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    X11SBA-LN4F vs A1SRi-2558F

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • E
      Engineer
      last edited by

      Well, if it's a FreeBSD problem, it is still in version 11 (or the NIC driver).  Went down while pinging.

      I might try Ubantu next to see if it does it there.

      Edit:  Running the 64 bit Ubuntu 15.04 test right now.  Interesting that the LAN ports are detected as EM0-EM3 ports instead of IGB0-IGB3.  I guess that's just a difference between Linux and FreeBSD.

      Edit:  Ubuntu also went down and reset.  Time to tell SuperMicro to send a new one and if it does it again, they need to fix the issue (whether BIOS or board revision and send new ones)!  >:(

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      • J
        jwt Netgate
        last edited by

        @Engineer:

        @jwt:

        The i210 NICs only have 4 rx/tx queues, which is fine for the 4 core SoC (http://ark.intel.com/products/87261/Intel-Pentium-Processor-N3700-2M-Cache-up-to-2_40-GHz), but you'll find that future versions of pfSense have a minimum 4 core requirement (I might make it 8, I've not decided.)

        As documented here: http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www/public/us/en/documents/datasheets/i210-ethernet-controller-datasheet.pdf , there are only 4 tx and 4 rx queues on an i210.

        The SoC is significantly slower than a 4 core Rangeley (1.6GHz on the N3700, 2.4Ghz on the C2558), and this will translate into real-world performance differences.  Someone pointed out 6W .vs 15W, and this is why.

        Rangeley also has better (i350 .vs i210) NICs.  https://twitter.com/gonzopancho/statuses/643443335114424320

        I also don't believe in integrated graphics on a standalone networking device.

        Does the N3700's Turbo of 2.4GHz help much as the C2558 does not have it?

        Of course, this is all to late for me as I am already stuck with it but I appreciate the breakdown.

        Base frequency on the 2558 is 2.4GHz.  Base frequency on the N3700 is 1.6GHz.  You'll find the CPU doesn't spend very long in 'Turbo' (and then only one one core).

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        • J
          jwt Netgate
          last edited by

          @David_W:

          If you want to stress test network interfaces, check out iperf. I'm sure Google will dig up some useful reading material.

          iperf will not "stress test" your network.  It's useful as a bandwidth / throughput test, and that's about all.

          If iperf stresses your network, then you need to think about an upgrade.

          https://2015.asiabsdcon.org/timetable.html.en#P10A

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          • J
            jwt Netgate
            last edited by

            @Engineer:

            I'm a FreeBSD noob!

            this much is obvious.

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            • E
              Engineer
              last edited by

              @jwt:

              @Engineer:

              I'm a FreeBSD noob!

              this much is obvious.

              Everyone has to start somewhere and I'm posting my results in efforts trying to help others.  Your smartass comment wasn't necessary. At least I'm willing to take the effort to search before asking and trying to figure it out based on previous posters have done.

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              • A
                Adrocrag
                last edited by

                @Engineer:

                @jwt:

                @Engineer:

                I'm a FreeBSD noob!

                this much is obvious.

                Everyone has to start somewhere and I'm posting my results in efforts trying to help others.  Your smartass comment wasn't necessary. At least I'm willing to take the effort to search before asking and trying to figure it out based on previous posters have done.

                I just read through this whole thread, as I am very interested in this board.  Despite your troubles, I think I'm going to attempt to put my pfSense build (currently on CentOS VM) on it directly.  If the install does awry as it has with you, I will try to install it as a VM on top of CentOS like my lab build.

                I probably won't get to buying the hardware for another month, but I'll keep watching this thread.

                Thanks for all your updates and time spent working on this project.

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                • E
                  Engineer
                  last edited by

                  After sending screen shots of the watchdog timeouts (FreeBSD 10.1, FreeBSD 11 and now Ubuntu 15.04) to SuperMicro, they have finally decided that I need to RMA the board.  I really hoping I just got a bad board and not a bad design.  Too much money in this thing to have a bad design.

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                  • J
                    jwt Netgate
                    last edited by

                    Your board is $300 on Amazon.

                    This:

                    http://store.netgate.com/ADI/RCC-VE-4860-board.aspx and is priced at $406.

                    but it has:
                    More clockspeed (2.5GHz .vs 1.6Ghz on your board)
                    8GB ram (your board has 0)
                    8GB (at least, new ones will be more) storage (emmc) on-board (your board has 0)
                    More Ethernets (6 .vs 4)
                    Better Ethernet (4 are i350, 2 are i210, your board has 4 i210)
                    You'll need an ATX power supply to power your board.  The 4860 runs on a simple 12VDC barrel connector.

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                    • ?
                      Guest
                      last edited by

                      @jwt:

                      Your board is $300 on Amazon.

                      This:

                      http://store.netgate.com/ADI/RCC-VE-4860-board.aspx and is priced at $406.

                      but it has:
                      More clockspeed (2.5GHz .vs 1.6Ghz on your board)
                      8GB ram (your board has 0)
                      8GB (at least, new ones will be more) storage (emmc) on-board (your board has 0)
                      More Ethernets (6 .vs 4)
                      Better Ethernet (4 are i350, 2 are i210, your board has 4 i210)
                      You'll need an ATX power supply to power your board.  The 4860 runs on a simple 12VDC barrel connector.

                      And on top it comes together with 1x mSATA and 2x miniPCIe + SIM slots and yours only with 1x Mini-PCIe slot.

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                      • E
                        Engineer
                        last edited by

                        @jwt:

                        Your board is $300 on Amazon.

                        This:

                        http://store.netgate.com/ADI/RCC-VE-4860-board.aspx and is priced at $406.

                        but it has:
                        More clockspeed (2.5GHz .vs 1.6Ghz on your board)
                        8GB ram (your board has 0)
                        8GB (at least, new ones will be more) storage (emmc) on-board (your board has 0)
                        More Ethernets (6 .vs 4)
                        Better Ethernet (4 are i350, 2 are i210, your board has 4 i210)
                        You'll need an ATX power supply to power your board.  The 4860 runs on a simple 12VDC barrel connector.

                        My board cost $216 shipped from Comp Source.  I paid less than about $305 for everything in it. I get it - you don't like this damn board and that's your choice.  Right now, I don't like it either (because it doesn't work properly) but I have it and am trying to get it to work.  Why do you have a hard on over this issue?  If this is the way the admin is going to act on this site, I can see why the 'other' folks felt a need to fork off and go a 'different' direction.

                        @BlueKobold:

                        And on top it comes together with 1x mSATA and 2x miniPCIe + SIM slots and yours only with 1x Mini-PCIe slot.

                        That's nice and all….but I need these why?

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                        • D
                          divsys
                          last edited by

                          If this is the way the admin is going to act on this site, I can see why the 'other' folks felt a need to fork off and go a 'different' direction.

                          Just to be clear - the user "BlueKobold" is NOT an Admin/Supervisor/Sysop or any other figure of "authority" any more than I am (as far as I know anyway).

                          Many (most?) of us on this Forum are unpaid volunteers who happen to have invested time and effort into making pfSense what it is today IMHO - YMMV.

                          Some have better or worse people/language/bedside manners than others.
                          Many have pet peeves, techniques that should "ALWAYS" be used, others that should "NEVER" be used and everything in between.

                          As always they are (mostly) opinions, and like a**holes - everyones' got one  ::)

                          Remember - it takes all of us to make a planet - and its the only one we've got (so far).

                          Just my $0.02

                          -jfp

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                          • J
                            jwt Netgate
                            last edited by

                            @Engineer:

                            My board cost $216 shipped from Comp Source.

                            Seems to be $228.33 here:

                            http://www.compsource.com/pn/MBDX11SBALN4FO/Supermicro-428/X11sbaLn4f-N3700-Fcbga-Pentium–Max8gb-Ddr3-MiniItx-MBDX11SBALN4FO-MBDX11SBALN4FO/

                            @Engineer:

                            I paid less than about $305 for everything in it.

                            So you've got $77 to spend for ram, disk, etc.

                            Now, what is your time worth?

                            Moreover, what am I to do with the negative reputation you're heaping on pfSense because you're attempting to run it on inferior platforms?

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                            • E
                              Engineer
                              last edited by

                              @jwt:

                              Moreover, what am I to do with the negative reputation you're heaping on pfSense because you're attempting to run it on inferior platforms?

                              You show me where I'm giving a negative reputation to pfSense!  I've clearly stated that I think this is a hardware issue or driver / BIOS issue at this point.  As far as I'm concerned, you can go screw yourself you self absorbed prick.  pfSense may be fine, but if you're the face of it or behind any of it, I don't want any part of it.

                              As far as my time, I did this as a project, not because I NEEDED it.  My $99 Asus router works fine but I've heard so many good things about pfSense that I wanted to build a low power, future proof PC based router.  Why do you give a care about what I do with my spare time?  It's mine, not yours.

                              Oh, and here's the $216 link since you seem so hellbent against anything to do with me or this board:

                              http://www.compsource.com/ttechnote.asp?part_no=MBDX11SBALN4FO&vid=428&src=F

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                              • ?
                                Guest
                                last edited by

                                That's nice and all….but I need these why?

                                I have not told anything about you need it! And I only wrote it because the both boards were compared in price
                                against each other and I was only thinking that the 2 more miniPCIe slots and the SIM slots would
                                not be soldered on the board with no cost or for nothing of cost.

                                Just to be clear - the user "BlueKobold" is NOT an Admin/Supervisor/Sysop or any other figure of "authority" any more than I am (as far as I know anyway).

                                This was written under the Quote from jwt and not under mine, and what we others all are is written under
                                our names on the left side.

                                I am out of this thread now, it sounds to strange to me.

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                                • DerelictD
                                  Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                                  last edited by

                                  @Engineer:

                                  Oh, and here's the $216 link since you seem so hellbent against anything to do with me or this board:

                                  http://www.compsource.com/ttechnote.asp?part_no=MBDX11SBALN4FO&vid=428&src=F

                                  Looks like a $228 link.

                                  Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
                                  A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
                                  DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
                                  Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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                                  • E
                                    Engineer
                                    last edited by

                                    @Derelict:

                                    @Engineer:

                                    Oh, and here's the $216 link since you seem so hellbent against anything to do with me or this board:

                                    http://www.compsource.com/ttechnote.asp?part_no=MBDX11SBALN4FO&vid=428&src=F

                                    Looks like a $228 link.

                                    The search through Google for "Supermicro N3700" and then click on the Shopping link.

                                    or

                                    www.froogle.com and enter "Supermicro N3700" (no quotes).  Look for $216.10 price.

                                    Compsource.jpg
                                    Compsource.jpg_thumb

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                                    • JailerJ
                                      Jailer
                                      last edited by

                                      @jwt:

                                      You'll need an ATX power supply to power your board.

                                      Key Features
                                      1. Intel® Pentium® Processor N3700,
                                          Socket FCBGA 1170; CPU 6W
                                      ~snip~
                                      11. 12V DC or ATX

                                      http://www.supermicro.com/products/motherboard/X11/X11SBA-LN4F.cfm

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                                      • JailerJ
                                        Jailer
                                        last edited by

                                        @Engineer:

                                        @Derelict:

                                        @Engineer:

                                        Oh, and here's the $216 link since you seem so hellbent against anything to do with me or this board:

                                        http://www.compsource.com/ttechnote.asp?part_no=MBDX11SBALN4FO&vid=428&src=F

                                        Looks like a $228 link.

                                        The search through Google for "Supermicro N3700" and then click on the Shopping link.

                                        You must have a coupon code or some other promotional offer saved. There is a small "11% off" tag that displays in the screenshot you posted that is not there when others (myself included) click on the posted link.

                                        Care to share the discount code?  ;D

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                                        • J
                                          jjduru
                                          last edited by

                                          @jwt:

                                          @Engineer:

                                          My board cost $216 shipped from Comp Source.

                                          Seems to be $228.33 here:

                                          http://www.compsource.com/pn/MBDX11SBALN4FO/Supermicro-428/X11sbaLn4f-N3700-Fcbga-Pentium–Max8gb-Ddr3-MiniItx-MBDX11SBALN4FO-MBDX11SBALN4FO/

                                          @Engineer:

                                          I paid less than about $305 for everything in it.

                                          So you've got $77 to spend for ram, disk, etc.

                                          Now, what is your time worth?

                                          Moreover, what am I to do with the negative reputation you're heaping on pfSense because you're attempting to run it on inferior platforms?

                                          Somebody definitely pissed in your Cheerios bowl yesterday…

                                          You should applaud the time and effort Engineer put into making this board work, yet all you can come up with is some undeserved negativism.

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • R
                                            reilos
                                            last edited by

                                            @Engineer:

                                            To anyone who is interested in this board and the progress on it, please PM me.  I'll keep you updated via PM.  It's obvious that some of the people, including the powers to be, have an issue with it and/or this posting.  I'll no longer update the status in this thead

                                            Please don't let some smart-ass response leave you with such negativity. I've been following this thread very closely, since i was on a quest to build my own pfsense box, and i think you are doing great in contributing to this community with your effort to resolve this issue. Thanks for that.

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