Help with hardware config, FX5621?

shaf

I am considering getting some hardware to run Pfsense and needed some help.

I am plannining on getting the FX5621 as it seems to have all I need. It is fanless and quiet. I have a 20mb connection and live in the UK.

I'm I right in thinking I can buy this, install Pfsense and use it like do my current router?
Will the FX5621 handle my connection ok?
Is the FX5621 powerful enough to handle many connections?
What are the advantages if any to build a small PC to do the job?

Cry Havok

You'll need to go with 1.2.1 to use the Gbit ports
Yes (I have a 5620 on Virgin Media's 20 Mb/s service and it copes just fine - I suspect it'll top out about 40 Mb/s due to the crappy Realtek chipset used)
Define "many" ;)
Size (I've got the 5620, they're really compact little boxes), noise (if you use a CF/Microdrive there's effectively zero noise) and very low power draw.

shaf

Thanks for your reply Cry Havok.

I'm really in the process of ordering some hardware and my mind sways from one thing to the other at the moment.

I'm thinking about getting a system based on the intel atom chip (maybe dual core which should be out soon). I think it will give me a little more flexibility i.e. I can use a good quality chipset for NIC.

It should use low power (not lower than the FX5621 I know) and I can use for bittorrent also.

Will the atom system run ok with PfSense?

Cry Havok

If you're planning on installing torrent clients on pfSense you will want to read the forums. You're on your own if you're adding unsupported packages.

It should run fine - I'd suggest you read the threads on sizing as there is no one size fits all. What you need will depend on what you're doing.

shaf

I'll be using it as a router initially and then add packages once I get comfortable with it.

Are there any recommended NIC cards that I can purchase? Only need 2 ports unless more is recommended.

Cry Havok

The search function is a wonderful thing ;)

Generally Intel server grade cards are about the best.

nippertje

I have had massive problems with the FX5621. I have spent the past 5 hours trying to install pfsense on this patform with no luck. Whatever I do it will not boot and crashes with Fatal Trap Error 9: General PRotection Error.

I have tried:

1.2.1 Live
1.2.1 Embedded
1.2.2
2.0A
disabled Gb nics
disabled all NICs
disabled APM/ACPI
new RAM

Can anybody help? I would be happy to use this without Gb nics as its only for a simle vpn gateway for us monitor a remote network

nippertje

Hi - did you try the FX5621???
I have had massive problems with the FX5621. I have spent the past 5 hours trying to install pfsense on this patform with no luck. Whatever I do it will not boot and crashes with Fatal Trap Error 9: General PRotection Error.

I have tried:

1.2.1 Live
1.2.1 Embedded
1.2.2
2.0A
disabled Gb nics
disabled all NICs
disabled APM/ACPI
new RAM

Can anybody help? I would be happy to use this without Gb nics as its only for a simle vpn gateway for us monitor a remote network

bellera

Hello!

FX5621 works with latest snapshots of pfSense 1.2.3 Embedded if first 1 Gbit/s interface is disabled.

You have to go to the BIOS and disable NIC #5 (first 1 Gbit/s port).

The driver for this Agere dual NIC card doesn't work correctly for BSD systems. Some people say there is the same problem with Linux.

After disabling NIC #5 your system should work. If it doesn't work, the box has another problem …

**With FX5621 you will lose the first 1 Gbit/s card. Don't buy this model of Fabiatech!

FX5620 is better and less expensive.**

More topics about FX5621:

http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,16096.0.html

http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,16898.0.html

http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,13389.0.html

http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,6064.0.html

The affected driver:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/et131x/

Regards,

Josep Pujadas

bellera

Hi!

I found the download page of FabiaTech:

http://download.fabiatech.com.tw/

It can help to see the wich network cards use each FabiaTech's model.

The ET1310I driver is only available at FabiaTech for Windows and Linux systems. README.doc for Linux says:

This driver has been tested on 32-bit and 64-bit builds of the following distributions and corresponding linux kernel versions:

· Red Hat 9.0 (kernel version 2.4.20)
· Suse 9.0 (kernel version 2.4.21-99)
· Suse 9.0 (with a kernel upgrade to version 2.4.29 for native PCI-Express support)
· Suse 9.0 (with a kernel upgrade to version 2.4.30 for native PCI-Express support)
· Suse 9.1 (kernel version 2.6.4-52)
· Suse 9.2 (kernel version 2.6.8)
· Suse 9.3 (kernel version 2.6.11.4)
· Red Hat Fedora Core 3
· Red Hat Fedora Core 4

Other distributions of Linux using the aforementioned linux kernels may work, but were not evaluated. In addition, this driver may work with other versions of the Linux kernel, but were not evaluated.

Supposing that ET1310I driver for Linux works correctly it should be ported to FreeBSD and recompile the kernel. Aditionally, pfSense has a FreeBSD modified kernel.

Not an easy work …

Regards,

Josep Pujadas

Cry Havok

A driver to support that chipset will appear in FreeBSD 8.0. This means that, at the earliest, support will be available in pfSense 2.0 - assuming pfSense 2.0 uses FreeBSD 8.

bellera

Ok, thanks!

August 2009 ?

http://www.freebsd.org/releng/index.html

Regards,

Josep Pujadas

Cry Havok

That's when they hope to get 8.0 out - it may be later. After that it's still a matter of whether or not pfSense 2.0 uses 8.0 as the base. This seems likely, but not certain, and even if it does I don't believe that 2.0 will be released in the very near future (though I could be wrong).