Recommendations for discrete Gw/Fw etc. Router

[kvic]

Under 500 MBit WAN, the Rangley chips are probably sufficient, and no issues with the LAN at 1Gb...

I imagined Rangley can easily handle 1Gbit/s WAN. If only 500Mbit/s, it's a disappointment. Less appealing for users going to pfSense on a Rangley box like those offered by NetGate.

 

[jalyst]

I imagined Rangley can easily handle 1Gbit/s WAN. If only 500Mbit/s, it's a disappointment. Less appealing for users going to pfSense on a Rangley box like those offered by NetGate.

Huh...
If it can easily handle a 1Gb WAN, why does it become a disappointment at 500Mb or less?
I imagine it'd be more than good enough for my stipulated requirements.

 

[kvic]

Huh...
If it can easily handle a 1Gb link, why does it come a disappointment at 500Mb or less?

You're referring to sfx post right? It's 1Gbit/s for LAN.

I imagine it'd be more than good enough for my stipulated requirements.

For a typical SOHO/home a ER-X or ER-L type of router is probably sufficient. Personally I'm very against the idea of building a PC box for router.

 

[jalyst]

For a typical SOHO/home a ER-X or ER-L type of router is probably sufficient.

EDIT: oh I misread what you wrote; yes I'm sure it is, I'll see how this "PC box" goes.
If it ends up being too much of a handful, then I'll reinvestigate turnkey solutions.

This is their full range, hmm some of their prices are surprisingly cheap:
https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter-x/
https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter-x-sfp/
https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter-lite/
https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter-poe/
https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter/
https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter-pro/

But I ruled-out ready OOTB solutions like that in the 1st few posts of this thread.
I'm not going to change direction again...
As then I'll waste more time looking at the latest turnkey solutions, & deciding on the best!
Their switches look nice, may end up with one or more of their switches instead.

Hmm, I just came across this on the pfSense forum:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=88774.0
That's the MB that comes with the bare-bones unit I'm probably buying.
Should this be something I care about? In what circumstances?

A user in that thread has just pointed out a fix in pfSense that fixed this bug ages ago:
https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=88774.msg657296#msg657296

 

[sfx2000]

I imagined Rangley can easily handle 1Gbit/s WAN. If only 500Mbit/s, it's a disappointment. Less appealing for users going to pfSense on a Rangley box like those offered by NetGate.

Setting appropriate expectations - the 4 core Rangley's are clocked higher, and at 1GB, clock speed is everything on the routing side - most likely the 2440 can do 1GB, but not having seen it myself, I wouldn't state it as fact...

 

[jalyst]

Given I'm not likely to have a net connection much faster than 100Mb any time soon.
C2758 (like the Xeon-D & Others we discussed) is probably still overkill, no?

Maybe I should drop down to a lesser C series than the C2758?
Especially if it results in substantial savings, & the hw's still plenty good for my needs!
If so which IYO, something from pfSense, Netgate, SM, or Other?

*UPDATE*
Some further notes to myself (not directly related to prior content in this post):
http://store.netgate.com/Netgate-RCC-VE-4860-1U-System-with-CentOS-P2471.aspx
https://www.pfsense.org/hardware/
https://store.pfsense.org/SG-4860-1U/
http://www.ntq.com.au/

 

[sfx2000]

Read up on dwood's experience with the QOTOM box, and the same box is used in ArsTechnica's RouterRumble article...

Celeron J1900 (baytrail-d) is more than enough for most folks, about the only thing is lacks is AES-NI, but at that clock speed (2.0GHz, Turbo to 2.4GHz), it performs pretty well...

And then, pfSense is good, but there are some really great distro's over in Linux space - VyOS,, Shorewall, Untangle, Sophos, heck, even MicroTik offers a build for X86, and RouterOS is quite good..

 

[sfx2000]

Maybe time for OP to step back - many good inputs here, but at the end of the day, it's his choice - but also a chance to solidify some needs/wants...

Bounce things back for feedback - a lot of good insight with different perspectives...

 

[jalyst]

So the XG-7100 1U C35xx "Denverton" series is -roughly- analogous to what I was looking at getting (SG-8860 1U/SG-4860 1U "Rangeley") in this thread a few yrs back.

Is there any after-market products very similar (if not identical) to it yet?
https://store.netgate.com/XG-7100.aspx
https://www.netgate.com/solutions/pfsense/xg-7100-1u.html
Or is too early....

I may still get the Netgate product, but it's sooo damn pricey, especially once converted to AUD.
(I shudder to think what local resellers here are charging for it!)
If I can get something that's essentially the same, but much less $, that'd be ideal.*
Tempted to get the XG-7100, as the site's slick nowadays, & all the support/services they offer now is impressive.
Plus I like the idea of supporting the project...
But I have a limited budget, & several other even pricier projects to finish-off!

Thank-you
*obviously no quality support from netgate etc, on my own + "community" support -but I can deal with that

 

[coxhaus]

You now can pick up a Cisco Rv320 router for $50 to $80 off eBay used. Load the latest firmware and you are good to go. It will save you some money and paint web pages faster. I have decided imbedded firmware is faster then do all software.

 

[jalyst]

Thanks, but not interested in embedded software...
Looking for 3rd-party hw so can build the same thing (or similar) as the XG-7100.

I may yet go with everything I settled on here (last updated Sep 24 2016).
But just wondering if anyone can help with my post above...
Possible to put something together that's very similar to the XG-7100 yet;
Just as I did for the SG-8860 in my first link above?

Thanks again.

*UPDATE*
Cool, looks like SM does indeed offer 2* C3000 series bare-bones 1U units already!
http://www.supermicro.com/products/system/1U/5019/SYS-5019A-12TN4.cfm
http://www.supermicro.com/products/system/1U/5019/SYS-5019A-FTN4.cfm

Ofc, they're likely to be quite different to what Netgate/ADI design & manufacture.
Thus, pfSense won't be QA like it will if I buy a Netgate unit, but, close enough to whip into rock-solid reliability you reckon?

Problem is finding out how to bloody get it here...
What's the bet it doesn't ship to Oz from Amazon.com, & local availability is slim to non-existent?!
But maybe Alibaba or similar do ship it? I'll check that later.

If it works out to be heaps more, then I may stick with the DIY C7258 build I was about to go with way back when!
If the cost of the DIY C7258 build or this DIY C3xxx build aren't far off from the XG-7100, then I may still get it.
Yet to run all of the numbers....

 

[sfx2000]

Might consider this...

http://www.lannerinc.com/products/x...iew=article&id=2013:nca-1510&catid=26:desktop

 

[jalyst]

Hmm not bad, nice find thanks! I wish they did a 1U unit, I prefer that form-factor;

Looks like they have a full complement of form-factors, nice...
http://www.lannerinc.com/network-appliances/x86-rackmount-network-appliances/
And their C3xxx 1U rack-mount series is here...
http://www.lannerinc.com/products/network-appliances/x86-rackmount-network-appliances/nca-2510

What makes you pick them over the SM units I linked, closer hw-wise to the XG-7100, how so?

Now to see if Amazon ships here, or Alibaba/Similar, or if local resellers sell it for a decent am't (unlikely).
And to see if cost works out much better than kitting out one of the SM units, or the XG-7100.

Cheers.

 

[sfx2000]

Lanner has decent sales channels in the APAC region...

 

[jalyst]

So, it turns out Lanner doesn't really, not for Australia...
Only way to get any of their units, is by setting-up something direct with them.
I'll detail all of that later, inc. full costings etc for their NCA-2510D model.

Most interested in their NCA-2510B & NCA-2510C C3758-based units, & their NCA-2510D C3558-based unit.
All 3* models are outlined here...
http://www.lannerinc.com/products/network-appliances/x86-rackmount-network-appliances/nca-2510
http://www.lannerinc.com/download-center/Datasheets/x86-Network-Appliances/?download=1850

The only unit from SM that's most suitable is...
https://www.supermicro.com.tw/products/system/1U/5019/SYS-5019A-FTN4.cfm
Finding only the SM unit is readily available as a bare-bones unit with retailers/resellers.

This whole thing has been an absolute PITA, I won't go into it all, but to say the least it's been infuriating/exhausting.

I can't buy Netgate's appliance &or paid Support, had some very dodgy/unprofessional interactions with them.
I gave them several chances but each time the interactions deteriorated badly, can't risk it sadly, wanted to.

Best price by far (inc. shipping) I've been able to find -so far- for the SM unit is here:
https://www.newegg.com/global/au/Product/Product.aspx?Item=1WK-0010-00590
I haven't found anything for the Lanner models...

(1)
Anyone had bad experiences with Newegg???
(2)
When/if you've encountered problems, have you found SM to provide good Support for their bare-bones units?

They clearly strongly prefer that folks buy "full systems" from Resellers/System-Integrators etc.
Yet they still make their bare-bones units readily available via various channels.
So they're kinda sending mixed messages on that one...

 

[jalyst]

@sfx2000 @System Error Message

1)
Have you seen those 3* Lanner models I listed for decent pricing w/folks who sell into the APAC region?
More specifically Australia....

2)
Regardless of whether or not you can see some good deals...
Any reason(s) you feel they're "better" than the SM unit I linked? AFAICT, the SM model is substantially better overall?

Assuming I were to go with SM's SYS-5019A-FTN4...

3)
For ECC RAM & SSD, I was going to pick makes/models from the "Tested Mem" & "Tested M.2" sections on this page. Then google the part no's I pick, to see where they're offered for decent pricing to (or in) Australia, that the way you'd go? I'd prefer just 8GB to start with, but it seems the min. they offer there (last I checked) is 16GB.

I haven't yet checked if Lanner has similar recommended RAM/SSD for it's models, if you see that they do -please point to it.

4)
Have you seen any better pricing than that Newegg pricing I linked for the SYS-5019A-FTN4?

5)
Any other bare-bones options based on the C3558/C3758 or similar? i.e. is Lanner & SM the only 2 ODM's offering products?

I'm on the home stretch now thank God...

Thanks again/GN!

 

[sfx2000]

The SuperMicro box would also work - really does come down to availability of it vs. the Lanner boxes.

 

[sfx2000]

Thanks again.

Always a soft recommendation there - everyone has their own needs and requirements...

 

[sfx2000]

I can't buy Netgate's appliance &or paid Support, had some very dodgy/unprofessional interactions with them.
I gave them several chances but each time the interactions deteriorated badly, can't risk it sadly, wanted to.

FWIW - I would agree on the things there - pfSense is a great SW package, no doubt, but they have opportunities to improve with the community there.

 

[sfx2000]

It wasn't in relation to the community per-se, this was the actual employees, & the head honcho lead the poor attitude/form. I don't wish to elaborate, but it was all quite unsavoury -to say the least. Back on-topic; if you're able to address any of the points from here & here, it would be appreciated.

You don't need to elaborate - the personalities are interesting over there...

Sad to see that - as the Netgate HW is good, and the pfSense SW is good...