Date: Thu, 15 May 1997 13:46:12 -0600 (MDT) From: Nate Williams <nate@mt.sri.com> To: Jim Shankland <jas@flyingfox.com> Cc: dennis@etinc.com, isp@freebsd.org Subject: Re: interface card to connect 64k..256k to connect to internet Message-ID: <199705151946.NAA02568@rocky.mt.sri.com> In-Reply-To: <199705151745.KAA15436@biggusdiskus.flyingfox.com> References: <199705151745.KAA15436@biggusdiskus.flyingfox.com>
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Jim Shankland writes: > Suppose I have a FreeBSD box, appropriately configured for my needs, > and I want to interface it to a high-speed (well, up to T1) serial > line. I could: > > (1) buy a card from ET or SDL, and plunk it into the FreeBSD box; or > > (2) buy a low-end T1 router, and connect it via a crossover 10Base-T > cable to its own Ethernet card in the FreeBSD box. (Ought to be able > to gang 2-4 of these low-end routers onto one Ethernet interface in the > FreeBSD box, also.) > > In the past, one argument for option (1) has been that it was considerably > cheaper. This price difference is now much reduced, perhaps even > eliminated if you consider the integrated-CSU models. (And the > Pipeline 130 gives you a BRI port you can use as a backup link.) > > So my question is: what are the best arguments in favor of option (1)? For me, it was the ability to more easily control the data coming into my network, since I could use IPFW *ON* the box where the packets were coming in directly. I have direct control over the packets, and it didn't require setting up a special 2-address subnet for the connection from my router to the firewall box (thus wasting 4 of the 30 addresses I have available to me). I can easily monitor *all* network traffic from a single point, and I have a single point of failure, which is a good thing in our situation. (The box is basically our 'do-it-all' machine, handling email, DNS, routing, modem service, etc...) IMHO, any serious network connection needs a firewall, so you're going to have to setup *something* to keep you from getting whacked, so why not roll everything into one solution. SRI-MT's box is 486/66 running Dennis' Frame-Relay card pusing a 56K line, and has an uptime of: 1:40PM up 142 days, 2:09, 5 users, load averages: 0.04, 0.01, 0.00 We've had longer uptimes, but due to power outages we decided to install a UPS, so I installed the UPS about 145 days ago, and spent a couple days testing out power-down, power-outage handling, etc... Another point in favor of the sync card is that even though Dennis' personality isn't my favorite, he has been mostly responsive, and updates the software to newer FreeBSD releases, so it's easy to stay current if you want to. For me it was a pretty easy solution, since the box was our router before we upgraded to Frame Relay, so adding the sync. card was simply replacing our old dedicated 28.8K modem with a 'Real(tm)' network connection. Hope this helps, Nate
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