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    ISA cards & BSD

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    • O
      OutThere
      last edited by

      Hello!

      First, I'd like to congratulate everyone involved with this project!
      I am a Linux user (in and out), but pfSense will be my first BSD machine ever. It will replace my aging LRP/BERING router as it seems not to cope too well with p2p networking. I assume Free BSD 6 is a beast as far as networking is concerned, so a BSD based router is an option.

      My first question is this:
      I am configuring a router with 2 lan segments a DMZ and PPPOE WAN. I have a number of NE2k cards, some ISA some PCI. PCI are no problem, they get recognised fine. I would like to know  (wthout making a masters degree in Googling) where can I setup ISA card options (IRQ, Address etc…) in BSD. I figured they all use 'ed' driver, but that means didley to a linux user...  :(

      Can drop a quick filename or procedure or URL with info?

      Thanx in advance.

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      • C
        cmb
        last edited by

        @OutThere:

        Hello!

        First, I'd like to congratulate everyone involved with this project!
        I am a Linux user (in and out), but pfSense will be my first BSD machine ever. It will replace my aging LRP/BERING router as it seems not to cope too well with p2p networking. I assume Free BSD 6 is a beast as far as networking is concerned, so a BSD based router is an option.

        My first question is this:
        I am configuring a router with 2 lan segments a DMZ and PPPOE WAN. I have a number of NE2k cards, some ISA some PCI. PCI are no problem, they get recognised fine. I would like to know  (wthout making a masters degree in Googling) where can I setup ISA card options (IRQ, Address etc…) in BSD. I figured they all use 'ed' driver, but that means didley to a linux user...  :(

        there are utilities, or jumpers on the card, to hard code what the IRQ, etc. are.  from there, they may just work.

        honestly, I'd take that ISA junk and toss it in the trash.  The ISA bus can't really push more than 4 Mb or so, and many residential broadband connections are getting close enough to, or higher than that.

        trashing everything ISA that you have will save you a lot of headaches (with every OS) and give you much improved performance.  Don't bother with it.

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        • O
          OutThere
          last edited by

          @cmb:

          there are utilities, or jumpers on the card, to hard code what the IRQ, etc. are.  from there, they may just work.

          honestly, I'd take that ISA junk and toss it in the trash.  The ISA bus can't really push more than 4 Mb or so, and many residential broadband connections are getting close enough to, or higher than that.

          trashing everything ISA that you have will save you a lot of headaches (with every OS) and give you much improved performance.  Don't bother with it.

          You can skip the following paragraph:

          Well, I have been quite happy with ISA for WAN. I have a 4MBit DSL link and it runs like a charm. One of the segments on the router HAS to be 10mbit, as it's a coax segment (my brother cannot be bothered to rewire his room, so I couldn't care less) and can easily be served by ISA card. So I can get away with 2 scrap ISA cards and save a buck for a lollypop for my kid. ISA configuration and troubles are therefore a given. I don't mind, when I have to configure a Linux box. It's a different ballgame with BSD now.

          The main part:
          I have all cards jumpered an fixed, so they play nicely with each other. However. OS does not autmatically recognise them (which is normal). In linux, I have to set options to kernel modules for each ISA card separately. That way modules are loaded with proper settings for each card. I do not know where this facility is in BSD as I have never tampered with kernel modules. As far as I gather, there aren't any modules for ISA cards anyway, but insetad, there are drivers compiled in-kernel.
          Question:
          What is the kernel "boot parameter" file, where I can explicitely point ISA cards to 'ed' driver (I assume that is the driver in-kernel to handle NE2000 cards). I find the suggestion "scrap ISA cards, they are slow" unworthy of "scrap router" I am building. It has cost me nothing to build and maintain my home network security and routing for years and it will cost me the same in the future. The point is not to save money, but to learn to use a new tool profficiently.

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          • J
            jeroen234
            last edited by

            was isa suport not left out in the freebsd 6.0 kernal ???

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            • L
              Leoandru
              last edited by

              this is the list of supported hardware for freebsd 6.0. http://www.freebsd.org/releases/6.0R/hardware-i386.html
              but as for helping with the ISA card im afraid I dont know much.

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              • B
                billm
                last edited by

                http://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=ed&apropos=0&sektion=4&manpath=FreeBSD+6.0-RELEASE+and+Ports&format=html

                pfSense core developer
                blog - http://www.ucsecurity.com/
                twitter - billmarquette

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                • C
                  cmb
                  last edited by

                  if you insist…  ;D

                  Typically these settings are done in your kernel configuration.  There is probably a way to accomplish the same in /boot/loader.conf or some other boot time configuration file.  I'm not sure though.

                  Here is an example of how to do this in the kernel configuration (see towards the bottom of this page): 
                  http://www.freebsddiary.org/nic-media.php

                  that might help you find a way to do it without recompiling your kernel, which wouldn't be easy and isn't recommended nor supported with pfsense.  If you find out anything further, or don't, an update post to this thread would be appreciated for those who might try this in the future.

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                  • H
                    hoba
                    last edited by

                    @OutThere:

                    Well, I have been quite happy with ISA for WAN. I have a 4MBit DSL link and it runs like a charm. One of the segments on the router HAS to be 10mbit, as it's a coax segment (my brother cannot be bothered to rewire his room, so I couldn't care less) and can easily be served by ISA card. So I can get away with 2 scrap ISA cards and save a buck for a lollypop for my kid. ISA configuration and troubles are therefore a given. I don't mind, when I have to configure a Linux box. It's a different ballgame with BSD now.

                    If the coaxsegment is the only way that prevents you from using pci get a cheap small hub/switch with coaxuplink. I have that at my parents home as we wired the complete house with coax many years ago and it is today only used for internet sharing. Other option is a pci-coax-nic.

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                    • B
                      billm
                      last edited by

                      Heh, I think I might still have a DEC chipset PCI card laying around collecting dust with TP/BNC on it.

                      –Bill

                      pfSense core developer
                      blog - http://www.ucsecurity.com/
                      twitter - billmarquette

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                      • O
                        OutThere
                        last edited by

                        Thank you very much for your input.

                        ::)
                        I have (after unsuccessful ISA attemprts) scavanged 2 pci cards from scrap boxen in my cellar and took 1 PCI card from the old router. I will have to do without DMZ for a while.
                        At first detection was erratic, but after dusting them and the motherboard everything started working… ed0, ed1, ed2. Excellent.  ;D

                        However, hi have run into an other wall with my service provider... The criminally braindead technical crew is unable to support anything other than windows XP with a certain (old) servicepack or something... My WAN card is therefore 'down', whil PPPoE is 'up'. As a bonus, they developed 'technical problems' themseleves while I was updating my router/firewall box.
                        No luck so far. *(this message went through ole LRP/Bering box)  :-X

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                        • J
                          jeroen234
                          last edited by

                          write down the wan macadress from youre LRP/Bering box

                          and put that one on the wan interface at pfsenseon the mac tab

                          This field can be used to modify ("spoof") the MAC address of the WAN interface
                          (may be required with some cable connections)
                          Enter a MAC address in the following format: xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx or leave blank

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                          • O
                            OutThere
                            last edited by

                            @jeroen234:

                            write down the wan macadress from youre LRP/Bering box

                            and put that one on the wan interface at pfsenseon the mac tab

                            My ISP brainsquad has assured me they are not locked onto MAC. Anyway it's the same card (from previous box).

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                            • C
                              cmb
                              last edited by

                              @OutThere:

                              My ISP brainsquad has assured me they are not locked onto MAC. Anyway it's the same card (from previous box).

                              power cycling your modem before bringing up your pfsense box might help.

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                              • O
                                OutThere
                                last edited by

                                Retried over and over. Finally ISP's modem failed to respond under any gven OS on my side. They must love me. I never ever use anything "standard" in my ventures and I usualy ask nasty questions noone knows an answer to.

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