From owner-freebsd-hackers  Wed May 15 14:59:54 1996
Return-Path: owner-hackers
Received: (from root@localhost)
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.3/8.7.3) id OAA26204
          for hackers-outgoing; Wed, 15 May 1996 14:59:54 -0700 (PDT)
Received: from rocky.sri.MT.net (rocky.sri.MT.net [204.182.243.10])
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.7.3/8.7.3) with SMTP id OAA26193
          for <freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org>; Wed, 15 May 1996 14:59:47 -0700 (PDT)
Received: (from nate@localhost) by rocky.sri.MT.net (8.6.12/8.6.12) id PAA20561; Wed, 15 May 1996 15:59:29 -0600
Date: Wed, 15 May 1996 15:59:29 -0600
From: Nate Williams <nate@sri.MT.net>
Message-Id: <199605152159.PAA20561@rocky.sri.MT.net>
To: Samy Touati <lmcsato@lmc.ericsson.se>
Cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: memory requirements for a fbsd gateway
In-Reply-To: <Pine.Sola.3.91.960515134052.1690A-100000@chicago>
References: <Pine.Sola.3.91.960515134052.1690A-100000@chicago>
Sender: owner-hackers@freebsd.org
X-Loop: FreeBSD.org
Precedence: bulk

> I have a 386 machine  with 8meg of ram that acts as a gateway beween a 
> pool of networked sparcs and a ppp connection at home.

I've got a 486/66 that's *way* overkill doing the job right now.

> Is there any special settings to the kernel that I can make so to 
> optimize the forwarding of packets from the ethernet card to the ppp 
> interface?

Nope, it does it as effective as it can.

> Is upgrading to a 486SX a good move? 

Doubtful

> Is adding more memory (from 8 to 16Meg) a good idea?

I have yet to hit my disk with 16MB (no X) and actually used it for
development for awhile until I got a better development.  Unless you
plan on using it for more than routing packets 8MB is *plenty*, if not
overkill. ;)


Nate