Overkill Router

[Ethyne]

Hi All!

 

Just completed a pc build and I have some leftover parts now from my old rig, so why not build a completely overkill router since mine needs replacing. I don't really have an exact budget laid out, but since this is a fun project, I don't mind spending some money. I plan on using pfSense if that matters at all. 

 

Requirements:

- Support 5 people who could be both playing a game and watching video at the same time. (currently have 200 mbs down from our ISP so that shouldn't be an issue)

- Currently using all 5 LAN ports on our router, we've actually been in need of a switch for some time. Definitely need a suggestion here for a good switch.

- Need compatible network adapter, motherboard, case, psu, and cpu fan. 

- Probably need a wireless access point suggestion, I'd rather not have the wifi built into the router. 

- Small form factor (most likely micro atx), it has to fit in the same place as our previous router. 

 

Here's the pc part picker list, items marked as purchased are the items I have from my old build. I am VERY open to suggestions here.

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/8fR9Ps

 

Case- Looks nice, small and comes with low wattage psu

Motherboard- It's micro atx. Besides that, I pretty much just chose it because I trust asus motherboards.

CPU Fan- Preferably something cheaper, should I just check craigslist for small cpu fans?

Network Adaptor- Not sure, is any 10/100/1000 Mbps card with 2 ports fine?

 

 

[Electronics Wizardy]

1 minute ago, Ethyne said:

Definitely need a suggestion here for a good switch.

do you want a smart switch? If not just get whatever gig switch is cheap. there all basically the same thing.

 

2 minutes ago, Ethyne said:

Probably need a wireless access point suggestion, I'd rather not have the wifi built into the router. 

unify ap's are the only good option for a cheap ap. 

 

For a router, id probably suggest just getting something like this https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C/ref=pd_lpo_147_lp_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ERDYH483X19VB46JA0EM

 

There gonna preform about the same, cheaper than going diy, much lower power usage(that 8350 will cost about 15 a month to run in power.)

 

 

[Dang3r D3bbi3]

 

LUCKY YOU!

[Dang3r D3bbi3]

Linus has a video

[Ethyne]

17 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

do you want a smart switch? If not just get whatever gig switch is cheap. there all basically the same thing.

 

unify ap's are the only good option for a cheap ap. 

 

For a router, id probably suggest just getting something like this https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-EdgeRouter-Advanced-Gigabit-Ethernet/dp/B00YFJT29C/ref=pd_lpo_147_lp_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=ERDYH483X19VB46JA0EM

 

There gonna preform about the same, cheaper than going diy, much lower power usage(that 8350 will cost about 15 a month to run in power.)

 

 

Power consumption is definitely a convincing argument, I'll have to consider that a bit more.

[fjdhdhcyfhf]

7 minutes ago, Ethyne said:

Power consumption is definitely a convincing argument, I'll have to consider that a bit more.

disable some of the fx cores. if you use pfsense you wont need more than the min and it wont use much power

[Ethyne]

On 4/5/2017 at 6:39 PM, SCHISCHKA said:

disable some of the fx cores. if you use pfsense you wont need more than the min and it wont use much power

Does anyone know how I can calculate monthly power consumption for this pc if the cpu was only using 2 cores?

[maxtch]

Throw in a second-hand HPe NC364T 4-port server-grade NIC and you are good to go. This card gives you enough ports to make point-to-point connections from the router to clients with wired Ethernet. If you need to expand in the future, get a TP-Link TL-SG3226 managed Gigabit switch and set up 4-link 802.3ad aggregation to avoid potential bottlenecks.

 

Also for a pure router system disable all but one or two cores and underclock it (sub-GHz preferred)

[Ethyne]

On 4/11/2017 at 3:47 AM, maxtch said:

Throw in a second-hand HPe NC364T 4-port server-grade NIC and you are good to go. This card gives you enough ports to make point-to-point connections from the router to clients with wired Ethernet. If you need to expand in the future, get a TP-Link TL-SG3226 managed Gigabit switch and set up 4-link 802.3ad aggregation to avoid potential bottlenecks.

 

Also for a pure router system disable all but one or two cores and underclock it (sub-GHz preferred)

Thanks for the tip!

[Ethyne]

Are there any disadvantages to running pfsense on a vm? This way I could always use another vm to do something like host a server for a game that's always on.