptor.

Once arrived, hopefully my monitor will connect to the APU and see the cli to install pfSense from the SD card.

JeGr · May 6, 2014, 8:31 AM

No no no. Stop! You are doing it wrong ;)

The serial port is NOT an VGA port. Never ever. That is a console port. And to install pfsense on an APU, just search the forums for the APU topics already out there explaining what to do. To summarize:

you need to write the appropriate image to the SD card. as the APU has NO video out, you need a console-only nano-BSD version. I'd recommend the 4GB nanobsd image.
go to https://www.pfsense.org/download/mirror.php?section=downloads
select: 64bit, embedded, no vga / serial console (9-port SERIAL port), card size 4GB
download
to write the image to your sd card, use something like http://m0n0.ch/wall/physdiskwrite.php (the one with gui for example), watch out that you select the right target!
after the image is written correctly, put it into the apu
boot

Another option would be to use a simple small usb stick and the live-boot image (amd64, live-cd with installer on usb memstick, serial!) and write that image to an usb stick with sth like http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/

What you need to actually see the output of your APU in case sth goes wrong is a "Serial Console cable". Do NOT put a VGA port with any kinds of adapters on that port, you may or may not damage your video port or the device!
Read about that on https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Console_Types
What you can use if you don't have a serial port on your PC or notebook is a USB to serial port adapter or cable. Like http://www.amazon.com/Manhattan-Serial-Converter-Connects-205146/dp/B0007OWNYA/

Please don't "assume" things like console/VGA as that may simply damage your device. Read the forums ahead of ordering! :)

Greets

forbiddenlake · May 8, 2014, 3:26 PM

A serial to USB adapter is good, but you will also need a f2f NULL modem adapter such as this one.

JeGr · May 9, 2014, 10:39 AM

@forbiddenlake: No you don't. What would you need that for? I'm using a USB/Serial Adapter for WRAP, ALIX and APUs all the time. There is no need for a gender changer whatsoever. If you need one, you have the wrong cable. All I need from time to time is a serial 9-port to RJ-45 adapter for those devices that use RJ-45 as easier (and smaller) ways to build console ports into their devices (such as cisco, lanner inc. devices, etc.).

Greets

stephenw10 · May 9, 2014, 1:33 PM

Yes you do.
Or at least every serial console I've ever used required a null modem cable. A USB to serial adapter, such as the one you linked to, gives you a male 9-pin serial port such as you would have found on the back of a PC 10 years ago. The console port on most hardware, including the APU, is also male. You need a cable that both changes the gender and cross connects the Tx and Rx lines; a null-modem cable.

Steve

forbiddenlake · May 9, 2014, 6:23 PM

@JeGr yes you do, as stephenw wrote. Also because I bought a f2f straight adapter and it didn't work, then I researched further, bought a f2f null modem adapter, and it worked.

JeGr · May 12, 2014, 9:34 AM

@stephen: Or at least every serial console I've ever used required a null modem cable.
@forbiddenlage: yes you do

Guys please. I don't want to argue, but give me the benefit of the doubt. And read what I wrote:

What you need to actually see the output of your APU in case sth goes wrong is a "Serial Console cable".
-> That is per se known as null modem cable.

What you can use if you don't have a serial port on your PC or notebook is a USB to serial port adapter
-> That is the one you are arguing over, that it needs some converter/adapter.

Why? You take that stupid USB2Serial thing, plug it in, and take your console cable and plug it into the converter (that's what it is, a converter) and your board (WRAP, ALIX, APU, Lanner, whatever). So please give me the point that I know what I'm doing. I didn't mention any "strange" f2f or other adapters because the TS already seemed awfully confused over the nature of a console port in difference of a VGA port. And because me personally don't like any strange f2m/m2m/f2f adapters as they are - in most cases - calling for errors or strange happenings.

That's why I was suggesting going the classic route by using a standard 9port console/nullmodem cable and a usb2serial adapter.

Let's agree we all talk about the same and stop irritating the TS and other readers from this topic to buy any strange adapters or converters that perhaps won't function the way they want. OK? :D

Cheers

stephenw10 · May 12, 2014, 10:14 AM

I agree we are talking the same thing. :) We must be since all three of us have used a console cable and are aware of what's required.

Reading back through it I can see where the confusion started. Forbiddenlake said you need an adapter as well as a USB-Serial converter, which is true you do. You had already stated you need a console cable which is the same thing. However you then wrote 'no you don't' meaning you don't need the adapter as well as the console cable. I then misinterpreted that as you saying you don't need any sort of adapter. ::)

Anyway just to be clear you need a null-modem cable also known as a console cable (the null-modem adapter is the same thing but shorter) and, if you don't have a serial port, you need a USB-serial converter.

Steve

JeGr · May 12, 2014, 10:25 AM

Agreed :D

eiger3970 · May 15, 2014, 8:05 AM

The Serial-USB and serial female-serial female cables arrived.
Micro SD 4GB card with the pfSense-2.1.2-RELEASE-4g-amd64-nanobsd-20140410-0542.img downloaded onto it,
I bought a 12V 1.5A power supply but no power to ALU?
Specs/tutorial for building the APU say a power supply of 1 - 2 Amps should be fine.

Plugged serial-USB cable into
serial female-serial-female to ALU serial male port and into
computer's USB port, but computer recognises no USB?

Ok, tested power supply using a multimeter.
Red cable plugged into VOhmmA
Black cable plugged into COM.
Yellow dial turned to 750 V AC.

Black cable pushed into the inside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (positive).
Red cable touching the outside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (negative).
Multimeter result: HV 026.

Red cable pushed into the inside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (positive).
Black cable touching the outside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (negative).
Multimeter result: HV 000.

stephenw10 · May 15, 2014, 10:43 AM

Your power supply is almost certainly fine. To test the output with a multimeter you need to be on the correct range (if it's not auto-ranging). The '750V AC' setting is for measuring high voltage AC, such as the Volts at a wall socket. To measure the PSU, which is 12V DC, you need a low voltage DC setting. Typically that would be 20V DC or sometimes written 19V DC since the display can only read to 19.99V.
The output plug of the PSU is usually 'centre positive' so the red lead should go down the center of the connector.

Do you have links to the actual cables you bought?
If the computer is not detecting the USB cable then it can't work. What OS is running on the terminal computer?

Steve

eiger3970 · May 18, 2014, 12:46 AM

Thanks for the help.

Multimeter yellow dial set to 20V.

Black cable pushed into the inside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (positive).
Red cable touching the outside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (negative).
Multimeter result: 12.1.

Red cable pushed into the inside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (positive).
Black cable touching the outside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (negative).
Multimeter result: - 12.1.

Serial female to female cable.

Serial male to USB.

So yes, it seems the power supply is working.
No life at all on the APU?
Maybe the APU needs a trick like connecting an Ethernet cable or powering up and then putting the microSD card in the APU?

stephenw10 · May 15, 2014, 12:00 PM

Ok, check the leads at the multimeter end. The black lead is definitely in the COM connector and the red lead in the ' VOhmmA' connector?

Just as an aside here, I'm not sure how familiar with meters you are, do not put the red lead in the other connector, usually marked '10A', unless you know what you're doing. It's so very easy to kill powersupplies doing that! ;)

If the leads are correct then it looks like your power supply is wired 'centre negative' which is incorrect:

@http://pcengines.ch/apu1c.htm:

12V DC, about 6 to 12W depending on CPU load. Jack = 2.5 mm, center positive

Maybe you typo'd the results? Where did you source the PSU?

Steve

eiger3970 · May 16, 2014, 1:33 AM

So
the power supply cable tip had the negative cable end with the 2.5mm metal positive.
the power supply cable tip had the positive cable end with the 2.5mm metal negative.

I changed
the power supply cable tip with the negative end with the 2.5mm metal negative.
The power supply cable tip with the positive end with the 2.5mm metal positive.

Black cable pushed into the inside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (positive).
Red cable touching the outside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (negative).
Multimeter result: -12.13.

Red cable pushed into the inside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (positive).
Black cable touching the outside of the 2.5mm power supply connector (negative).
Multimeter result: 12.13.

The ALU now shows a green LED light on the MOBO D7, D10 and D11.

The computer isn't showing any recognition of a USB connection.
My OS is Linux Mint 16 Mate 64-bit.

stephenw10 · May 16, 2014, 2:27 AM

You'll have to check the logs in Mint to see what it made of the cable. It could be some obscure converter chip.

Steve

eiger3970 · May 18, 2014, 9:56 PM

Ok, not sure how to find logs on Linux Mint 16.
I went to /var/log, but nothing really re USBs?

I'm wondering if the MicroSD card is causing the pfSense OS to somehow not load and 'awaken' the USB port?
The MicroSD card has pfSense-2.1.2-RELEASE-4g-amd64-nanobsd-20140410-0542.img on it.
I downloaded this file from pfSense download
> Computer Architecture: AMD64 (64-bit) > Platform: Embedded (NanoBSD) typically with CF > Console: Serial > CF card size: 4GB.

BBcan177 · May 16, 2014, 3:38 AM

Logs are usually in the /var/log directory