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    PC Engines apu2 experiences

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    • VeldkornetV
      Veldkornet
      last edited by Veldkornet

      What’s the hardware offload settings like?

      Web panel -> System -> Advanced -> Networking -> Scroll to the bottom.

      Make sure that all 3 first checkboxes under "Network Interfaces" are unchecked.

      Hardware Checksum Offloading
      Hardware TCP Segmentation Offloading
      Hardware Large Receive Offloading

      a716a34f-ec58-41d9-9ed5-cb103d3e89ca-image.png

      https://teklager.se/media/filer_public_thumbnails/filer_public/45/9a/459a5e96-ec62-4090-9b1c-55dcf60166e9/pfsense_1gbit_apu2_config_panel.png__2280x1024_q85_subsampling-2.png

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • S
        saltandpepper @dugeem
        last edited by saltandpepper

        Offloading is used to execute functions of the router using the hardware directly, instead of a process of software functions.
        The post of @dugeem has some information about the performance impact of those functions and the tweaks from teklager.

        @dugeem said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

        @kevindd992002

        Unfortunately some of the advice in the link is incorrect.

        Firstly TSO & LRO should always be disabled on routers. Netgate recommend this (hence pfSense defaults) as do others. BSDRP have even tested this and found routing performance drop negligible from enabling TSO & LRO (see link below).

        In terms of loader.conf.local suggestions:

        • hw.igb.rx_process_limit=-1 is a standard tweak for Intel igb NICs. Performance boost on APU2 though is only ~1%.
        • hw.igb.tx_process_limit already defaults to -1 so no need to change this.
        • hw.igb.num_queues=1 is not for APU2 as stated. Default 0 allows driver to allocate maximum queues across CPU cores (i210AT has 4 queues; i211AT has 2 queues)
        • kern.ipc.nmbclusters=1000000 is unnecessary - default on APU2 with 4GB RAM is ~250000 (mbuf is 2kB - so this represents maximum 12% of RAM). Possibly for high bandwidth routers 500000 mbufs would be prudent. However use the command netstat -m to verify mbuf use prior to changing.
        • net.pf.states_hashsize=2097152 is ridculous for an APU2. If you need to be tweaking this then you'll likely need better hardware.
        • hw.igb.rxd=4096 & hw.igb.txd=4096. Increasing NIC descriptors on APU2 will actually decrease performance by 20%. And likely worsens buffer bloat. Default of 1024 is fine.
        • net.inet.tcp.* sysctl tuning is for end clients (ie not routers).

        Reference performance data for some of the above: https://bsdrp.net/documentation/technical_docs/performance#nic_drivers_tuning

        Even longer version: https://people.freebsd.org/~olivier/talks/2018_AsiaBSDCon_Tuning_FreeBSD_for_routing_and_firewalling-Paper.pdf

        The only caveat is that these BSDRP performance numbers were compiled in 2018 before the AMD CPB was enabled in APU2 BIOS - so performance should now exceed this.

        My current APU2 performance tweak summary:

        1. Upgrade BIOS to enable CPB (mainline v4.9.0.2 or later, legacy v4.0.25 or later)
        2. Disable ICMP Redirects to enable tryforward routing path (under System / Advanced / System Tunables set net.inet.ip.redirect & net.inet6.ip6.redirect to 0)
        3. Add hw.igb.rx_process_limit=-1 to /boot/loader.conf.local

        There may well be other tweaks but for our power efficient APU2 routers these tweaks should serve most well. And when my home internet evolves to 500Mb/s I'll worry some more ☺

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • K
          kevindd992002
          last edited by

          How's BIOS v4.12.0.1 doing for the one's who tested already?

          fireodoF 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • fireodoF
            fireodo @kevindd992002
            last edited by fireodo

            @kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

            How's BIOS v4.12.0.1 doing for the one's who tested already?

            Until now I cannot find any issue ...

            Kettop Mi4300YL CPU: i5-4300Y @ 1.60GHz RAM: 8GB Ethernet Ports: 4
            SSD: SanDisk pSSD-S2 16GB (ZFS) WiFi: WLE200NX
            pfsense 2.7.2 CE
            Packages: Apcupsd Cron Iftop Iperf LCDproc Nmap pfBlockerNG RRD_Summary Shellcmd Snort Speedtest System_Patches.

            K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • K
              kevindd992002 @fireodo
              last edited by

              @fireodo said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

              @kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

              How's BIOS v4.12.0.1 doing for the one's who tested already?

              Until now I can find any issue ...

              Sorry, you can or you can't?

              fireodoF 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • fireodoF
                fireodo @kevindd992002
                last edited by

                @kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                @fireodo said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                @kevindd992002 said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                How's BIOS v4.12.0.1 doing for the one's who tested already?

                Until now I can find any issue ...

                Sorry, you can or you can't?

                I cannot find any issue :-)

                Kettop Mi4300YL CPU: i5-4300Y @ 1.60GHz RAM: 8GB Ethernet Ports: 4
                SSD: SanDisk pSSD-S2 16GB (ZFS) WiFi: WLE200NX
                pfsense 2.7.2 CE
                Packages: Apcupsd Cron Iftop Iperf LCDproc Nmap pfBlockerNG RRD_Summary Shellcmd Snort Speedtest System_Patches.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • K
                  kinch
                  last edited by kinch

                  Hello
                  I bought an APU2E4 I have tried to increase the throughput with the help of this website. Supposedly a speed with only 1 connection at about 800Mbit/s and with 2 connections should be about 940 Mbit/s. But I reach with a measurement in LAN (iperf3) with one connection about 350Mbit/s.

                  The following is in loader.conf.local:

                  hw.igb.rx_process_limit="-1"
                  hw.igb.tx_process_limit="-1"

                  offloading is unchecked under advanced networking.

                  website:
                  https://teklager.se/en/knowledge-base/apu2-1-gigabit-throughput-pfsense/
                  https://teklager.se/en/knowledge-base/apu-pfsense-throughput-bios-comparison/

                  BIOS: 4.12.0.1
                  pfsense: 2.4.5

                  What could be the problem here?

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • DaddyGoD
                    DaddyGo
                    last edited by DaddyGo

                    this has long been out of date https://teklager.se/ !!!

                    This is the right @kevindd992002 !!!

                    @kinch Pls, check all offloading (because i210AT = multi - queue ethernet controller
                    (4 receive queues and 4 transmit queues))

                    Thanks @saltandpepper

                    edit:
                    the APU board Coreboot development team (https://3mdeb.com/) isn't specifically focused on FreeBSD, it's more Linux, so wait longer and don't update the BIOS right away

                    Think about how long it has not been recommended the Mainline releases for FreeBSD (pfSense) only Lagacy was the right way.

                    Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                    (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

                    K K 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • K
                      kevindd992002 @DaddyGo
                      last edited by

                      @DaddyGo said in PC Engines apu2 experiences:

                      this has long been out of date https://teklager.se/ !!!

                      This is the right @kevindd992002 !!!

                      @kinch Pls, check all offloading (because i210AT = multi - queue ethernet controller
                      (4 receive queues and 4 transmit queues))

                      Thanks @saltandpepper

                      edit:
                      the APU board Coreboot development team (https://3mdeb.com/) isn't specifically focused on FreeBSD, it's more Linux, so wait longer and don't update the BIOS right away

                      Think about how long it has not been recommended the Mainline releases for FreeBSD (pfSense) only Lagacy was the right way.

                      I'm sorry but which info were you trying to tell me? I don't seem to understand your mention.

                      DaddyGoD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • K
                        kinch @DaddyGo
                        last edited by

                        @DaddyGo

                        what do you mean, outdated?
                        How does his test differ from now?

                        DaddyGoD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • DaddyGoD
                          DaddyGo @kinch
                          last edited by

                          @kinch

                          Hi,

                          since then the guys (F.E. - @kevindd992002 ) who actively use the pfSense with APU boards overwritten this tweak ( https://teklager.se/)
                          our system has nearly 40 pcs. APU4d4s, so I speak from experience as well

                          what you read here ( https://teklager.se/) is just a test and suggestion, since then the experience gained is important, not a blog statement

                          Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                          (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

                          K 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • DaddyGoD
                            DaddyGo @kevindd992002
                            last edited by

                            @kevindd992002 I'm just saying that your work is the appropriate guidance

                            Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                            (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • K
                              kinch @DaddyGo
                              last edited by

                              @DaddyGo
                              unfortunately, none of the guys you mentioned posted a speed test. Also the question is not answered, how the boy from https://teklager.se/ could reach these values.

                              DaddyGoD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • K
                                kevindd992002
                                last edited by

                                You're probably referring to @dugeem's post here. It wasn't "my work" per se :)

                                DaddyGoD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • DaddyGoD
                                  DaddyGo @kevindd992002
                                  last edited by DaddyGo

                                  @kevindd992002

                                  yes, I know but you were mentioned in this post and I passed it on ☺
                                  I didn't want to complicate the thread further with the question of author......... (ERROR on my part)
                                  but you are right, the laurel is his: @dugeem

                                  edit: you see how many misconceptions there are about APU ✋

                                  Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                                  (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • DaddyGoD
                                    DaddyGo @kinch
                                    last edited by

                                    @kinch
                                    pls. don't get me wrong, I want to help

                                    do you want to get first hand results, why is speed the most important thing?
                                    (what kind of speed ISP connection do you have at home, how big is the internal network?)
                                    is it a business or SOHO system you operate?

                                    I'm happy to help you, because I know the limits of APU stuff as well (we've been using them for 4 -5 years for "homeworker" colleagues' endpoints)

                                    Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                                    (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

                                    K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • F
                                      FLOK
                                      last edited by

                                      Hi again !
                                      I did every trick you gave me...
                                      Flashed back to Bios V4.10.0.1 - Halt System - Disconnect Power for 30sec.

                                      Made changes is loader.conf.local
                                      2020-06-04 17_34_18-Window.png

                                      Made a few tunables (like DaddyGo)
                                      2020-06-04 17_35_18-Window.png

                                      Disabled the offloads
                                      2020-06-04 17_36_59-Window.png

                                      Reboot

                                      Speedtest
                                      2020-06-04 17_38_24-Window.png

                                      Shit ☹

                                      V 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • DaddyGoD
                                        DaddyGo
                                        last edited by DaddyGo

                                        Never give up ☺

                                        it’s time to review your entire configuration
                                        can we get a drawing of your system and more information

                                        (F.E. ISP, WAN interface type, installed packages, LAN enviroment)
                                        believe me the APU knows a lot in the SOHO category

                                        the place of the joke:
                                        "the error is in your device"
                                        does not matter anyway, this is a European slang

                                        edit: it was missed

                                        dbf52341-6047-4731-a8d3-23ddcb98d84a-image.png

                                        Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                                        (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • DaddyGoD
                                          DaddyGo
                                          last edited by DaddyGo

                                          watch this, this is an APU 4d4 performance (I apologize for the Hungarian language)
                                          yes, I live in lisbon now because ☺

                                          cf3cbb49-0bbd-48b7-94e6-97a955066997-image.png

                                          and

                                          deb634a5-1aee-45ce-a37b-26869792f622-image.png

                                          what is the lesson
                                          is that it is not impossible ☺

                                          a small dictionary:

                                          letöltés = download
                                          feltöltés = upload
                                          késleltetés = latency
                                          átlag = average
                                          remegés = jitter

                                          Cats bury it so they can't see it!
                                          (You know what I mean if you have a cat)

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                                          • VeldkornetV
                                            Veldkornet
                                            last edited by

                                            Personally, I got better performance by enabling hardware offload (clear the check boxes).

                                            iPerf on local LAN from pfSense (client) to my NAS (server):

                                            iperf3 -c SERVER_IP_HERE -P 4
                                            

                                            With Hardware Offload: ~950Mbit/s

                                            Without Hardware Offload: ~450Mbit/s

                                            V S 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
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