Just Starting Build Questions
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That box has plenty for OpenVPN on 75/75mbit. For a NIC, you can find IBM Intel 39Y6138 on ebay for $40 or less. Or just search for Intel based NICs with 2x or 4x ports that will work with your motherboard.
In a common setup it would replace your DD-WRT router, which you can hang it off the LAN side of the pfSense box to provide additional LAN switchports an AP functionality.
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bsquared thanks for your reply. My motherboard is https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813123236 and has I think the original PCI-E version. Would a card like http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Intel-Pro-1000-PT-Quad-Port-Server-Adapter-39Y6138-39Y6137-/332167566796?hash=item4d56bad5cc:g:Ze8AAOSwdGFY2tS6 work in my motherboard?
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Good luck getting anything FreeBSD based running on that nforce based board.
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BTW thanks for your help on the FreeNAS forums. So you don't think I can install pfsense on that MB?
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Try it and see. I've seen pfSense running on similar boards. You can run the installer to test and install it completely with one NIC to better test.
Probably avoind the nfeNIC completely if you can and use all Intel NICs if you get a multiport card.
Steve
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So you don't think I can install pfsense on that MB?
It may work but it wouldn't surprise me at all if it didn't so just don't set your expectations too high. But you never know until you try it so give it a go and report back.
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I installed it on the nfe0 and was able to access the web interface from another computer on the network. So that means my computer will work with PFSense and I just need to purchase a NIC card like http://www.ebay.com/itm/IBM-Intel-Pro-PCI-E-Quad-Port-10-100-1000-Server-Adapter-39Y6138-K210320-/351965966401?hash=item51f2ce7041:g:b-YAAOSw4DJYiOU0 ?
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Looks like that card would need to go into the slot that my video card occupies PCI e 16. Are there any cards that use the PCI e 1 slot?
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Since your WAN is 75Mb you could always go with a PCI Fast Ethernet card for that.
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That board has a serial port you could just use serial console instead if it will boot without a video card.
One horribly hacky option is to cut the end of the slot away so a 4x card will go into it. I've seen people report success doing that if you can do it without damaging the pins. ;)
Steve
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That board has a serial port you could just use serial console instead if it will boot without a video card.
One horribly hacky option is to cut the end of the slot away so a 4x card will go into it. I've seen people report success doing that if you can do it without damaging the pins. ;)
Steve
Uhhhg! The nuclear option….....
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One horribly hacky option is to cut the end of the slot away so a 4x card will go into it. I've seen people report success doing that if you can do it without damaging the pins. ;)
Agreed.
Not recommended unless you are comfortable with it and aware of the risks (bricked hardware). But if you are OK with that then it is really simple and 100% within the PCI spec. Some cards (i340) even have lines on the PCB where the PCIe x1 pins end, if not wikipedia has a good pin out chart. You can also cut the back wall off of the motherboard slot to let the card fit. This is preferable because it doesn't cripple the hardware, but it's really just personal preference when you are dealing with old hardware you are trying to resurrect. Old PCI motherboard often didn't have a back wall on PCI slots at all. This allowed you to put any card into any slot which obviously causes more problems than solutions since most people have no idea what speeds they need for the hardware they are plugging in, thus it turned into LEGO's.
FWIW I've done this with an old video card that was removed years before because I needed another video output. It took about 5 minutes and worked (still does) perfectly. -
Uhhhg! The nuclear option….....
::), it really isn't that dramatic, there is only a back wall in PCIe slots because people don't take the time to know what their hardware actually needs/is capable of (to be clear I agree that it should be there).
All it does is make PCI slots like LEGO's, but it is a limitation. Removing the limitation is not "the nuclear option".
Even hacking off the back of a NIC generally doesn't cripple it in any practical application, all it means is that if you want full throughput on more than 2 gigabit ports simultaneously then you have to use a PCIev2.x+ slot….When you are trying to revive old hardware, it actually makes a whole lot of sense. If you aren't blind, drunk and have a reasonably steady hand then executing the "nuclear option" is a trivial task. It only requires you google your hardware's specs and a PCI pinout.
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I'd be worried about modifying the PCI-e slot. What about getting a video card that would go into the PCI-e x1 slot? http://www.ebay.com/itm/PNY-Quadro-NVS-290-VCQ290NVS-PCIEX1-PB-256MB-DDR2-PCIE-X1-VIDEO-CARD-/282270463258?hash=item41b8a1751a:g:RqAAAOSwB09YOmSP or http://www.ebay.com/itm/ATI-FireMV-2250-PCIe-x1-DMS-59-S-Video-102B1520102-ATI-102-B152-LP-Video-Card-/131558941595?hash=item1ea186239b:g:RvYAAOSw241YbWeS
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I keep a couple old PCI video cards around for just such an occasion.
You should be able to remove it after your initial setup if you set your BIOS to ignore all boot errors.
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Good call, PCI video cards are out there for peanuts though $15 is pretty cheap for a PCI-e 1x card.
I'd probably try the serial option myself since I'm already setup for serial console hardware. You have some options there.
Steve
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Just ordered the PCI e x1 card and IBM Intel 39Y6138 4 port card. Looking forward to learning more about PFSense. Thanks everyone for all the help.
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For future reference you can also use a riser.
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Got the video card and 4 port NIC. Didn't realize but the video card has a DMS-59 connector. I thought it was a standard DVI. Any idea if this would work to get the monitor connected to it?
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA86V3E15881&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleMKP-PC--pla--Accessories+-+Monitors-_-9SIA86V3E15881&gclid=CjwKEAjwoLfHBRD_jLW93remyAQSJABIygGpbV2o6vtcPPzdO-z4eImW0sWPBp33Lytlt2OaASokYBoCLGnw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.dsI was able to boot up the PFSense box without the video card installed just the 4 port NIC. Had to hit F1 on the keyboard get past the bios and was able to login to the web interface. Interfaces now show em0-3. Can change the WAN from the motherboard Realtek NIC to one of the new Intel NIC though the web interface swap out the cable and still get to the web interface? Can I look at the DHCP assignment to find the new IP address?
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Yes, you can re-assign the WAN to one of the em NICs and it shouldn;t make any difference to your access on LAN.
Yes, you can see the DHCP lease it pulls in Statis > Interfaces (or on the dashboard) afterwards.
I can't say for certain about that DMS-59 adapter having never used one though I would expect it to work.
Steve
