Help on cheap build…

kejianshi

Well - It will pull more than 10 watts. Look up the power consumption of the CPU and add 20% or so. Just a guess.

robi

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=261849217216

Tested here:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=87606.msg481510#msg481510

amendolaro

@amendolaro:

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=261849217216

Tested here:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=87606.msg481510#msg481510

Sending you a message

amendolaro

Hello and thank you for your post confirming the hp t5730w works. Couple questions to make sure I can get this working if I buy on eBay. I have a 100mb connection but if I could get 66mb is be more than happy honestly.

Now… Since this only has 1 nic... That would be from the cable modem to the nic... If I wanted other direct Ethernet connections how could I get this to work ?

Also what could I do to get this client machine to be a wireless router ? Any help would be awesome!!

Thank you !

kejianshi

1st - You are just going to melt that CPU if you keep it pegged at max throughput all the time.

2nd - You need a vlan router and you use its port as WAN/LAN and put a VLAN trunk on the one available pfsense NIC

amendolaro

Another words… Look for 2 nic machine ? ;)

kejianshi

and abit more processor….

amendolaro

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=261849217216

Same as above but upgraded to a dual core AMD and 5 gbit Ethernet…
What do you think ?

I am not doing constant downloads, it's for a NAS server that downloads tv shows via rss and just normal web traffic. All home use.

kejianshi

I'm pretty sure a single thread of openvpn will be core-locked.

Meaning 2 cores of the same speed might not get you more than one.

I'd be looking for 2.5GHZ in that architecture or 2.0 GHZ per-core in a modern architecture.

And at least dual core.

amendolaro

Okay… How about this build ?

http://pcpartpicker.com/user/Amendolaro/saved/tMsxFT

edwardwong

@BlueKobold:

My main reason for the build will be to run OpenVPN for the whole network. Everything that connects wi be under vpn. I would ultimately love for the box to be as small as possible. I have a 100mb/20 line and wants to max it out.

You want to max out the 100/20 MBit/s line but the pfSense hardware should be the tiniest you
can get hands on? Hm, as I see it right you can get a $30 used router and flash him with DD-WRT
or OpenWRT to get your OpenVPN running as I see it right there is nothing in the price comparison
that beats a set up like this, but if you want to go with pfSense and related to your Internet connection
speed I would be prefer to get a device that can also handling the Internet connection right.

My main questions of course are:

What's the monthly/yearly cost of running these vs an actual router?

There are routers out there that are alsoi using much of electric power and often more
then a small self made appliance for sure and vice versa there are also many alliances
that needs many more power then a consumer great router like a Netgear or D-Link.

But this is like viewing only with one eyes on the situation, owed to the circumstance
what pfSense is really able to serve and what a consumer router is able to do.

I would at his day have a closer look on two devices, Alix APU based platforms if
VPN is not the entire goal and angle point in the game and a Intel Atom C2000 SoC
based device that is beating them all in VPN, speed and power consuming.
C2558 is <14 watt
C2758 is <20 watt

But both comes with AES-NI and intel QuickAssist.

What build do you recommend and how do I wireless to work? (Switch coming off 2nd nic connected to a home router in access point mode?)

Ok to be really truth I think you can get the most benefits from pfSense by;

Intel CPU

Intel NICs

No WLAN

But this is no matter as you where telling you are using a WLAN AP or router in AP mode
this would be fine as I see it right and matching the Captive portal of pfSense really.

The pfSense store offers also some nice boxes based on the above chips and brands
but they are also comming woth 3 miniPCIe slots + 1 SIM slot for mSATA, modem and
WLAN cards so it could be an ideal choice for many years.

Existing routers with DD-WRT….I don't think there is any capable to handle 100M VPN speed.
ALIX, the Geode LX actually has hardware encryption so the VPN performance is not bad.

kejianshi

I think that last CPU you listed should keep pace pretty well.

I'd not use the syba NIC though. I'd use a Intel chipset 1000 pro of some sort with PCIe interface and dual NIC ports.

amendolaro

okay was able to find the Intel pro 1000 dual port. If I'm using the on board nic do I need a dual nic on top of that? Sorry for the noob questions

kejianshi

Probably not but the Intel NICs are usually better.

NOYB

I thought this was supposed to be a "cheap build". :-\

kejianshi

When you build a pfsense box, unless the goal is just to learn and play you should probably have a list of minimum specs in mind, otherwise it will cost you. You pay for internet service and certain speeds and if the minimum spec doesn't meet your requirements for something like openvpn then every month you are paying for bandwidth you can't utilize.

So price, while important shouldn't be all important.

Guest

Existing routers with DD-WRT….I don't think there is any capable to handle 100M VPN speed.

But cheap and OpenVPN is given.

ALIX, the Geode LX actually has hardware encryption so the VPN performance is not bad.

The chaepest complete Bundle I can get here is 158 €

ALIX.2D13 Board
Alix case and PSU
4 GB Industrial CFCard

And the cheapest offer for an Alix APU Bundle is at 187 €

Alix APU 2 GB
Case and PSU
16 GB mSATA

So then I would preffer to go with the Alix APU platform.

I thought this was supposed to be a "cheap build".

Me too! Cheap, OpenVPN, 100 MBit/s Internet line

When you build a pfsense box, unless the goal is just to learn and play you should probably have a list of minimum specs in mind, otherwise it will cost you.

Surely this is right, but then each Intel Atom platform in miniITX format for 80 € - 100 €
should do the job in my eyes.

kejianshi

ALIX.2D13 Board is definitely not going to cut it for him.

It would make a good Client + Firewall to his machine but not the server with his bandwidth wants/needs.

amendolaro

Well if $200 is too much in your eyes what do you all recommend part wise?

kejianshi

Its your thread. You are the one who decides whats too expensive or not.