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| linux_router:hardware [2023-04-16 Sun wk15 09:07] – [VM / Docker on Router] baumkp | linux_router:hardware [2024-02-24 Sat wk08 12:12] (current) – [Router Hardware] baumkp | ||
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| ++++tldr;| | ++++tldr;| | ||
| *A small ARM based machine, e.g. Raspberry Pi 3. (The current RPi looks much more capable.) However these machines are generally limited in a number of way, including by definition not x86 based. Many do not have more than one NIC and the NIC are often not full Gigabit. (To be fair this hardware may be sufficient in most cases, as most homes do not have better than 100Mb/s internet connections, | *A small ARM based machine, e.g. Raspberry Pi 3. (The current RPi looks much more capable.) However these machines are generally limited in a number of way, including by definition not x86 based. Many do not have more than one NIC and the NIC are often not full Gigabit. (To be fair this hardware may be sufficient in most cases, as most homes do not have better than 100Mb/s internet connections, | ||
| - | *The Raspberry Pi 4 looks like a much better option than earlier versions for a home router. Still has the complexity of only native 1 NIC, but that is full 1Gbe and there are 2 USB 3 port to allow another full 1Gbe NIC off USB. | + | *The Raspberry Pi 4 & 5 looks like a much better option than earlier versions for a home router. Still has the complexity of only native 1 NIC, but that is full 1Gbe and there are 2 USB 3 port to allow another full 1Gbe NIC off USB. |
| *An older x86 based machine. The main downside to these is poor power consumption and large size, even an old server tends to use more than 30W at the wall, or greater than $60/year power. Also the board I had only had one built in NIC, so I would need a PCIe NIC card. There is also the issue of reliability and performance for the older hardware, although it is probably good enough in this respect. That all being said if one is strapped for cash this may be a good way to start as the upfront cost would be smallest, if not zero. | *An older x86 based machine. The main downside to these is poor power consumption and large size, even an old server tends to use more than 30W at the wall, or greater than $60/year power. Also the board I had only had one built in NIC, so I would need a PCIe NIC card. There is also the issue of reliability and performance for the older hardware, although it is probably good enough in this respect. That all being said if one is strapped for cash this may be a good way to start as the upfront cost would be smallest, if not zero. | ||
| *At the moment, 2016, there are a lot of Intel Celeron J1900 based units with 4 NICs around. The J1900 is an older CPU, 4 cores, 2.0-2.42 GHz. Also in many cases the NIC hardware is older, particularly on the cheaper units, so care must be taken if you want to ensure more up to date hardware. These machines are a good option, low power (~8 - 10W), small size. They come with 2 SATA ports and mini PCI-E slots. By the time you fit them out they cost out USD250 - 350, with 4-8GB RAM and 120GB mSata drive. The cheaper options are as noted above usually with older NIC hardware and lower memory and HD size and can be had at even lower prices. | *At the moment, 2016, there are a lot of Intel Celeron J1900 based units with 4 NICs around. The J1900 is an older CPU, 4 cores, 2.0-2.42 GHz. Also in many cases the NIC hardware is older, particularly on the cheaper units, so care must be taken if you want to ensure more up to date hardware. These machines are a good option, low power (~8 - 10W), small size. They come with 2 SATA ports and mini PCI-E slots. By the time you fit them out they cost out USD250 - 350, with 4-8GB RAM and 120GB mSata drive. The cheaper options are as noted above usually with older NIC hardware and lower memory and HD size and can be had at even lower prices. | ||
| - | *I decided to get a Supermicro [[https:// | + | *I decided to get a Supermicro [[https:// |
| <fs smaller> I don't see the point installing a 64bit OS on systems with less than 4GB of RAM. A 32bit OS can only natively access up 4 GB RAM, but should give better compromise with such limited RAM.</ | <fs smaller> I don't see the point installing a 64bit OS on systems with less than 4GB of RAM. A 32bit OS can only natively access up 4 GB RAM, but should give better compromise with such limited RAM.</ | ||
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| ====VM / Docker on Router==== | ====VM / Docker on Router==== | ||
| - | Router key features: | + | ===Progress=== |
| + | As of 2023/01 I setup a VM manager (Libvirt/ | ||
| + | Next: | ||
| + | *ISC Kea DHCP in Docker (currently ISC DHCP in bare metal) | ||
| + | *ISC Bind 9 in Docker (currently ISC Bind 9 in bare metal) | ||
| + | *Wireguard VPN in Docker (currently Wireguard VPN in bare metal) | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Router key features=== | ||
| - Operate reliably 24 hours per day, 7 days a week | - Operate reliably 24 hours per day, 7 days a week | ||
| - Low power operation, power cost money | - Low power operation, power cost money | ||
| - | - Headless Remote access | + | - Headless Remote access, with separate BMC NIC (this could be integrated or external KVM, e.g. [[https:// |
| - Hardware suitable for purpose: | - Hardware suitable for purpose: | ||
| - | - At least 2 NICs (preferably | + | - At least 2 NICs (1 WAN plus 1 or more LAN, quality |
| + | - NICs to be 1 GB/s type minimum, although as of 2023 2.5GB/s NIC would now be minimum specification | ||
| - Sufficient CPU power not to limit primary performance | - Sufficient CPU power not to limit primary performance | ||
| - | - Correct CPU options, e.g. AES | + | - Correct CPU options, e.g. AES, [[https:// |
| - No graphical user interface environment install (although individual applications could have web interface) | - No graphical user interface environment install (although individual applications could have web interface) | ||
| - Connectivity to upstream IPS provided internet | - Connectivity to upstream IPS provided internet | ||
| Line 34: | Line 42: | ||
| - DCHP | - DCHP | ||
| - VPN for use as secure gateway to allow private access from public internet | - VPN for use as secure gateway to allow private access from public internet | ||
| - | The following key services | + | The following key services define the router: |
| *network services (bare metal) | *network services (bare metal) | ||
| *ISP Internet connectivity (bare metal) | *ISP Internet connectivity (bare metal) | ||
| Line 42: | Line 50: | ||
| *VPN (for secure public access to LAN) | *VPN (for secure public access to LAN) | ||
| - | Assumptions and Limitations | + | ===Assumptions and Limitations=== |
| *Low power means low CPU resources, hence care with applications that require significant or otherwise unnecessary resources. | *Low power means low CPU resources, hence care with applications that require significant or otherwise unnecessary resources. | ||
| - | * | + | *Some services on bare metal to ensure reliable performance |
| - | I would like to experiment with | + | *This machine is much slower than usual hardware, and this is noticeable on interface usage, even no graphical. |
| - | Docker really does some work on the firewall using iptables. | + | *The network and related services performance must NOT limit performance on upstream IP connectivity |
| + | |||
| + | Docker really does some work on the firewall using iptables. | ||
| ===Why not Proxmox=== | ===Why not Proxmox=== | ||
| + | ++++tldr;| | ||
| *I have not used to date, this is I have no experience with Proxmox | *I have not used to date, this is I have no experience with Proxmox | ||
| *I already have a lot of experience on run Debian, libvirt/ | *I already have a lot of experience on run Debian, libvirt/ | ||
| - | *Proxmox seems to need to be installed on bare metal. | + | *Proxmox seems to need to be installed on bare metal. |
| + | ++++ | ||
| ====Specific issues with use of headless X11SBA-LN4F hardware==== | ====Specific issues with use of headless X11SBA-LN4F hardware==== | ||
| ++++IPMI KVM Display Problems| | ++++IPMI KVM Display Problems| | ||