Netgate 8200 connection questions

[MacUsers]

Thanks @stephenw10!
Yeah, something I need to figure out, to be as close as possible to my DIY setup.

I have another two Qs:

• Can I use a 2nd M.2 SSD to create RAID?
• Can USB to VGA converter be used to plugin a standard compyter disply?

-S

[stephenw10]

Yes it is possible to fit two NVMe drives and install to them as a zfs mirror:

[admin@6100.stevew.lan]/root: zpool list -v zroot
NAME         SIZE  ALLOC   FREE  CKPOINT  EXPANDSZ   FRAG    CAP  DEDUP  HEALTH  ALTROOT
zroot         13G   824M  12.2G        -         -     5%     6%  1.00x  ONLINE  -
  mirror      13G   824M  12.2G        -         -     5%  6.18%
    nvd0p3      -      -      -        -         -      -      -
    nvd1p3      -      -      -        -         -      -      -

No there is no VGA output and no drivers for adding an external video card. The local console is serial only, either dircetly via the RJ-45 port or through the on-board USB-serial adapter.

[MacUsers]

thanks @stephenw10 !
I think I got all the info I needed. Now have to decide to-buy or not-to-buy :)

[MacUsers]

@stephenw10 said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

Yes it is possible to fit two NVMe drives and install to them as a zfs mirror:

Got my 8200 now
Just a quick Q: M.2 SATA won't work, right?
I ordered 2 of those, but now I think not a match?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZYPV5RW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

If not, any recomendation?

-S

[stephenw10]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09ZYPV5RW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

Indeed m.2 SATA won't work they must be NVMe.

I don't have any specific recommendations there, I have tested some Intel Optane drives but they are 16GB. The cheapest I could get to test with!

There are some threads in the Netgate hardware section with drives others have used. By aware of this bug detailing some drives that caused issues: https://redmine.pfsense.org/issues/15110

[MacUsers]

Not sure why Netgate had to choose a motherboard with such an uncommon configuration as pretty much 99% M.2 NVMe drives are all M-Key type

I'm giving this a try now.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09P58BJ2L/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?th=1

[stephenw10]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B09P58BJ2L/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?th=1

Pretty sure that's also M keyed. Pretty much anything that fits the B keyed slot will be M+B keyed. I don't think I've ever seen a B key only SSD.

[MacUsers]

You are righ!
now I see: judging by this pin-out:

looks like pretty much nothing available

[MacUsers]

Never heard of 'em, but that's the only thing I could find in Amazon UK:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0DL5WYGJ1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A14U8PTXJ71BWF&th=1

[stephenw10]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0DL5WYGJ1/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A14U8PTXJ71BWF&th=1

Hmm, me either.

There is a recent recommendation here: https://forum.netgate.com/topic/195962/netgate-6100-replacement-128gb-nvme-drive

Not in the UK though.

[MacUsers]

Yeah, I was looking in that post as well......... I couldn't find anywhere to buy Innodisk from.

BTW, do you know how to get to the BIOS? I'm on Mac and pressing ESC is not entering BIOS setup at all.

-S

[stephenw10]

There is no conventional bios setup in blinkboot. The only options there are the efi boot device table and the reset and pxe hotkeys.

[MacUsers]

Another disspoinment - the GiGimundo disk I have been sent (by Amazon) is actualy a K-Key only. Either the picture in the listing is worng or I was genuinely sent a worng item by warehouse staff. But I now believe the former is the case.

But that makes a lot bigger concern: if a B+M key cannot be sourced, what happens if the HDD fails, especially after the warranty. We will be left witha very expensive paper-weaight, I suppose.

-S

[Gertjan]

@MacUsers said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

if a B+M key cannot be sourced

More then enough :
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MR5O5YS/ref=sspa_dk_hqp_detail_aax_0?sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9ocXBfc2hhcmVk&th=1

Never delete a file anymore drive :
https://www.amazon.com/KingSpec-Performance-Internal-Solid-Ultrabook/dp/B08FQVNY5K/ref=pd_ci_mcx_pspc_dp_2_i_4?pd_rd_w=v7kTV&content-id=amzn1.sym.cd152278-debd-42b9-91b9-6f271389fda7&pf_rd_p=cd152278-debd-42b9-91b9-6f271389fda7&pf_rd_r=RQCEC0V1HR020ZW6463P&pd_rd_wg=tl5tJ&pd_rd_r=834c8db7-5bd2-47d3-b2f0-10d25fd34507&pd_rd_i=B08FQVNY5K&th=1

Note : both are B+M keyed drives, the image tells me so, and it's written in the sales text.

If they send you something different, X keyed, suggest that they pause building boosters and give more love to the shipping department

[stephenw10]

That's SATA not NVMe. Must be an NVMe drive in 8200 / 6100 / 4100.

[stephenw10]

This should work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C64DVYZ9

I haven't tested it though.

I can say that the 16G Intel Optane drives work well and are readily available used since nobody wants them any longer.

[MacUsers]

@Gertjan
There is hardly any B+K NVMe availabe in UK that can be reasonably sourced; plenty of SATA availabe though. I'm looking for one eversince I got my 8200.

-S

[MacUsers]

@stephenw10 said in Netgate 8200 connection questions:

This should work: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C64DVYZ9

Thanks!
I'm goinna give it a try. Hopefully the picture and listing is correct.

-S

[stephenw10]

Mmm, I'm pretty sure it will boot but I have no idea if it will hit the reboot issue.

[MacUsers]

okay, finally worked!!
I wanted to a have a bit bigger disk than 128G, so picked up a pair of those from eBay

So far, running for 8 hrs. without any rebooting issue.

Here is the mirror:

$ zpool list -v
NAME         SIZE  ALLOC   FREE  CKPOINT  EXPANDSZ   FRAG    CAP  DEDUP    HEALTH  ALTROOT
pfSense      238G  1.34G   237G        -         -     0%     0%  1.00x    ONLINE  -
  mirror-0   238G  1.34G   237G        -         -     0%  0.56%      -    ONLINE
    nda0s2   238G      -      -        -         -      -      -      -    ONLINE
    nda1s2   238G      -      -        -         -      -      -      -    ONLINE

Here is the detais:

$ geom disk list
Geom name: nda0
Providers:
1. Name: nda0
   Mediasize: 256060514304 (238G)
   Sectorsize: 512
   Mode: r1w1e2
   descr: WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-256G-1001
   lunid: e8238fa6bf530001001b444a44c4182e
   ident: 194926444415
   rotationrate: 0
   fwsectors: 0
   fwheads: 0

Geom name: nda1
Providers:
1. Name: nda1
   Mediasize: 256060514304 (238G)
   Sectorsize: 512
   Mode: r1w1e2
   descr: WDC PC SN520 SDAPMUW-256G-1001
   lunid: e8238fa6bf530001001b444a44c452d1
   ident: 194926472104
   rotationrate: 0
   fwsectors: 0
   fwheads: 0

-S