PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.
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Let me explain myself better. I don't need lots of ethernet ports. I just need to find the lowest power consumption as possible device that can run windows enterprise to run these two softwares. I need either 2 ethernet ports and wifi or 3 ethernet ports. And a battery in case of power outrage.
I posted this here because i thought you guy might know. the PFsense mini computers that are sold in amazon looks good for what i want. I just need a battery backup for the computer itself that would allow me to keep powering the device for at least two hours. The device has to be on 24/7.
I need 1 ethernet port to distribute it to a switcher to all my routers in my home.
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@logart said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
the PFsense mini computers that are sold in amazon looks good for what i want.
Those have nothing to do with pfSense, they are cheap (in every way) hardware where the seller misuses the pfSense brand to up his sales. You will not find much love/support for them here.
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You can run windows on a PI, the new PI 4's have little power use, and just use a switch to create more interfaces to connect to your box.. cheap vlan switch (40ish) Pi 4 kit say 100ish... Your looking like 150$ gets you a pc to run your windows on.. And 8 ports to work with..
You could run a switch and a pi for day prob on the cheapest of ups I would bet ;)
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@Grimson said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
@logart said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
the PFsense mini computers that are sold in amazon looks good for what i want.
Those have nothing to do with pfSense, they are cheap (in every way) hardware where the seller misuses the pfSense brand to up his sales. You will not find much love/support for them here.
I didn't even know... i just need to figure out which kind of hardware i need? I was hoping if i could get some technical wisdom or guidance.
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Why are you stuck on this software -- again pfsense can use multiple ISPs for its wan, and share load across them for your clients behind..
Something like a sg1100 for $149 would most likely work, and then vlan capable switch and you would be cooking with gas ;) Very little power use..
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@johnpoz said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
You can run windows on a PI, the new PI 4's have little power use, and just use a switch to create more interfaces to connect to your box.. cheap vlan switch (40ish) Pi 4 kit say 100ish... Your looking like 150$ gets you a pc to run your windows on.. And 8 ports to work with..
You could run a switch and a pi for day prob on the cheapest of ups I would bet ;)
And what kind of battery should i buy for the pi?
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@johnpoz said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
sg1100
It has to be the software i have :( I'm in love with it and I'm paying 50$ a year for it.
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You would buy a ups... Do a google for how much pi4 draws.. Sure there is plenty of info about it.. if not now real soon.. Since they just hit the streets and people posting all kinds of info for them..
Something like a 1350 ups with 50w would give you a run time of over 2 hours for sure... Pi and switch not going to draw half of that... A sg1100 shows it draws 3.48W (Idle), lets say 5 for your switch puts you less than 10w so a 1350 UPS would give you easy hours and hours and hours over your 2 hour requirement.. Look for a ups runtime calc - apc has one, cyberpower has one and wills how you graph at estimated runtime for specific load.
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@logart said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
I'm paying 50$ a year for it.
Pfsense is FREE.. So in 3 years you would pay for the sg1100 ;)
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@johnpoz said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
@logart said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
I'm paying 50$ a year for it.
Pfsense is FREE.. So in 3 years you would pay for the sg1100 ;)
But my software is giving me a VPN for that price a year. PFsense VPN is free?
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@johnpoz said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
You would buy a ups... Do a google for how much pi4 draws.. Sure there is plenty of info about it.. if not now real soon.. Since they just hit the streets and people posting all kinds of info for them..
Something like a 1350 ups with 50w would give you a run time of over 2 hours for sure... Pi and switch not going to draw half of that... A sg1100 shows it draws 3.48W (Idle), lets say 5 for your switch puts you less than 10w so a 1350 UPS would give you easy hours and hours and hours over your 2 hour requirement.. Look for a ups runtime calc - apc has one, cyberpower has one and wills how you graph at estimated runtime for specific load.
Funny thing is that i already have a cyberpower 1500VA, i have my 2 ISP modems connected to it. How much do you think it will last with two modems, and the raspbery PI 4 and a switch?
Edit: Also the pi can run windows enterprise or just windows IoT?
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pfSense can't actually combine connections at that level it can only load balance between them which is not the same thing.
To do that you need something at both ends to split and combine the connections at a packet level. Like MLVPN:
https://mlvpn.readthedocs.io/en/latest/what_is_mlvpn.htmlIf you are really concerned with power usage then you should be looking at some thing that can run at low voltage directly. Converting the battery voltage to high voltage AC only to then convert it back down to 12V or 5V to power some small computer is very inefficient.
Steve
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@stephenw10 said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
pfSense can't actually combine connections at that level it can only load balance between them which is not the same thing.
To do that you need something at both ends to split and combine the connections at a packet level. Like MLVPN:
https://mlvpn.readthedocs.io/en/latest/what_is_mlvpn.htmlIf you are really concerned with power usage then you should be looking at some thing that can run at low voltage directly. Converting the battery voltage to high voltage AC only to then convert it back down to 12V or 5V to power some small computer is very inefficient.
Steve
Speedify does that, it's highly redundant.
"In Redundant Mode, Speedify sends all of your data over every one of your Internet connections at the same time. Whichever packet gets through first, is the one to be delivered. The end result is consistent and reliable Internet access when that’s all you really need."
https://speedify.com/blog/internet-reliability/user-spotlight-redundant-mode/
I love speedify because of that. I won't change softwares
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Then you're stuck running Windows with all the security implications that carries it seems.
Or OSX I guess.
What throughput do you actually need?
Steve
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@logart said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
Edit: Also the pi can run windows enterprise or just windows IoT?
https://www.neowin.net/news/windows-10-enterprise-will-finally-support-arm-with-the-snapdragon-8cx/
Said to be "slow as hell" but could use only one CPU core (on RPi 3).I'd get fired if I ran my main routers/firewalls on Windows OS.
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@jahonix Yep, but how i can run apple OS? I have no choice.
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@logart said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
@jahonix Yep, but how i can run apple OS? I have no choice.
Buy a Mac?
There's always a choice. -
lol no i stick with windows. The internet and devices in my home will be more secure with the VPN provided by speedify anyways. The risk is low. The the device i want to buy, will not be used for anything else. No malware, VPN acts as a DDOS control. So i still think my risk is very limited with windows.
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There is a lot of misinformation about VPNs. Personally I don't think they do either of those things.
Once, many years ago I ran Windows as a router. Never again!
They have Linux code since they have an Android client. It would be much better to run the client on, say, OpenWRT but that's probably not going to happen.
Or host your own bonding server and use OpenMPTCProuter.
Steve
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@logart said in PFsense mini computer and battery/powerbank questions.:
lol no i stick with windows. The internet and devices in my home will be more secure with the VPN provided by speedify anyways. The risk is low. The the device i want to buy, will not be used for anything else. No malware, VPN acts as a DDOS control. So i still think my risk is very limited with windows.
If i scan the network nothing will prevent me to find your real ip, take advantage of every single hole in windows OS, put inside your lan every malware i can think of or some ransomware. VPN will protect you only from some lame player of some stupid game that want to ddos you. Can't you really think of anything better than a windows router?
