How to set the router to start with C3 as the default lowest possible C state?

nexusN

Hi,

Another strange question,
To save power(or not?), I tried to set both core to C3 state to save some power.
I read from some websites that with this configured the power consumption can be further lowered, thought I can't confirm it for I don't have a power meter.

Using Celeron G530, I implemented a setting as below:
The default C state without setting:
Code:

[2.0.1-RELEASE][admin@nchannel.nelsewhere.com]/root(5): sysctl dev.cpu |grep cx
dev.cpu.0.cx_supported: C1/1 C2/80 C3/104
dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest: C1
dev.cpu.0.cx_usage: 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% last 500us
dev.cpu.1.cx_supported: C1/1 C2/80 C3/104
dev.cpu.1.cx_lowest: C1
dev.cpu.1.cx_usage: 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% last 500us

To get C3 state works, the little tweak is:
Code:

# sysctl dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest=C3

then you'll see:
Code:

dev.cpu.1.cx_lowest: C1 -> C3

Do this for all cores.
Verify by:
Code:

[2.0.1-RELEASE][admin@nchannel.nelsewhere.com]/root(12): sysctl dev.cpu | grep cx
dev.cpu.0.cx_supported: C1/1 C2/80 C3/104
dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest: C3
dev.cpu.0.cx_usage: 2.76% 8.00% 89.22% last 306us
dev.cpu.1.cx_supported: C1/1 C2/80 C3/104
dev.cpu.1.cx_lowest: C3
dev.cpu.1.cx_usage: 2.86% 10.01% 87.12% last 223us

Suggested setting (one with C2 state, other as deep as possible) by vermaden if you have problems on not responding, but unlikely to be an issue for router as I experienced.

Here is the problem.
To permanently set the lowest C state, add the lines in /etc/sysctl.conf.
"Update: I can't make it to run with booting even with the above lines added to sysctl.conf nor /etc/rc.conf,
is there any other ways?
Thanks."

Ref-ed from below links:
http://forums.freebsd.org/showthread.php?t=172
http://wiki.freebsd.org/TuningPowerConsumption

wallabybob

On startup pfSense regenerates a number of system configuration files from the pfSense master configuration file. So use System -> Advanced click on System Tunables to cause pfSense startup to set the sysctl variables from its master configuration file.

nexusN

@wallabybob:

On startup pfSense regenerates a number of system configuration files from the pfSense master configuration file. So use System -> Advanced click on System Tunables to cause pfSense startup to set the sysctl variables from its master configuration file.

That's the point, no wonder everytime my setting is gone and even the config file ::)
Thanks and I will try.

nexusN

@nexusN:

@wallabybob:

On startup pfSense regenerates a number of system configuration files from the pfSense master configuration file. So use System -> Advanced click on System Tunables to cause pfSense startup to set the sysctl variables from its master configuration file.

That's the point, no wonder everytime my setting is gone and even the config file ::)
Thanks and I will try.

Sorry for not being familiar with it,
how do I achieve the setting?

In that page, there are three parameter to set, apart from Description, what does "Tunable Name" and "Value" stand for?
For example, the code I need to set is

sysctl dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest=C3

Should I add a new entry with
Tunable Name = sysctl dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest
Value = C3

Thanks a lot.

Sorry but another question not related, appreciate if you can help on it.
"Firewall Maximum Table Entries" what does its value base on and how should I set it?
For "Firewall Maximum States" I am setting it according to the RAM size, 4GB so it is set as 3.82M states.
How about the Entries? According to RAM or something else?

Thanks.

stephenw10

Tunable name should be: dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest

I wouldn't worry about the firewall values unless you have a specific problem.

Steve

nexusN

@stephenw10:

Tunable name should be: dev.cpu.0.cx_lowest

I wouldn't worry about the firewall values unless you have a specific problem.

Steve

Thanks for the clarification ;D