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    Need cheapest humanly available hardware to run pfsense

    Hardware
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    • G
      gazoo
      last edited by

      Like the title says. I need a pfSense box of some kind to run a site to site VPN for my father in law. I considered a firebox as this is what I have, but the X core E are little more than I want to spend and not to mention overkill. The other fireboxes would have been good but I think the older ones you can control the fans so it's too loud. The Alix boards from netgate are like $$$ compared to the fireboxes.

      Don't want to use an old laptop or anything like that. I'd like to spend less than $125 USD, but that may be a pipe dream. NanoBSD is ok. Don't need wireless since I have an AP for that. I'll buy new if I have to. 3 interfaces preferred but 2 ok. Thanks!

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      • ?
        Guest
        last edited by

        Try it out, if you want

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        • G
          gazoo
          last edited by

          good one! may try.

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          • ?
            Guest
            last edited by

            I like these if you could get it for 50-60 bucks…600mhz plus 32 bit so it is slow but cheap.

            http://www.ebay.com/itm/191612561923

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            • ?
              Guest
              last edited by

              Something more recent..
              MSI isn't exactly embedded grade but if you want cheap….

              http://www.ebay.com/itm/231612574657

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              • ?
                Guest
                last edited by

                pfSense with Gigabyte GA-J1900N-D3V
                Could be also interesting for you!

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                • ?
                  Guest
                  last edited by

                  Yea nothing on ebay that stands out….That Gigabyte looks OK except for RealTek LAN..... Small itx case and embedded board would probably be best. Still around $150 even then...But new.

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                  • N
                    NOYB
                    last edited by

                    @gazoo:

                    Like the title says.
                    . . .
                    Don't want to use an old laptop or anything like that.

                    So the title was just a baseless grab line.  Either your willing to go with an old notebook or it's not "like the title says" after all.

                    I'm feel suckered.  ;)

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                    • F
                      FredKodongo
                      last edited by

                      @BlueKobold:

                      Try it out, if you want

                      Silly question, but with that device – how are you meant to connect it with other devices if it only has an ethernet in?

                      ** Ah no wait, I may have been looking at the wrong one, that has two.

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                      • ?
                        Guest
                        last edited by

                        This just poped up on ebay. Caswell CAD-0208
                        Not a super deal but OK at $125
                        http://www.ebay.com/itm/201397044712

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                        • F
                          fibrewire
                          last edited by

                          @gazoo:

                          …considered a firebox as this is what I have, but the X core E are little more than I want to spend...

                          $59 + $12 S&H doesn't seem like very much. The core-e and peak-e lines are mostly identical, as I have several of these operating in production environments as we speak - extremely solid performers, and way overkill for a home system. Then again, so is pfSense ;)

                          http://www.ebay.com/itm/271939834232

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                          • M
                            milocheri
                            last edited by

                            Can u install pfsense in that Watchguard Firebox X550E  ?

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                            • ?
                              Guest
                              last edited by

                              But often Watchguard Firebox X or Nokia IP6xx appliances are very cheap to get the hands on for
                              a small budget it would be really impressive to build a good firewall based on such boxes.

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                              • C
                                crashnburn
                                last edited by

                                @BlueKobold:

                                But often Watchguard Firebox X or Nokia IP6xx appliances are very cheap to get the hands on for
                                a small budget it would be really impressive to build a good firewall based on such boxes.

                                I was thinking of the same for an SMB Non Profit that has 15-20 old & new machines on their LAN. Any specific recommendations of these?

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                                • H
                                  Harvy66
                                  last edited by

                                  @NOYB:

                                  @gazoo:

                                  Like the title says.
                                  . . .
                                  Don't want to use an old laptop or anything like that.

                                  So the title was just a baseless grab line.  Either your willing to go with an old notebook or it's not "like the title says" after all.

                                  I'm feel suckered.  ;)

                                  Right? Beggars can't be choosers.

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                                  • ?
                                    Guest
                                    last edited by

                                    I was thinking of the same for an SMB Non Profit that has 15-20 old & new machines on their LAN. Any specific recommendations of these?

                                    Nokia IP650 with some slots filled up, l likes you need it. It comes with GB LAN Ports. At eBay for cheap
                                    without not problem.

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                                    • C
                                      crashnburn
                                      last edited by

                                      @BlueKobold:

                                      I was thinking of the same for an SMB Non Profit that has 15-20 old & new machines on their LAN. Any specific recommendations of these?

                                      Nokia IP650 with some slots filled up, l likes you need it. It comes with GB LAN Ports. At eBay for cheap
                                      without not problem.

                                      Thanks. I just ebay searched for them and they seem Huge & more expensive than some Watchguard stuff on Ebay. Are they more/ less power hungry {Given their huge boxes}??

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                                      • C
                                        crashnburn
                                        last edited by

                                        @fibrewire:

                                        @gazoo:

                                        …considered a firebox as this is what I have, but the X core E are little more than I want to spend...

                                        $59 + $12 S&H doesn't seem like very much. The core-e and peak-e lines are mostly identical, as I have several of these operating in production environments as we speak - extremely solid performers, and way overkill for a home system. Then again, so is pfSense ;)

                                        http://www.ebay.com/itm/271939834232

                                        I am getting one x5500e peak for around similar price. Would this work well for an SMB with recent PFS?

                                        Are they too power hungry that you might recommend something else in hardware?

                                        https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=25011.0
                                        Why is this thread for the x5500e peak closed?

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                                        • ?
                                          Guest
                                          last edited by

                                          Thanks. I just ebay searched for them and they seem Huge & more expensive than some Watchguard stuff on Ebay.

                                          Nokia or Watchguard whatever you get your hands on, for less money or cheap you should take to start.

                                          And by the way, the entire thread here was starting cheap as cheap can and for home usage
                                          and now we are drifting to the SMB business terrain with an looking eye on less power consuming!

                                          Are they more/ less power hungry {Given their huge boxes}??

                                          The Nokia IP 650 is hot swap dual psu build and can be upgraded to 12 LAN Ports and also ports for
                                          connecting fiberline.

                                          Are they too power hungry that you might recommend something else in hardware?

                                          If the Nokia IP 650 is to great go and have a look for a Nokia IP 390HD or Nokia 560 perhaps,
                                          there are up to;

                                          • 12 GBit/s LAN Ports
                                          • miniPCI slot for VPN Soekris vpn1411 crypto card
                                          • dual psu
                                          • change and upgradeable RAM

                                          Nokia IP 390HD 1 ~$35
                                          Nokia IP 390HD 2 ~£60
                                          Nokia IP 390HD 3 ~$125
                                          Nokia IP560 ~$200

                                          Why is this thread for the x5500e peak closed?

                                          Where is the problem open a new one.

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                                          • C
                                            cmb
                                            last edited by

                                            @crashnburn:

                                            https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=25011.0
                                            Why is this thread for the x5500e peak closed?

                                            Threads that have been inactive for a long time get locked to prevent hijacking. Always welcome to start a new thread if you want.

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