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    PC engines board for build

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
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    • M
      maddy_in65
      last edited by

      I am new to forum and looking for suggestions to build pfsense router. It was in my mind since long time but now my router gone kaput, so searching for cheap build.
      Planning to go with PC engine's APU.3C4 system board and it costs around $170 (including case and adapter) with shipping. However dont have much information available online on its build quality and reliability. Are they really good to consider for Pfsense build.

      I am using 25mbps connection and planning to add another backup connection soon.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • F
        fredfox_uk
        last edited by

        I'm running an APU2C4, it's on 24x7 with a 200mbps link. I've had it for 16 - 18 months and it's been rock solid. I ran pfsense on it for over a year, but trying something different recently.

        When I bought mine it was already in nice sturdy aluminium case, build quality seems great.

        Do a search around here, there's a few threads on APU stuff.

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • jahonixJ
          jahonix
          last edited by

          Don't use 3C4, use 2C4. The difference is a SIM card slot which is usually unused with pfSense.

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          • V
            VAMike
            last edited by

            @jahonix:

            Don't use 3C4, use 2C4. The difference is a SIM card slot which is usually unused with pfSense.

            It mostly comes down to availability, they're functionally equivalent for normal usage and basically the same price.

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            • M
              maddy_in65
              last edited by

              @jahonix:

              Don't use 3C4, use 2C4. The difference is a SIM card slot which is usually unused with pfSense.

              Thank you all for suggestions. I will go for 2C4, as far as i know 3C4 is for LTE sims.
              Anyone bought directly from PC engine site, how much time they will take ship it.

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              • JailerJ
                Jailer
                last edited by

                @maddy_in65:

                Anyone bought directly from PC engine site, how much time they will take ship it.

                About 3 weeks last time I ordered one.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • GilG
                  Gil Rebel Alliance
                  last edited by

                  Just check the bios version, there are a few threads on this forum about it.
                  Version 4.0.7 is suggested and I have found it to be reliable.
                  Newer bios versions may be experimental.  ;)

                  11 cheers for binary

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                  • R
                    Rainmaker
                    last edited by

                    I ran an APU2C4 for nearly 2 years. My ISP/WAN connection is 380/20, and pfSense ran perfectly without any issues. There is some tuning you can do (search for the APU thread), but it's a very solid option. You'll have no issues on the APU up until over around 500Mbps (WAN > LAN). After that you'd be better installing IPFire or some other Linux distro. On a gigabit connection, an APU2C4 running pfSense will cap out around 540Mbps but a Linux based distro will do gigabit wirespeed. Below 500Mbps they're equal and pfSense has many more features, so I'd recommend it entirely.

                    WAN: 380/22 cable
                    Box: pfSense 2.4.3-RELEASE
                    Kaby Lake Pentium G4560 2c4t @ 3.5Ghz
                    Asrock mITX motherboard & pico PSU
                    4GB DDR4 RAM
                    60GB mSATA
                    2x Intel NIC (i210, 219v 1Gbps)

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                    • gtjG
                      gtj
                      last edited by

                      Hello,

                      I got an APU2C4 a few months now and although I'm satisfied, it limits my WAN speed to around 50Mbps. My provider tops at around 90 when not using PIA.

                      I have a Voyo V1 with an Intel N4200, GBitE and USB 3.0 interfaces.
                      Provided that I'm going to add a Trendnet USB 3.0 gigabit interface as a 2nd NIC, am I going to benefit using that build over my APU2C4? The N4200 seems to be higher clocked and also supports AES-NI as well.

                      If not,, what hardware would you suggest in order for me to be able to utilise my IP's full speed?

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        That's 50Mbps over OpenVPN I assume?  Because otherwise anything could do more than that.

                        Steve

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                        • gtjG
                          gtj
                          last edited by

                          @stephenw10:

                          That's 50Mbps over OpenVPN I assume?  Because otherwise anything could do more than that.

                          Steve

                          Yes Steve. I should have been more clear.
                          50mbps over OpenVPN. With PIA turned off, of course, it doesn't have any problem to get me the full speed of my provider.

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • stephenw10S
                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                            last edited by

                            50Mbps Ovpn is still pretty slow. I would think you could get more than that from the APU2 with some tuning.

                            Steve

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • gtjG
                              gtj
                              last edited by

                              @stephenw10:

                              50Mbps Ovpn is still pretty slow. I would think you could get more than that from the APU2 with some tuning.

                              Steve

                              Hi Steve,

                              Do you have any suggestion/tweaks I should try?

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • stephenw10S
                                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                last edited by

                                At a minimum enable FastIO and increase the send/receive buffers to 512K. Those are both gui options now in 2.4.X.

                                Steve

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                                • gtjG
                                  gtj
                                  last edited by

                                  @stephenw10:

                                  At a minimum enable FastIO and increase the send/receive buffers to 512K. Those are both gui options now in 2.4.X.

                                  Steve

                                  Will try as soon as I reach home and will report back.

                                  Thanks Steve!

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • GilG
                                    Gil Rebel Alliance
                                    last edited by

                                    iperf testing the OpenVPN I got around 85Mbps without any additional tuning.

                                    11 cheers for binary

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • gtjG
                                      gtj
                                      last edited by

                                      @stephenw10:

                                      At a minimum enable FastIO and increase the send/receive buffers to 512K. Those are both gui options now in 2.4.X.

                                      Steve

                                      Well, I changed the settings you suggested and now it hits the full potential of my IP!
                                      Thank you so much Steve!  8)

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                                      • stephenw10S
                                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                        last edited by

                                        Yes I would have expected more without any tuning but it is very dependent on link latency among all the other variables that affect measured speed.

                                        Anyway glad you're seeing more now. ;)

                                        Steve

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                                        • gtjG
                                          gtj
                                          last edited by

                                          @stephenw10:

                                          Yes I would have expected more without any tuning but it is very dependent on link latency among all the other variables that affect measured speed.

                                          Anyway glad you're seeing more now. ;)

                                          Steve

                                          The thing is that it works brilliant now and I can take advatage of my full IP's speed. Ping times seem also to be lower.They went down to 17ms from 21.

                                          This came at about the right timing when I had started to feel disappointed with my PC Engines board.

                                          Thanks again :)

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                                          • S
                                            Stugots
                                            last edited by

                                            Another reason to avoid the APU3's is that the they all use the i211 Intel NIC's and the APU2C4 uses the i210 which has some advantages over the i211.  Can't remember the exact difference, sorry.

                                            I'm using an APU2C4 with a 100/10MBit connection without any problems at all.  I'm using IPSEC for VPN.

                                            PC Engines APU2C4

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