DIY Router with Supermicro X10SLH-N6-ST031

[Digilog]

A long time ago I got tired of store bought routers malfunctioning on me, so I started to use PCs as my router as was exposed with this concept a long time ago in the field.
One day while I was surfing around on ebay, I came across a server recycler "The Server Store" who I remembered seeing back in the days of the IT/Tech swap meets in the 1990s.

The Supermicro X10SLH-N6-ST031

This $60 find was hard to pass up.
3 x 10Gb with one interface having a 4 port switch, for a total of 6 10Gb ports plus 1 1Gb and RJ45 serial for out of band management.
I also went on their web site and purchased a 1U bare bones with power supply version ($160) so I can experiment with lower wattage CPUs that are available for the socket 1150. But eventually, I will put it into a PC case because I'm not a fan of the server fan noise.

Putting this board in a regular case took some looking around, as I had to find something that could handle the "Flex ATX" size board (9.6"x12").
CPU cooling was necessary to update but that is a non-issue since this heat sink profile was used on the socket 1151 intel processors.
Selecting a low cost power supply was not easy, as reading the manual I needed 3A of standby USB power so I ended up with a 650W power supply. Since I am not putting a graphics card in it, the power supply will initially start at 150W. Looking at how much power supply I have left also came into mind of adding and external 12V power block to power the cable modem, wireless access point, a raspberry pi server and switches.

 

[ddaenen1]

That will make one hell of a pfSense or OPNSense firewall/router

 

[Digilog]

That will make one hell of a pfSense or OPNSense firewall/router

I'm sure its not going to be a disappointment. I'm going to run IPfire on it with the tweaked network driver settings that I obtained by a tech in the hosting sector. He laugh when I told him I was going to turn it into a router and put a 2.5G nic card in for my cable modem. Even though this is pretty aged in tech (4 Gen I-core or 3/4 gen Xenon) it still cooks.

My choice for a new gateway server that I was going to get was cool too, but at $60 for the board (with processor), I couldn't pass that up.

X12SDV-8C-SPT8F​

not bad, Originally I was thinking about Router/Nas server with this, but I might get one of these one day and make a really nice NAS with it:

Intel® Xeon® Processor D-2733NT, CPU TDP 80W, Intel Quick Assist Technology
Up to 256GB Registered ECC RDIMM, DDR4-2667MHz; Up to 512GB LRDIMM LRDIMM, DDR4-2667MHz, in 4 DIMM slots
1 PCIe 4.0 x16
2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe x8 SlimSAS Internal Port
1 OCuLink Connector (4 SATA/PCIe 3.0 x4)
1 M.2 M-Key 2242/2280 (SATA/PCIe 3.0 x4)
Quad 1G RJ45 with Intel® I350-AM4
Dual 25G SFP28 with Intel SoC
Dual 10Gbase-T RJ-45 with Intel® Ethernet Controller X550-AT2

 

[sfx2000]

Make sure to either change out that heatsink or have it in a 1U case with proper fans...

 

[ddaenen1]

Make sure to either change out that heatsink or have it in a 1U case with proper fans...

i second that. I am running pfSense on a X10SDV-4C-TLN2F in a 1U chassis. CPU temp was the challenge. Even with 2 Supermicro 0100-L4 fans and the passive heatsink i was still hitting 70C under load. What eventually did the trick is a fan shroud that Supermicro designed specifically for the X10SDV in 1U but is not widely known and even isn't in their optional parts list of the board. I bumped onto it accidentally when browsing some pictures on how to get the cable routing done properly in an SC505-203B chassis. It has a Supermicro P/N (MCP-310-50501-0B) though.

 

[Digilog]

Make sure to either change out that heatsink or have it in a 1U case with proper fans...

Since it has the same mounting outline as the 3/4th gen i series processors, I'm using a 95W heat sink with fan.

But this is the case the router is going to live in:

 

[Digilog]

i second that. I am running pfSense on a X10SDV-4C-TLN2F in a 1U chassis. CPU temp was the challenge. Even with 2 Supermicro 0100-L4 fans and the passive heatsink i was still hitting 70C under load. What eventually did the trick is a fan shroud that Supermicro designed specifically for the X10SDV in 1U but is not widely known and even isn't in their optional parts list of the board. I bumped onto it accidentally when browsing some pictures on how to get the cable routing done properly in an SC505-203B chassis. It has a Supermicro P/N (MCP-310-50501-0B) though.

Socket 1667 is one of the oddballs that don't have aftermarket cooling or side upgrades like I was able to get away with with my socket 1150 processor.

The best aftermarket cooling for it off the top of my head, would be getting a GPU water block and drilling out the holes a little since the outline is similar to 50mm GPU outline.

 

[Digilog]

Update:

removed heat sink off the motherboard and noticed I bought a motherboard with out a processor.

ordered a used Xeon E3-1275L V3

 

[degrub]

LOL

 

[Digilog]

Looking at my invoice from the server store, the recycled 1U server that I'm going to use as NAS/ Dev/ OS debug & testing has a processor.

So I could transplant this motherboard and trade it out when I build up the $60 ebay special with the 45W processor.

 

[Crimliar]

Just one more thing, don't scrimp on the power supply!

 

[Digilog]

Just one more thing, don't scrimp on the power supply!

I really wanted to power this with a 200Watt power supply, but unfortunately the only supplies that have a 5V 3A standby/aux power are either the stock 350W Flex ATX noise makers like what is in the 1U server or 600W+ ATX-3.0 supplies. I purchased a 600W power supply but since its ATX, I will have to see if it will start at 150W or if I have to jumper one of the sense pins on the PCI power connector so it will start at 250W.
But theoretically it should start at 150W since the only drive that is going in it is a SATA SSD.

 

[Digilog]

Update: tried to dry fit the bare board into the case before I perform the transplant.
It fits the hole, but the board is too deep and its not aligning to the ATX standoffs. If the case had 1/2inch more depth, I would be in business.
So I will have to throw it into a standard EATX case or an extended depth ATX case which I do have lying around and use this case in a different project.

 

[Digilog]

Power supply and some other bits and pieces came in. I decided to use my EATX case I got for a liquid cooling project, However, It looks like I will need to do some cooling plans with this since its not that really optimized for passive cooling.

My new build case: the Thermaltake Tower 500.

I decided to use this case because the way the motherboard is mounted vertically with the rear panel pointing upwards.
I'm debating on if I want to install LED fans since I'm going to put this in a closet, but I am undecided if I want to use this case permanently for this application. But I might end up liquid cooling it considering where it going to be installed. Its hard to predict this until its built and tested thoroughly.