Would this work for a pfSense box ?

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canta

Well-Known Member
Nov 26, 2014
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I'd personally hold out for a transparent AES test (with units) before too much panic. To put it into perspective, my N3150 (same base rate, lower turbo) can do 145MByte/s per core on 16byte encrypts. If that's a bottleneck for you, then get a straightforward test on the AMD platform and see how it compares.
can you run crypto synthetic test in cmdline?
openssl speed -elapsed -evp aes-256-cbc aes-192-cbc aes-128-cbc

I am curious on n3150, this motherboard was in the list, this was pricey $70 compared with $35 A4-500 after coupon...

my A4-3500 ( my j1800 score was very low due on non aes hardware):
...
The 'numbers' are in 1000s of bytes per second processed.
type 16 bytes 64 bytes 256 bytes 1024 bytes 8192 bytes
aes-128 cbc 30893.83k 32903.42k 33722.11k 88800.60k 90273.11k
aes-192 cbc 26057.53k 27482.01k 28031.23k 75372.54k 76349.44k
aes-256-cbc 207788.71k 273063.96k 314928.04k 326584.66k 330429.78k
 

mstone

Active Member
Mar 11, 2015
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can you run crypto synthetic test in cmdline?
openssl speed -elapsed -evp aes-256-cbc aes-192-cbc aes-128-cbc

I am curious on n3150, this motherboard was in the list, this was pricey $70 compared with $35 A4-500 after coupon...

my A4-3500 ( my j1800 score was very low due on non aes hardware):
...
The 'numbers' are in 1000s of bytes per second processed.
type 16 bytes 64 bytes 256 bytes 1024 bytes 8192 bytes
aes-128 cbc 30893.83k 32903.42k 33722.11k 88800.60k 90273.11k
aes-192 cbc 26057.53k 27482.01k 28031.23k 75372.54k 76349.44k
aes-256-cbc 207788.71k 273063.96k 314928.04k 326584.66k 330429.78k
That command line doesn't work, only the first of the algorithms on the command line is using evp/AES-NI. (You can tell from the output, look at the " cbc" vs "-cbc" and sanity check by looking at the numbers.)

Running them one at a time I get:

aes-128-cbc 145157.87k 214453.72k 255708.84k 267875.33k 272222.89k
aes-192-cbc 131457.84k 185946.69k 212336.04k 225826.13k 228081.66k
aes-256-cbc 120560.10k 162264.21k 186563.07k 194065.07k 194611.88k

Also, what the heck is an A4-3500/A4-500? Is it an A4-3400 or A6-3500 or A4-5000 or something else? In general the low-end AMDs seem to be about the same price as the low end intels with slightly faster AES, slightly lower general computation, and about double the power consumption. If you get one on a closeout sale for $35 it might be worth it, but the intels seem to be a slightly better value unless AES is your primary criterion.
 

canta

Well-Known Member
Nov 26, 2014
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That command line doesn't work, only the first of the algorithms on the command line is using evp/AES-NI. (You can tell from the output, look at the " cbc" vs "-cbc" and sanity check by looking at the numbers.)

Running them one at a time I get:

aes-128-cbc 145157.87k 214453.72k 255708.84k 267875.33k 272222.89k
aes-192-cbc 131457.84k 185946.69k 212336.04k 225826.13k 228081.66k
aes-256-cbc 120560.10k 162264.21k 186563.07k 194065.07k 194611.88k

Also, what the heck is an A4-3500/A4-500? Is it an A4-3400 or A6-3500 or A4-5000 or something else? In general the low-end AMDs seem to be about the same price as the low end intels with slightly faster AES, slightly lower general computation, and about double the power consumption. If you get one on a closeout sale for $35 it might be worth it, but the intels seem to be a slightly better value unless AES is your primary criterion.
thanks, you nailed it

revised AES running...
aes-128-cbc 251525.52k 347507.48k 426707.54k 450828.63k 456471.89k
aes-192-cbc 227539.99k 304964.95k 362002.77k 379243.86k 383240.87k
aes-256-cbc 207696.23k 272949.31k 314870.44k 327486.12k 329042.60k

A4-5000 , not 500..

low end intel j1800/j1900 is more than a4-5000. I bought close-out J1800 2 years ago $35..

I see.. AMD has AES HW computing better ~40% than N3150...
N3150 TDP 7W, A4-5000 TDP 15W,

I prefer and use much AES at the moment :).
satisfied with my a4-5000 minitix workhorse.. has been running 2 months without issue and running proxmox with 4 vms..
overall system consumption is 15 to 19W form power outlet. It was 12-15W when running j1800 mini-itx.
this is make sense since internal GPU is not in fully use and running text-base screen.

Thanks for your help!!
 

Fritz

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Apr 6, 2015
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Thanks all. Just ordered a Asrock N3150. It's fanless and loaded with features. I have a 6 port Hot Lava Nic I'm going to put in it. I also ordered a Thermaltake Core V1 case to put it in. It's an excellent, well ventilated case with lots of room inside. It's not the smallest mini ITX case but it's easy to work with.
 

canta

Well-Known Member
Nov 26, 2014
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@canta did you ever try esxi on that A4-5000 box? The J series intels are not compatible with it.
a4-5000 should work with esxi 5.X. I tried on 5.X(4 or 5) and installed correctly. esxi is resided on USB key.
biostar A4-5000 miniitx with dual port i340 , and tested for satisfied my curiosity

I tried esxi 5.X/6 on J1800, this was PITA.. the video caused the big problem..
had been following some "successful" tip on J1900 motherboard, and still failed :(
proxmox rules!!! hehehehehe
 
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canta

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Nov 26, 2014
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Thanks all. Just ordered a Asrock N3150. It's fanless and loaded with features. I have a 6 port Hot Lava Nic I'm going to put in it. I also ordered a Thermaltake Core V1 case to put it in. It's an excellent, well ventilated case with lots of room inside. It's not the smallest mini ITX case but it's easy to work with.
remember the motherboard only give 1 PCI exp lane on the slot:)...
are you sure to install 6 port nic?

I had been searching and landed to N3150 asrock, on miniitx or macro-itx :)
and landed on A4-5000 since less price (well more power consumption TDP 7W versus 15W) with 4x pcie lanes...
 

Fritz

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2015
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remember the motherboard only give 1 PCI exp lane on the slot:)...
are you sure to install 6 port nic?

I had been searching and landed to N3150 asrock, on miniitx or macro-itx :)
and landed on A4-5000 since less price (well more power consumption TDP 7W versus 15W) with 4x pcie lanes...
Crap. That slipped by me. Back to the drawing board.
 

balamit

New Member
Jan 25, 2016
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Deslok, pfsense is actually using 8core version of that board for their top of the line hardware.
 

RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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There are MANY (too many to count) boards that can be used for pfsense
Before buying something more or less at random, what are the requirements for it?
 

balamit

New Member
Jan 25, 2016
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Don't remember the exact model and can't look since I'm out of town, but search supermicro 1u on Amazon and you should see it.
 

canta

Well-Known Member
Nov 26, 2014
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very $$$$ :p

my build A4-5000 quad core (replacing celeron 847 minitx with esxi 5.X):
1) $35 mobo mini-itx
2) $2 pci-exp flexicable
3) $10 used dc2dc atx psu 100W
4)$0 unused 4Gx2 memory ddr3l
5)$0 reuse 1U SM case with fans
6)$18 dual nic i340
7) $0 reused intel 520 ssd, was bought almost 3 years ago for $35 total.

wasted:
$35 j1800 miniitx, can handle proxmox, vm router, openvpn client vm, and two other light vm

total ~$95....

j1800 is 10wTDP VS A4-5000 is 15W TDP...
 
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