From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Sun Aug 7 21:38:45 2005 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org 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 8DE5B16A41F for ; Sun, 7 Aug 2005 21:38:45 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from glenn@antimatter.net) Received: from cobalt.antimatter.net (cobalt.antimatter.net [69.55.224.239]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 4BDD543D5C for ; Sun, 7 Aug 2005 21:38:45 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from glenn@antimatter.net) Received: from glenn-mobile.antimatter.net (cpe-66-27-86-22.san.res.rr.com [66.27.86.22]) (authenticated bits=0) by cobalt.antimatter.net (8.13.4/8.13.4) with ESMTP id j77Lchna028164 (version=TLSv1/SSLv3 cipher=DES-CBC3-SHA bits=168 verify=NO); Sun, 7 Aug 2005 14:38:44 -0700 Message-Id: <6.1.0.6.2.20050807142409.0f1a5ba0@cobalt.antimatter.net> X-Sender: lists@cobalt.antimatter.net X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 6.1.0.6 Date: Sun, 07 Aug 2005 14:39:12 -0700 To: steve lasiter , free bsd From: Glenn Dawson In-Reply-To: <20050807211325.62115.qmail@web33607.mail.mud.yahoo.com> References: <20050807211325.62115.qmail@web33607.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed Cc: Subject: Re: gateway configuration X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 07 Aug 2005 21:38:45 -0000 At 02:13 PM 8/7/2005, steve lasiter wrote: >I am researching and accumulating information on >setting up my small office network and using a FreeBSD >Gateway/Firewall as my entry point. I am seeking >general FreeBSD advise, know problems, and input on >this topic. I currently have all the equipment up and >configured and now I'm tying it all together. > >The computer I will be setting up as the the Gateway >has FreeBSD 5.4 and is a PII 400MHz with 256MB Ram and >9 Gig HDD. I plan on putting two new ethernet cards in >to ensure quality. Any advice on whether this seems >sufficient if this machine is only serving as a >Gateway. I understand a lot will depend on my rules >and traffic so I may up the ram, or get another pc for >it based on advice received here. Also, should I put a >gigabit Ethernet card in my Gateway?-see below topic. Having gigabit ethernet on your gateway/firewall is a bit of waste. Unless of course you have a gigabit link to the internet. >I recently bought two new Dual Pentium 1.2GHz with >SCSI's and both have gigabit ethernet ports along with >the standard ethernet ports. I have the SMP Kenel >configured and the boxes ready to go as a >mail/web/database server and the other as a streaming >video/ftp server. I have six boxes total and will be >adding more. What is going to be the best way to take >advantage of the gigabit ethernet ports on the big >dual boxes? Assuming those machines are primarily used to provide services across the internet, gigabit ethernet doesn't do you any good. If you're planning on moving a lot of data around locally, then gigabit would certainly make things faster. >I read that FreeBSD had some issues with >the gigabit ethernets earlier, are there still >outstanding issues? I've used some of the Intel gigabit cards without any problems. Don't know if others have problems or not. >Should I upgrade the other PC's to >gigabit ethernet cards in order to take advantage of >this or should I buy a switch with both port types and >just mix and match? Same as above. Moving lots of data locally would benefit from that, otherwise just use what the machines have now. -Glenn >I'm sure one of you out there has worked these issue >at some point and I need the usual expert advice I >have consistently received from you guys. > >Thanks in advance, > >Dean Lasiter