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    • noplanN
      noplan @bingo600
      last edited by

      @bingo600

      i think i'll get a new toy ;) but i think customs declaration & import tax will kill the benefit

      7eeca1df-bbb5-40d2-9cf7-00658b24961c-grafik.png

      but @ netgate i found this
      79597b5f-8add-4c03-8d9b-33ccb5d0a04a-grafik.png

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • JKnottJ
        JKnott @JKnott
        last edited by

        @jknott said in New hardware:

        @noplan said in New hardware:

        but compare it wirh the SG2100 maybe it fits

        It's about twice the price of the Qotom I selected.

        Hmmm... Somehow I got the idea it was twice the price, but on checking further it appears to be roughly the same. Which would have better performance? The Qotom is an i5 CPU and has Intel NICs, but the Netgate has an ARM CPU and Marvel NICs. Both have 4 GB.

        PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
        i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
        UniFi AC-Lite access point

        I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

        noplanN 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • noplanN
          noplan @JKnott
          last edited by

          @jknott

          depends on your use case, and on how long u wanna use the "box"
          if u are a home/lab user and planning to use the box till it dies go with the netgate box considering the future possibility to go all in with the pfS+ version they are talkin about

          and hey its a netgate box vs a china box ;)

          dont get me wrong i really dont have a clue what hardware i m gonna buy in the next 6 months

          ? 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • ?
            A Former User @noplan
            last edited by

            @noplan said in New hardware:

            and hey its a netgate box vs a china box

            Exactly where do you think the Netgate device is manufactured?

            JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • JKnottJ
              JKnott @A Former User
              last edited by

              @jwj

              As was the Unifi AP I recently bought. Does the Netgate have those AES-NI instructions?

              PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
              i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
              UniFi AC-Lite access point

              I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

              bingo600B ? 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • bingo600B
                bingo600 @JKnott
                last edited by

                @jknott said in New hardware:

                @jwj

                Does the Netgate have those AES-NI instructions?

                AES-NI is an Intel extension

                If you find my answer useful - Please give the post a šŸ‘ - "thumbs up"

                pfSense+ 23.05.1 (ZFS)

                QOTOM-Q355G4 Quad Lan.
                CPUĀ  : Core i5 5250U, Ram : 8GB Kingston DDR3LV 1600
                LANĀ  : 4 x Intel 211, DiskĀ  : 240G SAMSUNG MZ7L3240HCHQ SSD

                JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • ?
                  A Former User @JKnott
                  last edited by A Former User

                  @jknott No. It doesn't. The i5 will crush the ARM device for single thread performance and OpenVPN throughput. Question is, do you need that performance? Netgate box will be more energy efficient.

                  For what it's worth, I've always seen the 5100 as entry level. Then I cried inside at the price... The LAN<->LAN filtering rates is what I pay attention to. I would want line speed.

                  2020_Netgate_Hardware_Comparison_Chart.png

                  JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • JKnottJ
                    JKnott @bingo600
                    last edited by

                    @bingo600 said in New hardware:

                    AES-NI is an Intel extension

                    It's on other CPUs too.

                    PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                    i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                    UniFi AC-Lite access point

                    I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                    bingo600B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • bingo600B
                      bingo600 @JKnott
                      last edited by bingo600

                      @jknott said in New hardware:

                      @bingo600 said in New hardware:

                      AES-NI is an Intel extension

                      It's on other CPUs too.

                      Please mention just one ARM CPU that has it (AES-NI)

                      If you find my answer useful - Please give the post a šŸ‘ - "thumbs up"

                      pfSense+ 23.05.1 (ZFS)

                      QOTOM-Q355G4 Quad Lan.
                      CPUĀ  : Core i5 5250U, Ram : 8GB Kingston DDR3LV 1600
                      LANĀ  : 4 x Intel 211, DiskĀ  : 240G SAMSUNG MZ7L3240HCHQ SSD

                      JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • JKnottJ
                        JKnott @A Former User
                        last edited by

                        @jwj said in New hardware:

                        No. It doesn't. The i5 will crush the ARM device for single thread performance and OpenVPN throughput. Question is, do you need that performance? Netgate box will be more energy efficient.

                        The Netgate takes a 12V 2A power supply, which means it runs less than 24W. The Qotom takes 15W, so there's not much difference. As for the AES-NI instructions, it wasn't that long ago that plans were dropped to require them. I don't have much of a need for those, as I only occasionally use the VPN, but I wouldn't want to lose the ability to update the software for the lack of them.

                        PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                        i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                        UniFi AC-Lite access point

                        I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                        ? bingo600B 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • JKnottJ
                          JKnott @bingo600
                          last edited by

                          @bingo600 said in New hardware:

                          Please mention just one ARM CPU that has it (AES-NI)

                          According to that article I linked to, several do.

                          PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                          i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                          UniFi AC-Lite access point

                          I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                          bingo600B 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • ?
                            A Former User @JKnott
                            last edited by A Former User

                            @jknott For sure not an obvious choice. You're going to have to have a think about it.

                            Also some of the discusion around pfSense+ leads me to believe the REST API is on the roadmap. Will that bring back the AES requirement or will they work around that with the other instructioin sets available on the ARM devices. I have no idea...

                            What do you see as the lifespan of this device?

                            noplanN JKnottJ 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • noplanN
                              noplan @A Former User
                              last edited by

                              @jwj
                              couldn't agree more here with @jwj

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • bingo600B
                                bingo600 @JKnott
                                last edited by

                                @jknott said in New hardware:

                                @bingo600 said in New hardware:

                                Please mention just one ARM CPU that has it (AES-NI)

                                According to that article I linked to, several do.

                                Where does it say that an ARM CPU has AES-NI ??

                                I see this , where it specifically mentions that AES-NI is Intel/AMD only

                                82f3b105-a660-4e73-b724-4646a13248ad-image.png

                                Other architectures have Crypto instructions too , but not AES-NI

                                /Bingo

                                If you find my answer useful - Please give the post a šŸ‘ - "thumbs up"

                                pfSense+ 23.05.1 (ZFS)

                                QOTOM-Q355G4 Quad Lan.
                                CPUĀ  : Core i5 5250U, Ram : 8GB Kingston DDR3LV 1600
                                LANĀ  : 4 x Intel 211, DiskĀ  : 240G SAMSUNG MZ7L3240HCHQ SSD

                                JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • JKnottJ
                                  JKnott @A Former User
                                  last edited by

                                  @jwj said in New hardware:

                                  What do you see as the lifespan of this device?

                                  Well, based on my other experience, until something significantly better comes along or it dies (as happened with my previous firewall). I'm not one to run out and buy the latest & greatest, unless it yields significant improvement. For example, if a pfsense update had required AES-NI, then I would have bought something that supports it, as the HP computer I was running didn't.

                                  Another example, my current desktop computer case originally had a 32 bit CPU. I've since replaced the mom board a couple of times. The case is so old it's cream coloured, not black (matches my IBM model M keyboard, but not much else). I also recently finally got an AP that support 5 GHz.

                                  BTW, that keyboard is built like a tank and old enough to not have a Windows key. šŸ˜‰

                                  PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                                  i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                                  UniFi AC-Lite access point

                                  I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                                  ? 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • bingo600B
                                    bingo600 @JKnott
                                    last edited by

                                    @jknott said in New hardware:

                                    The Netgate takes a 12V 2A power supply, which means it runs less than 24W. The Qotom takes 15W, so there's not much difference.

                                    The CPU TDP is 15W

                                    0db78d15-f5da-47e4-b97d-6aa8b82b99b7-image.png

                                    The NIC's (Phy's) + other electronics also consumes

                                    My Qotom came w. a 12V/5A PSU

                                    /Bingo

                                    If you find my answer useful - Please give the post a šŸ‘ - "thumbs up"

                                    pfSense+ 23.05.1 (ZFS)

                                    QOTOM-Q355G4 Quad Lan.
                                    CPUĀ  : Core i5 5250U, Ram : 8GB Kingston DDR3LV 1600
                                    LANĀ  : 4 x Intel 211, DiskĀ  : 240G SAMSUNG MZ7L3240HCHQ SSD

                                    JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • JKnottJ
                                      JKnott @bingo600
                                      last edited by

                                      @bingo600 said in New hardware:

                                      Other architectures have Crypto instructions too , but not AES-NI

                                      So, what does pfsense do with those Crypto instructions? Ignore them? I could be wrong, but I would assume software written for an ARM CPU would take advantage of the ARM instructions.

                                      It's been a while since I've written software, but I seem to recall compilers can link in appropriate libraries for the different target hardware.

                                      PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
                                      i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
                                      UniFi AC-Lite access point

                                      I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

                                      ? bingo600B 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • ?
                                        A Former User @JKnott
                                        last edited by

                                        @jknott said in New hardware:

                                        @bingo600 said in New hardware:

                                        Other architectures have Crypto instructions too , but not AES-NI

                                        So, what does pfsense do with those Crypto instructions? Ignore them? I could be wrong, but I would assume software written for an ARM CPU would take advantage of the ARM instructions.

                                        It's been a while since I've written software, but I seem to recall compilers can link in appropriate libraries for the different target hardware.

                                        There are some threads concerning that. To the best of knowledge it does ignore them at the moment.

                                        I have sent you a private message...

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • bingo600B
                                          bingo600 @JKnott
                                          last edited by

                                          @jknott said in New hardware:

                                          @bingo600 said in New hardware:

                                          Other architectures have Crypto instructions too , but not AES-NI

                                          So, what does pfsense do with those Crypto instructions? Ignore them?

                                          If Netgate want their ARM boxes to perform decent w. crypto they probably have enabled the usage of any Crypto instructions available.

                                          I could be wrong, but I would assume software written for an ARM CPU would take advantage of the ARM instructions.

                                          On embedded programming you often have to make sure to use the correct libraries. It's usually done with a couple of compiler switches , that pulls in the correct linker library. Sometimes you even have to set a few bits in the MCU , in order to enable any "Crypto part in the MCU" , often "extensions" are disabled on POR , to minimize power usage.

                                          It's been a while since I've written software, but I seem to recall compilers can link in appropriate libraries for the different target hardware.

                                          Yepp , if being told to do so.

                                          But you were referring to AES-NI
                                          And i replied correctly it was an Intel extension.

                                          /Bingo

                                          If you find my answer useful - Please give the post a šŸ‘ - "thumbs up"

                                          pfSense+ 23.05.1 (ZFS)

                                          QOTOM-Q355G4 Quad Lan.
                                          CPUĀ  : Core i5 5250U, Ram : 8GB Kingston DDR3LV 1600
                                          LANĀ  : 4 x Intel 211, DiskĀ  : 240G SAMSUNG MZ7L3240HCHQ SSD

                                          JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • ?
                                            A Former User @JKnott
                                            last edited by

                                            @jknott said in New hardware:

                                            @jwj said in New hardware:

                                            What do you see as the lifespan of this device?

                                            Well, based on my other experience, until something significantly better comes along or it dies (as happened with my previous firewall). I'm not one to run out and buy the latest & greatest, unless it yields significant improvement. For example, if a pfsense update had required AES-NI, then I would have bought something that supports it, as the HP computer I was running didn't.

                                            Another example, my current desktop computer case originally had a 32 bit CPU. I've since replaced the mom board a couple of times. The case is so old it's cream coloured, not black (matches my IBM model M keyboard, but not much else). I also recently finally got an AP that support 5 GHz.

                                            BTW, that keyboard is built like a tank and old enough to not have a Windows key. šŸ˜‰

                                            I'm very much the same. For example, my 2015 VW Golf is just about broken in. I'll drive it until it has no value and then replace it.

                                            Buy nice things and use them, don't worry about the new things until your done with the ones you have ;)

                                            JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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