From ae71d08600362fcb66a876d7bd98e8e3c922da68 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: "R. Tyler Croy" Date: Sun, 24 Sep 2017 13:11:27 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] Replacing coastguard with a bigger router, yey --- _posts/2017-09-22-replacing-coastguard.md | 48 +++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 48 insertions(+) create mode 100644 _posts/2017-09-22-replacing-coastguard.md diff --git a/_posts/2017-09-22-replacing-coastguard.md b/_posts/2017-09-22-replacing-coastguard.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a43091c --- /dev/null +++ b/_posts/2017-09-22-replacing-coastguard.md @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ +--- +layout: post +title: Replacing Coastguard +tags: +- miscellaneous +- freebsd +- pfsense +--- + +I have tremendous difficulty with decommissioning electronics. I only recently +stopped using my [Galaxy Nexus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galaxy_nexus), an +almost five year old cell phone. Earlier this year I recycled a 32-bit +x86-based [Thinkpad T41](http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/Category:T41), only +because its overheating issues made it impractical to continue running +workloads. And up until today, the lowest powered device actively running a +Unix in my office, was a 266Mhz AMD Geode-based [Soekris](http://soekris.com/). + +The little Soekris, `coastguard`, was given to me by my friend Dave who had +himself decommissioned it _years_ ago. I cannot exactly remember when I started +using `coastguard` to act as a FreeBSD-based +([pfSense](https://www.pfsense.org/)) router, but it was easily over five or +six years ago. + +Unfortunately my traffic requirements have since exceeded the capabilities of +the little device. Between my inability to discard computers, and more +electronics sprouting network capabilities, a total of ten devices may be using +the network at any given time. If that wasn't troubling enough for the little +tin can, streaming video has become very important. In aggregate those +ten devices are more frequently maxing out the uplink connection, and fighting +for traffic priority. + + +In it's stead, I have installed `strawberry`, a **much** more powerful +[FreeBSD](https://freebsd.org) 11.1 machine which is running a very simple +gateway and [packet filter](https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/firewalls-pf.html) +configuration. All said and done, it probably took me about 30 minutes to copy +and paste the right configurations into place. What makes the "replacement" +comical to me is that I mentally procrastinated on replacing `coastguard` +because "pfSense is so easy" and I didn't want to sink a bunch of time +fiddling with FreeBSD to make it work for my needs. + +Either FreeBSD has made things much easier, or I have gotten smarter. +Regardless, I'm sad to see `coastguard` make it's way into the bin which +eventually will go to the e-waste recycler. + +Based on my performance recently, it is probably going to be a few years before +I can part with my first generation Raspberry Pis, which now will occupy the +"slowest computer in use" slot in my home office.