Router for 1-2gbps?

Hardware Questions and Recommendations
34

I'm only speaking from my hands-on experience with my x86 hardware. Just for giggles (and a sanity check), I switched off TurboBoost in real-time on my router just now:
echo 1 | tee /sys/devices/system/cpu/intel_pstate/no_turbo

Running speed tests from an ethernet connected host and I'm getting ~940mbps both directions (I have 1Gb symmetric fiber and running SQM). Even with TurboBoost switched off, there is so much CPU headroom with my i7, it's not even funny. My router load average goes to ~0.35 at the 1Gb line-rate. Also, I see zero measurable effect on jitter even with TurboBoost off. I'm in the 0.10ms - 0.18ms range with TurboBoost on or off.

I don't disagree with you at all. I think my point is that these two things are not necessarily give or take. In other words, you can select a reasonable i5/i7 CPU with a low TDP (now called Processor Base Power) and still disable TurboBoost if it truly isn't needed. This gives you the low idle usage you called out, but also keeps the CPU from hitting higher temps during TurboBoost if it really has little measurable effect on performance (as I demonstrated in my particular use-case above).

But, should the OP need TurboBoost in their particular scenario--so let's say it does provide @kaivorth a measurable effect--then leave it enabled. No biggy. :slight_smile:

35

Turning off burst cpu clock scaling into turbo mode or turning off SMT will not substantially help decrease yearly power consumption in a scenario with 95% or more static load near to idle.

I would instead prefer building a low power energy efficient hardware setup and an efficient software configuration that matches the use case. Optimizing power draw for the 95% of the run time.

36

I'm content with not going back and forth with you on this. The data I've provided here for @kaivorth is backed up by my first-hand knowledge with the hardware I've detailed. :slight_smile:

It sounds like you have a different scenario/solution in mind with some pros that I've not addressed. I'm sure having you detail it here would be of benefit to @kaivorth and the rest of the community.

37

Ok so you agree that turning off SMT or clock scaling into turbo mode does not substantially help reducing power draw for routing, firewall or Wi-Fi equipment in a SOHO environment with constant load near to idle for 95% or more of the time.

This statement does not make sense to me in the discussed use case SOHO network equipment. For device heat I agree for the short expected bursts, but it should not matter as this is solved in the hardware design. For power draw I disagree for the whole proposal. I recommend to make use of existing hardware multithreading capabilities and cpu clock scaling into turbo mode for low latency and good overall user experience in the expected burst load use cases.

And I again recommend to save power and reduce heat production by optimizing the network setup for a low static (idle) power draw.

Also: your proposal was not about performance, but about power draw and heat. This is what I discuss.

38

Thanks for all the replies so far.

I'm narrowing down on a N5105, N6005, i3-1215U, J4125, J6413 (Can't find much on SQM on these)

I don't mind spending a little more if I really need to.

The Optiplex 7010 is cheap but I value something really small and clean.

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39

Here's a recent post of mine on one of the aliexpress mini-pcs:

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40

Oh yeah I was imagining feeding each apartment with 1Gbps and having just an upstream 2.5Gbps link. Downstream is a little more complicated. You can still do an IFB but you probably could benefit from HFSC with a class per apartment, and an overall max rate equal to DL aggregate rate.

But in any case it's possible to prioritize each unit rather than per IP which might not be particularly fair, for example if one apartment has 4-5 people and another has 1 the apartment with 1 might get just 1/6 of the bandwidth.

41

@2 Gbps that is still 2000/6 = 333.33 Mbps, which is still deep in "diminishing returns territory" for interactive internet usage...

But I get your point a first per-unit fairness layer might be desired/expected...

42

I can tell you the Qotom Q750G5 with a J4125 and 2.5Gbps Intel NICs can run Cake at around 2.3Gbps in both directions. Cost is reasonable, around $200 depending on ram and ssd sizes.

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43

Problem is this HW isn’t fully supported by OpenWRT. If it was, I purchased right away.
Also must OpenWRT HW has problems supporting full dual speed. (Simultaneously)

I’m using Egderouter 4, and it’s not powerful enough. If HW offloading could be added, I expect it would help a lot. Cause only on of 4 cores are running.

44

Wow really? That's super quick. This might be the way I go then.

45

So I'm comparing single core geekbench as a way to rank what's going to be best for SQM piece of cake w/ openwrt

N6005: 550-600pts
N5105: 460-540pts
J4125: 340-360pts

Think I'm going to pickup the N6005 and pair that with a i226-v chipset?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BCKT55LQ/ref=twister_B0BCKSRFYP?_encoding=UTF8&th=1#

This brand seems pretty easy to get quickly via Amazon too. Anybody think they have better suggestions? I got a month to decide, but if I see this go on sale I'll snatch it up.

46

If going down that road see STH thread, the CWWK brand would seem to be the takeaway. I have a cwwk 5105v4, but has not been deployed as an edge device yet. Interestingly it has actauly received BIOS updates, do not think that is true for the majority of devices of this origin.

47

If dual ports enough for you, the newly released Beelink EQ12 mini PC is using Alder Lake-N (N100) with 2 x 2.5G NIC.

48

I just found this! Looks awesome. Looking into this now.

49

I went through this recently after upgrading to 1000/50 service.

The beelink 2 port looks nice...... but is lacking the beefy heatsinks of purpose built 5 port mini PC router with i226/225 ports.

I had a negative experience recently with a T8 pro style mini PC (N5105) which should have been able to handle a gbps wireguard. It couldn't because it was optimized to run slow and cool and could not better my C7 v2 on plain routing at 850Mbps!!!

If buying a mini PC for router purposes consider the retailers return policy as your first consideration just in case. I was able to return mine no questions asked. I found Amazon to be the easiest to deal with in that regard.

Recommendation #1:

Try to find a 5 port i226/225 with N100 and packaged in a large black heatsink style case (think qotom etc). That will be in the $300USD price range.

A 5 port device will allow you to vlan each port for each unit without having to buy a 2.5gbps managed switch ($200USD?).

Estimate $300USD.

Then just give units an Ethernet port off it or buy them a nice Linksys EA8450 or E7350?

4x$80USD =$320USD (or just let them buy their own)

Recommendation #2:

Consider going back to a 1gbps connection. Almost anything newer than a C7 v2 can do 1gbps straight routing.

You can vlan a C7 v2's 4 ports and feed that into 4 separate routers (1 per unit). That's what I am currently doing.

Most cheap consumer routers have built in qos (or load owrt with qos cake on them).

Or select routers that can only do around 500mbps wan to lan. EA8300 can only do 400mbps for example stock firmware. That's what I am doing but with wireguard running on them so no single router can get over 250mbps. EA8300 averages 180-225mbps on wireguard. It's easy to load owrt on from the GUI.

Estimate:

5 used routers $220USD?

Conclusions:

2gbps is really a no man's lan (haha). Very few routers support it. The consumer stuff that does support it is expensive and not a good fit for this use case.

The biggest consideration could also be ease of use, maintain and cost of replacement devices.

That's why I like my Hodge podge of owrt routers. If one goes down it's easy and cheap to patch around / replace etc.. In theory I don't even need vlans, just 5 standard 5 port routers.

***Becareful about double nat. To avoid that you would have to vlan and then dumb AP I believe.

***I226/225 NIC still allegedly have problems with power save causing interruptions. Others say they work great. My modem is a PUMA device and doesn't like 2.5gbps.

Glhf

50

Fujitsu s920 with intel x520 dual 10gig can handle over 5gig of nat and cost less, also why bother with crapy 2.5gig cards when 10gig are better? Mellanox cards also are cheap and nicely working. Intel made two crapy cards and stil not working perfectly without some weird probems.

51

Because ISP uses multi-gig, then you have to find one with multi-gig support, I agree that on LAN side simply go for 10GBASE-T like X520 (I have it). i225/i226 are troublesome, so if there is chance I probably just go for Realtek 2.5G, maybe not high performance but less problematic.

52

Someone reviewed this device, looks like it's not that hot even under load.

https://www.reddit.com/r/MiniPCs/comments/12fv7fh/beelink_eq12_notes_is_the_ultraefficient_6w_tdp/

53

apples and bananas ?
it's not fanless ...