pcengines replacement

Not cheap! But interesting. That SATA interface is annoying though. Crucial doesn't even make those anymore. Can't anyone just hook up one PCIe lane?
 
One thing tho... the Intel Atom C3000 series in those machines no longer receives service Updates since June 30th 2025 :(
 
Phishfry said:
I like your hardware choice. Advantech is a no-brainer.

FWA-1112VC

Fanless Network Appliance for SD-WAN & uCPE Edge Deployment with Coming 5G & Wi-Fi 6 Support
www.advantech.com www.advantech.com

Running all that stuff on a firewall???? I am brainwashed into keeping my firewall just that. It may be overkill but it makes it simple.
I really want to run munin collector on my firewall but it just sucks in too much bloat. No python on my firewall please.
Click to expand...
yes. I have radical views when it comes to protecting our planet and optimize those resources spent and produced. Regarding python: yes, please, for me everywhere (being a python dev ;-). Also, this device runs in my office without air conditioning, so in summer you can really feel every device that is running.

jbo@ said:
One thing tho... the Intel Atom C3000 series in those machines no longer receives service Updates since June 30th 2025 :(
Click to expand...

I have known this before I bought it. However, if you look at the newer processors of the Intel Atom series meeting my requirements (supporting ECC memory, > 1.8GHz per core) you will realize that the TDP is going up, which I find quite awkward. I consider the risk of a cpu bug on an unsupported cpu quite low and I am perfectly fine with this situation.
On a side note: I am currently working on a project in the embedded systems area where we have to stick to x86 architecture. The device is supposed to run in an environment with high temperature, we also have the problem there that the newer Atom CPUs have a TDP of at least 32W, which disqualifies them for this use-case.

My alternative would have been building a system from scratch with an AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 5750GE (35W TDP), a case from streacom and other components for fanless operation, however, this would have heated up my office quite a bit.
 
Phishfry said:
Running all that stuff on a firewall???? I am brainwashed into keeping my firewall just that. It may be overkill but it makes it simple.
I really want to run munin collector on my firewall but it just sucks in too much bloat. No python on my firewall please.
Click to expand...
I agree. I like to run just my firewall on my firewall, because it is a single point of failure, and I really don't want it to fail.

But it all depends on how much hardware you have available.
 
What do you think of the NanoPi R6S?

A little bit amateur but has 3 ethernet ports, so not too inconvenient. Its aarch64 which is still a pain point when it comes to standards/engineering but there are reports that it is working on OpenBSD; I am assuming FreeBSD will have support in place too.
 
kpedersen said:
What do you think of the NanoPi R6S?

A little bit amateur but has 3 ethernet ports, so not too inconvenient. Its aarch64 which is still a pain point when it comes to standards/engineering but there are reports that it is working on OpenBSD; I am assuming FreeBSD will have support in place too.
Click to expand...
The NanoPi R6S uses the Realtek RTL8125BG chip for the 2.5Gb Ethernet. My MSI Cubi 5 uses the same chip, so I wanted to share what I ran into it while getting it to work, in case you run into the same problem. Everything I have seen on the 'Net says that after you install the realtek-re-kmod, you add these lines to /boot/loader.conf:

if_re_load="YES"
if_re_name="/boot/modules/if_re.ko"

When I do this, the boot hangs as it is bringing up the network.

What worked was instead adding /boot/modules/if_re.ko to kld_list in rc.conf.

I also had to disable the hardware acceleration features in rc.conf, or the interface would hang when I tried to use it.

ifconfig_re1="DHCP -rxcsum -txcsum -rxcsum6 -txcsum6"

Hope this helps.
 
I would not go that far and say that the R6S is anywhere near the quality of an industrial system. Neither the hardware, nor FreeBSDs support for aarch64. I have quite some arm based mini computers and qotom/cheapo x86 fanless pcs lying around, but imho they are not up my requirements.
 
rootbert said:
I finally did it - after quite some research I have finally settled with the Advantech FWA-1112VC-4CA1S.
Click to expand...
Can it operate as a WiFi repeater? I'd like to have an OPNsense based travel router and have it replicate what Mudi V2 (GL-E750V2) does, but with a more flexible OS/platform.
 
tuaris said:
Can it operate as a WiFi repeater? I'd like to have an OPNsense based travel router and have it replicate what Mudi V2 (GL-E750V2) does, but with a more flexible OS/platform.
Click to expand...
I don't know, I would love to have a decent wifi stack in FreeBSD, however, I have given up on that so whenever I need wifi I choose Linux.
 
lgrant said:
What worked was instead adding /boot/modules/if_re.ko to kld_list in rc.conf.
Click to expand...
I also did it this way, on a couple of new machines, just out of lazyiness.

lgrant said:
I also had to disable the hardware acceleration features in rc.conf, or the interface would hang when I tried to use it.
Click to expand...
I haven't seen that with my new machines, but it is good to keep in mind, if the issue should surface.
 
lgrant said:
Everything I have seen on the 'Net says that after you install the realtek-re-kmod, you add these lines to /boot/loader.conf:

if_re_load="YES"
if_re_name="/boot/modules/if_re.ko"

When I do this, the boot hangs as it is bringing up the network.

What worked was instead adding /boot/modules/if_re.ko to kld_list in rc.conf.
Click to expand...
What should be the guideline:
Code: 
# pkg inf -D realtek-re-kmod198
realtek-re-kmod198-198.00.1403000:
On install:
Add the following lines to your /boot/loader.conf
to override the built-in FreeBSD re(4) driver.

if_re_load="YES"
if_re_name="/boot/modules/if_re.ko"
 <snap>
Given that, for example:
Code: 
# ls -l /boot/kernel/if_re.ko  /boot/modules/if_re.ko
-r--r--r--  2 root wheel   97880 Jun 14 16:24 /boot/kernel/if_re.ko
-r--r--r--  1 root wheel 1068448 May 13 16:12 /boot/modules/if_re.ko
and the general FreeBSD trend/advice is to move as much as possible from /boot/loader.conf to /etc/rc.conf for various reasons.

I wonder: why is the package description still mentioning to enable the driver in /boot/loader.conf?
 
No hangs with the config lines in /boot/loader.conf.local on a Beelink Pro Ser 5 Ryzen 7 5825U with FreeBSD 13.5-STABLE.
 
I just bought an Advantech NCA-1515 with Denverton.
It has the M.2/PCIe slots I want very much and updated feel with ECC.

NCA-1515

The NCA-1515, a desktop network appliance powered by Intel® Atom® C3000 (codenamed Denverton) CPU, features robust performance and Intel’s QuickAssist Technology, offering cryptographic acceleration and commercial-grade LAN functions in a 231mm x 200mm x 44mm (WxDxH) form factor.
www.lannerinc.com www.lannerinc.com

This was a runner up.. Another Denverton.
Silicom IA3001
 
Considering Denverton is now 5 years old or more you can find them at a considerable discount.
My gripe is Intel 1G SFP fiber interfaces on the Lanner NCA1515. It has 4 slots for expansion. Two M.2 sockets and Two MiniPCIe sockets.
That is close to APU2/3/4 offering. But 1GbE Intel Fiber Interfaces was underwhelming.
I got one for $85 used for OpenWRT AP use. APU1/2 have worked fine I want a future platform. M.2 and MiniPCIe gives me wireless options without adapters.
 
msplsh said:
Geez, $800?
Click to expand...
Worse they have a switch chip and all those fancy interfaces don't work.
The Silicom has just got to -CURRENT from what I see.
This is for the ATT box/Silicom IA3000.

281211 – MV88E6190X switch variant not supported by e6000sw

bugs.freebsd.org bugs.freebsd.org

I am still trying on the Lanner NCA1515. It uses a different version of the Marvell switch chip ... Its so confusing all this MDIO stuff. Out of my comfort zone.
hint.e6000sw.0.is6190x=1
Click to expand...

I only have the Lanner NCA1515 and OpenWRT has no supported interfaces at all.... So FreeBSD beat them with two working ethernet interfaces.
Probably the two fiber ones work too.
I have nothing 1G fiber I want to test with.

The Four Expansions Slots did not turn out like I hope. M.2 is for Cellular and Storage. So Two available Mini-PCIe slots.
 
I want something fan-less, low power yet capable and in a 1U form factor. Which is not unreasonable to ask for and isn't an impossible combination these days. X86 platform, preferably Intel. Use cases may be for a IP PBX, low-power NAS, Router, and any other type of single function 'appliance'. So long as it can run FreeBSD.

I've seen tons of these mini-computers on Amazon, they are good, but lack the 1U form factor. I don't want to build my own, but if the parts are reasonably stable (in terms of availability and compatibility), I'd resort to that. I recently saw some decent 1U chassis from In Win, but they are pricey.
 
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