From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Aug 14 07:39:57 2003 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 41D4C37B401 for ; Thu, 14 Aug 2003 07:39:57 -0700 (PDT) Received: from rwcrmhc12.comcast.net (rwcrmhc12.comcast.net [216.148.227.85]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id C17B743FBD for ; Thu, 14 Aug 2003 07:39:56 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from jshamlet@comcast.net) Received: from [192.168.1.1] (pcp04633217pcs.gambrl01.md.comcast.net[68.49.68.116](untrusted sender)) by comcast.net (rwcrmhc12) with SMTP id <2003081414395501400e0fa5e>; Thu, 14 Aug 2003 14:39:55 +0000 From: "J. Seth Henry" To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Content-Type: text/plain Organization: Message-Id: <1060871994.5979.12.camel@alexandria> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Ximian Evolution 1.2.2 Date: 14 Aug 2003 10:39:55 -0400 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Subject: FreeBSD as router - performance vs hardware routers X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2003 14:39:57 -0000 Hello, I have recently been having problems with my Netgear RT314 broadband gateway router. Having decided to replace it, I started searching for a new router - only to discover that every sub $300 router I found had a history of problems. Lockups, random reboots, or worse, they would just turn into black holes (like my RT314). First, and I know this is off-topic, is anyone here happy with their router enough to recommend it? I'd prefer to go with a hardware router, but I prize reliability and stability apparently higher than the current crop of manufacturers. Even the Cisco SOHO9x/83x series has a bad track record, and they are $250/$500 respectively! I'd like to keep it under $300, as I can build a mini-ITX box with everything I need for a router for about that. Barring finding a decent, reliable router, I thought about building a mini-ITX system (with the 800Mhz C3) with a second NIC, and a CF card for storage - and using FreeBSD as a router. I'm fairly certain that I can get most of what I need to work going, DHCP client on the WAN link, DHCP server and NAT/PAT on the LAN side. Apparently, firewall support is built-in as well. What I'm not sure about is performance. Has anyone built a cable modem gateway router using FreeBSD and "low-end" hardware like this? If so, what were your results? Also, can a FreeBSD router support things like the Vonage VOIP box (the Cisco ATA186)? Thanks, Seth Henry