Router/Server 2.0
I've been running the FREESCO package for over 5 years as a router and for 2 years i've also been using the print server functionality with a HP Laserjet 4050. I started with a Fujitsu computer with a P133, 32MB SDRAM, two realtek cards and a TrendNet switch. The Realtek cards failed quickly (i think i went thru six of them in 5 months or so) so i bought a pair of 3Com cards which i still have to this day.
Later on the Fujitsu got upgraded to a 233MMX, and then ~3 years ago a new box came my way. Another Fujitsu. It had a PII-300 and SDRAM slots. It got a Cel 566 on a slotket (highest CPU i had that worked in it) and 256MB SDRAM. I'm quite fond of that machine because it turns the CPU fan off completely when not needed, so it's very very quiet. However, the CPU slot is wiggly and it would sometimes act up after the power went out then restored. So i put the PII-300 back in and it's run alright since, but the network speed is a tad slower than the Celeron 566 (9.8MB/s vs 11MB/s), and when i'm doing heavy traffic on the LAN the internet lags.
I've been long wanting to upgrade my network to gigabit, and also add wireless capability. I don't want a wireless router because they're unreliable as most of you know already, and i can run a bunch of other stuff on my box such as a FTP server, torrent client, NAS... you name it. The box has its own spot and doesn't bother anyone, it's a desktop type case and sits under the desk in the living room. So i have no reason to switch to a wireless router with all its pitfalls.
The PII-300 certainly wouldn't have enough grunt to run gigabit and wireless however, and there was an additional obstacle - it only has two PCI slots and the onboard LAN isn't gigabit, so i'd need 3 cards. So, long story short, today a Dell GX110 arrived in the mail. S370, PIII-733, i810 chipset, and 3 PCI slots. It has one of those weird form factor PSUs, but it's a Delta so i don't expect it to give me trouble. The fan on it is 60mm but i got pleasantly surprised - it's temperature controlled, same for the CPU fan. I'm going to change the CPU fan tho, as it makes a buzzing noise at low RPM. There's plenty of room in the case. The HDD bay is missing but that doesn't bother me - i wanted to make my own custom mounts anyway for low noise.
The problem with the GX110 however (as reported by the seller too) was that it beeped of no RAM. It was clean, and couldn't find anything wrong. All voltages ok, board only has two LXV 220u 25v as output coupling caps for the soundcard, the VRM is all OSCON and the rest SMD tantalum. I tried a bunch of SDRAM, changed the CPU to a 933, no go. So i decided to take a real close look to the SDRAM slots - lo and behold, a little piece of wire had made its way inside slot 2 and shorted a couple pins. Removed that with the tweezers and there ya go.
Powered up fine with the 933 CPU, and 256+128 Micron PC133. Out of three 256MB SDRAM i had on hand it would only work with the Micron, it seems pretty fussy about RAM. That's no biggie, 384MB oughta be enough for what i want to do with it, and the i810 chipset takes 512MB max anyway.
I asked over at the FREESCO forum and it doesn't support wireless cards, so i decided to configure my own router/server from scratch based on Puppy Linux. I know i'll be using the same dnsmasq package that FREESCO uses for the NAT/routing itself, but don't know much else. Shouldn't be too hard tho - i understand the wireless is supported natively in Puppy Linux so all i would have to do is configure the interface, i know how to run a FTP server and print server on linux, Samba should take care of the NAS part, and that's about it. All i have to do is patch all this stuff together.
Attached pics of my newly acquired GX110. Looks pretty clean if you ask me. Btw, if you look *really* carefully you will see the piece of wire in slot 2, which i hadn't found yet when i took the pics.
Later on the Fujitsu got upgraded to a 233MMX, and then ~3 years ago a new box came my way. Another Fujitsu. It had a PII-300 and SDRAM slots. It got a Cel 566 on a slotket (highest CPU i had that worked in it) and 256MB SDRAM. I'm quite fond of that machine because it turns the CPU fan off completely when not needed, so it's very very quiet. However, the CPU slot is wiggly and it would sometimes act up after the power went out then restored. So i put the PII-300 back in and it's run alright since, but the network speed is a tad slower than the Celeron 566 (9.8MB/s vs 11MB/s), and when i'm doing heavy traffic on the LAN the internet lags.
I've been long wanting to upgrade my network to gigabit, and also add wireless capability. I don't want a wireless router because they're unreliable as most of you know already, and i can run a bunch of other stuff on my box such as a FTP server, torrent client, NAS... you name it. The box has its own spot and doesn't bother anyone, it's a desktop type case and sits under the desk in the living room. So i have no reason to switch to a wireless router with all its pitfalls.
The PII-300 certainly wouldn't have enough grunt to run gigabit and wireless however, and there was an additional obstacle - it only has two PCI slots and the onboard LAN isn't gigabit, so i'd need 3 cards. So, long story short, today a Dell GX110 arrived in the mail. S370, PIII-733, i810 chipset, and 3 PCI slots. It has one of those weird form factor PSUs, but it's a Delta so i don't expect it to give me trouble. The fan on it is 60mm but i got pleasantly surprised - it's temperature controlled, same for the CPU fan. I'm going to change the CPU fan tho, as it makes a buzzing noise at low RPM. There's plenty of room in the case. The HDD bay is missing but that doesn't bother me - i wanted to make my own custom mounts anyway for low noise.
The problem with the GX110 however (as reported by the seller too) was that it beeped of no RAM. It was clean, and couldn't find anything wrong. All voltages ok, board only has two LXV 220u 25v as output coupling caps for the soundcard, the VRM is all OSCON and the rest SMD tantalum. I tried a bunch of SDRAM, changed the CPU to a 933, no go. So i decided to take a real close look to the SDRAM slots - lo and behold, a little piece of wire had made its way inside slot 2 and shorted a couple pins. Removed that with the tweezers and there ya go.
Powered up fine with the 933 CPU, and 256+128 Micron PC133. Out of three 256MB SDRAM i had on hand it would only work with the Micron, it seems pretty fussy about RAM. That's no biggie, 384MB oughta be enough for what i want to do with it, and the i810 chipset takes 512MB max anyway.I asked over at the FREESCO forum and it doesn't support wireless cards, so i decided to configure my own router/server from scratch based on Puppy Linux. I know i'll be using the same dnsmasq package that FREESCO uses for the NAT/routing itself, but don't know much else. Shouldn't be too hard tho - i understand the wireless is supported natively in Puppy Linux so all i would have to do is configure the interface, i know how to run a FTP server and print server on linux, Samba should take care of the NAS part, and that's about it. All i have to do is patch all this stuff together.
Attached pics of my newly acquired GX110. Looks pretty clean if you ask me. Btw, if you look *really* carefully you will see the piece of wire in slot 2, which i hadn't found yet when i took the pics.
Attached Files
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