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    Help me build my pfsense box please!

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • L
      lostinclarity
      last edited by

      This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you very much!!!

      I'm gonna get the unifi ap long-range version!

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      • ?
        A Former User
        last edited by

        This post is deleted!
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        • L
          lostinclarity
          last edited by

          @SunCatalyst:

          @lostinclarity:

          This is exactly what I was looking for, thank you very much!!!

          I'm gonna get the unifi ap long-range version!

          the Unifi LR (long range) has a HIGH failure rate. keep that in mind and also be aware 3.2.1 of the controller
          software and firmware have been Buggy and NOT horribly reliable. stay with 2.4.x of the controller software
          if you can as well as the firmware on the AP.

          Do you have an alternative to recommend? I dont like failing hardware!

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          • J
            jasonlitka
            last edited by

            I haven't had any LR units fail.  I suspect that most people who are using them and reporting problems aren't using them properly though and assume they're defective.  The most likely issue you'd experience is that many clients have no connectivity even though they're well within the rated range and report a mid-level signal.  What they don't understand is that there are two sides to the conversation and that it doesn't matter if the AP has a LR transmitter which the client can hear if the client device doesn't have the power to send messages back over the same distance.

            If you're going to use Unifi hardware I'd suggest the Pro models.  If you're only using one AP though these things are a hassle.  Just get an Engenius AP (I like the ECB600) or an Apple Airport Extreme.

            I can break anything.

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            • ?
              A Former User
              last edited by

              This post is deleted!
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              • M
                Mr. Jingles
                last edited by

                I also second Ubiquity. I have UAP-PRO, UAP, and UAP-LR. Recommended to me here in the past, and they work marvelously. The LR is real-ly LR  ;D

                It does 150 meter with 100% connection quality according to Windows 7, on a Lenovo T420. Download speed wired for this VDSL is 50 Mb/s, @ 150 meter it drops to 32 Mb/s.

                6 and a half billion people know that they are stupid, agressive, lower life forms.

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                • M
                  Mr. Jingles
                  last edited by

                  @Jason:

                  I haven't had any LR units fail.  I suspect that most people who are using them and reporting problems aren't using them properly though and assume they're defective.  The most likely issue you'd experience is that many clients have no connectivity even though they're well within the rated range and report a mid-level signal.  What they don't understand is that there are two sides to the conversation and that it doesn't matter if the AP has a LR transmitter which the client can hear if the client device doesn't have the power to send messages back over the same distance.

                  How would you determine if the problem is with the client, Jason?

                  6 and a half billion people know that they are stupid, agressive, lower life forms.

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                  • J
                    jasonlitka
                    last edited by

                    @Hollander:

                    @Jason:

                    I haven't had any LR units fail.  I suspect that most people who are using them and reporting problems aren't using them properly though and assume they're defective.  The most likely issue you'd experience is that many clients have no connectivity even though they're well within the rated range and report a mid-level signal.  What they don't understand is that there are two sides to the conversation and that it doesn't matter if the AP has a LR transmitter which the client can hear if the client device doesn't have the power to send messages back over the same distance.

                    How would you determine if the problem is with the client, Jason?

                    Unless you've explicitly bought a client wireless card noted for its "Long Range" abilities (read: high-powered & large antennas) you're going to have issues at the middle-to-edges of the signal area.  Basically, anything without an external antenna will be flaky.  You can test for this case with a specific device by running speed tests as you walk away from the AP.  If you get to a point where you have 1-2 bars of "signal", which would still work fine with a "normal" AP, you'll have essentially zero throughput with the LR.

                    I can break anything.

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                    • L
                      lostinclarity
                      last edited by

                      Hey Jason,

                      For the wireless i just need something for 1 floor that covers up to 800-1000sqf with a good and strong signal, with the linksys E4200 with dd-wrt Im using, I just go in the bathroom 25 feet away from the router and I get 1 bar of wireless signal and it can be unstable on my galaxy phone.

                      I'm trying to spend as little as possible for my needs, not sure some of those pro or extreme 200$+ units are needed I dont have a house or anything overkill to cover either.

                      I dont need any crazy features just something durable and power efficient wireless G/N and a very good & strong radio signal that is stable and consistent!

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                      • J
                        jasonlitka
                        last edited by

                        It's been my experience (admittedly, I haven't used it in a year or so) that DD-WRT makes things worse unless you know exactly what settings to change.  If you want something simple and reliable then get an Apple AirPort.  I use two, one on the 1st floor of my home and another on the second.

                        I can break anything.

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                        • ?
                          A Former User
                          last edited by

                          This post is deleted!
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                          • L
                            lostinclarity
                            last edited by

                            I grabbed an Apple airport express for 85 bucks, I'll see how that go, about the box for pfsense, what kind of minimum cpu is needed (lowest power usage) to perform well for 50mbps openvpn traffic and basic plugins? No intense firewalling or pps or anything else needed much. Also how many gigs of ram would be ideal for it?

                            Is it possible to configure pfsense to have a failover/alternate vpn that it would connect to if unable to connect to the main/first?

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                            • T
                              thetallkid
                              last edited by

                              Intel Celeron G1610 should be do the trick. An i3-2120T, 35W if you can find it used would fit into your budget and be cool (pun intended).

                              2GB of ram will be more than enough.

                              OpenVPN is rock solid once setup properly. Point to point, mobile connections have been problem free for me. However if you feel the absolute need to have a backup, you can setup ipsec as secondary.

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                              • L
                                lostinclarity
                                last edited by

                                @thetallkid:

                                Intel Celeron G1610 should be do the trick. An i3-2120T, 35W if you can find it used would fit into your budget and be cool (pun intended).

                                2GB of ram will be more than enough.

                                OpenVPN is rock solid once setup properly. Point to point, mobile connections have been problem free for me. However if you feel the absolute need to have a backup, you can setup ipsec as secondary.

                                Thank you very much for this quality post :)

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                                • M
                                  Mr. Jingles
                                  last edited by

                                  @Jason:

                                  Unless you've explicitly bought a client wireless card noted for its "Long Range" abilities (read: high-powered & large antennas) you're going to have issues at the middle-to-edges of the signal area.  Basically, anything without an external antenna will be flaky.  You can test for this case with a specific device by running speed tests as you walk away from the AP.  If you get to a point where you have 1-2 bars of "signal", which would still work fine with a "normal" AP, you'll have essentially zero throughput with the LR.

                                  Thanks Jason  ;D

                                  Shouldn't the bold part be the other way around? Or do you mean 'will work fine with a "normal" AP in it's particular relatively small range'?

                                  (What I mean is: the "normal" AP will not work fine if it is at the range of the LR, since it won't work at all there).

                                  6 and a half billion people know that they are stupid, agressive, lower life forms.

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                                  • J
                                    jasonlitka
                                    last edited by

                                    What I meant was that with a normal AP you'd expect your client to be fast at 5/5 and get progressively slower until the signal drops at 0/5.  With the LR AP, the client still thinks it has a decent signal at 1-2/5 but most lack a transmitter powerful enough to get data back to the AP.  My example wasn't talking about absolute distance from the AP, but apparent signal strength on the client.

                                    I can break anything.

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