From owner-freebsd-hackers Tue Jan 10 13:12:14 1995 Return-Path: hackers-owner Received: (from root@localhost) by freefall.cdrom.com (8.6.9/8.6.6) id NAA04319 for hackers-outgoing; Tue, 10 Jan 1995 13:12:14 -0800 Received: from laphroaig.cs.hut.fi (laphroaig.cs.hut.fi [130.233.192.94]) by freefall.cdrom.com (8.6.9/8.6.6) with SMTP id NAA04311 for ; Tue, 10 Jan 1995 13:12:09 -0800 Received: by laphroaig.cs.hut.fi id AA07702 (5.65c8/HUTCS-C 1.3); Tue, 10 Jan 1995 22:38:27 +0200 Date: Tue, 10 Jan 1995 22:38:27 +0200 From: Heikki Suonsivu Message-Id: <199501102038.AA07702@laphroaig.cs.hut.fi> To: Robert Michael Gorichanaz Cc: freebsd-hackers@freefall.cdrom.com In-Reply-To: Robert Michael Gorichanaz's message of 10 Jan 1995 20:00:13 +0200 Subject: FreeBSD as an IP Router Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Otaniemi, Finland Sender: hackers-owner@FreeBSD.org Precedence: bulk I'm looking to use a PC running FreeBSD as a router/gateway on a small network. Question is, what kinda CPU horsepower do I really need to forward packets between half a dozen 'puters? Do I need a 486dx50? or is that overkill; can I get away with a 386-40 or a 486-33? At least on FreeBSD 1.1.5.1 it doesn't seem to be the CPU speed which sets the limit. For some reason, it can only forward packets at half of the speed which it can pump out of its interfaces. We see about 400-450kbytes/s which has been enough this far. If we ftp directly from the router, we get full 800-900kbytes/s. The ethernet cards are either NE2000 clones or SMC's (elite or ultra). We have got a 386-40 serving 5 interfaces and 4 16550 serial ports (28.8k modems). Two of the ethernet interfaces are heavily loaded. Couple of other similar machines are used as smaller routers. The systems are pretty standard, a scratch install of FreeBSD, new kernel with all the interfaces, master.passwd, fstab, gated, similar stuff to get a minimal environment. It works but I think we are close to the limit. I'm going to be using 16-bit bus-mastering ethernet cards, if that helps. Your suggestions are appreciated. Metoo, I'm searching for good ideas to beef these things up a bit. In particular, I would like to get more than one port in a slot, and better performance in forwarding. -- Heikki Suonsivu, T{ysikuu 10 C 83/02210 Espoo/FINLAND, hsu@cs.hut.fi home +358-0-8031121 work -4513377 fax -4555276 riippu SN