MicroClient
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Does anyone have any experience with the Microclient JrDX hardware (http://www.norhtec.com/products/mcjrdx/index.html)? It looks like it might be a good low power platform to run pfSense on (if you get the 2nd NIC option), and pretty cheap, but with a decent speed processor.
Here's the stats from their website:
1Ghz x86 CPU
256 or 512 MB RAM
Support for 2nd NIC
Integrated Full Clock FPU
Bootable SD and CF slots
3 x USB 2.0 (2 in front)
1 x Keyboard and mouse portNot sure about this though:
Ethernet Integrated r6040 10/100 Mbps LAN with built-in PXE bootI thought "r6040" may have been a Realtek, but in searching the net, I see "RDC" as the company, so I'm not sure how well that works with pfSense.
It's only $200 with 512 MB of ram and the 2nd NIC option.
If the NICs work well, this could be a very nice little firewall. It supports wireless too with a $40 add-on…
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See http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/svn-src-head/2010-December/023644.html Apparently the r6040 driver was submitted to FreeBSD 31-Dec-2010 and is in the FreeBSD 8.2 sources.
http://sourceforge.net/apps/phpbb/freenas/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=9198 suggests the driver can be backported and built on FreeBSD 8.1 so the kernel module for the driver can probably be used by pfSense 2.0 (based on FreeBSD 8.1)
The man page at http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=vte&apropos=0&sektion=0&manpath=FreeBSD+9-current&format=html suggests it is not a high performing NIC but if the whole system is reliable it could be a very capable firewall platform.
Rather than pay for the second NIC I would be inclined to use multiple VLANs and a VLAN capable switch with it.
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Thanks for the info, but I found an issue…
If you go to the trouble of trying to order one, it shows a shipping fee of over $60... to a US address???
At over $250, there are probably other solutions that are more proven than to try this one out...
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If you go to the trouble of trying to order one, it shows a shipping fee of over $60… to a US address???
Norhtec are based in Thailand.