Pfsense router build

Hardware Hub Networking
1

I’m wanting to build a new router but I’m not sure what nic’s and what platform to go with. I have about $500AU to spend and the websites I can acess here is

WWW.pccasegear.com.au

WWW.Msy.com.au

I’m planing to get a ubiquiti unifi AC acess point for wireless but I’m not sure what hardware will work well and what Intel nic’s will work with out hassle with pfsense. Atm I have a dsl connection with 7/0.80mibts but going to be getting the 100/40 fibre connect whitch will be available later in the year.

Regards Josh, South Australia

2

http://store.pfsense.org/VK-T40E/

I just realized that Australian and US dollars have quite a bit of value difference, but there's that if you're willing to spend a bit more.

Then there's this thing that I don't know much about, but it looks interesting:

http://soekris.com/products/net6501-1/net6501-30-board-case.html

and pfsense documentation for it:

https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Soekris_6501_USB_Flash_installation

3

i'm am hoping to get some hardware and build a router my self so i can have the power to run an antivirus on the router and the software to run the ubiquiti software.

4

Here's a quick suggestion:

The store had a bit limited options, so I was forced to make some odd choices (like the bulky case instead of a flat one, and the 64 gig SSD), but at least you'll have plenty of storage and room for expansion..

Another option:

5

would there be much performance gain to go to a quad core cpu and using an matx case is fine aswell dose not have to be itx so i can get the price down more

6

I recently purchased one of these's for pfsense. I am in the US so I don't know the difference in currency. Hope it helps.

http://store.netgate.com/APU4.aspx

I did opt to get a 500GB HDD laptop size for it though because I am running squid, squid guard and among other packages with it so I needed the space. I am quite happy with it and it runs great. No complaints yet.

7

Another option is China. You can get 2 Nic NUC machines for roughtly $200 including the import taxes and shipping costs possibly even less than that but I don't know how the taxes are down under.

8

where do you think i can find one on a website. Link?

9

i was thinking of using > ASRock E3C224D2I < Server Motherbord and getting a i3 and some ram and put it in case and psu i have lying around for the time being

10

i have been doing some reserch and cant find processors that are on the cpu support list on the website. even though it dosent say will an Core i3 4160 work with this board.

11

http://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/2014-NEW-Intel-Celeron-C1037U-aluminum-fanless-dual-core-living-room-HTPC-Barebone-Mini-PC-with/800900_1638834276.html
Aliexexpress if you don't want the hassle of getting it cheaper.

http://www.hystou.com/products/mini-pc-thin-client/mini-desktop-computer/barebone-fanless-mini-computer-desktop-pc-intel-celeron-1037u-htpc-alloy-case-with-usb30-1084.html
Another place without too much hassle

http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=37480079350
taobao cheaper but you might want to use a man in the middle like taobaoring or yoybuy.

You can find it on the pfsense forums as well. It has Intel nics and they work great with pfsense and just as good as a media center since they are fanless :)

12

this is what im have been looking for but never knew that things like this existed and the nics should work with pfsense alright?

13

They did a video on PFSense already and I suggest you watch this if you already haven't. Do you have access to any older systems say a dual core pentium or better. If it was me and I didn't already have an older machine that I wasn't using i'd go buy a used one, you should be able to find one for pretty cheap. I find them all over the place where I live for around 150ish USD. Make sure it at least has some PCI Express slots and grab a 2 or 4 port Intel PCI-E nic on ebay, you'd have around 200 USD or so in it and it would be more than overkill for a PFSense box. I myself am running on older dell XPS 400 with a 2.8 Pentium D, 1GB of DDR2, 160GB HD and just using the onboard 1Gb Intel card and a 100Mb Intel card. PFSense likes Intel cards, this is documented several places.

14

It matters less now since they finally went to FreeBSD 10. A lot of network drivers have been added in that release so it's a lot less picky.