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ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Grinny
Grafter
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎25-06-2010

ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

I've been thinking about getting a router with a bit more power and flexibility as I have a WRT54GSv1 @200mhz and 32mbs RAM, I've got some experience with a number of different OS's and when I found the ALIX 2D13 I thought this looks like what I need because it's power consumption is around 5 watts, load it with pfSense + a DrayTek Vigor 120 transparent modem try using the WRT54GS on the 3rd LAN before going to the expenditure of buying an mini-pci wireless card for the ALIX. Of course this would be quite expensive at around £150-£200 altogether but I'm fed up with buying equipment that underpreforms or die's in 6 months.
Any idea's or have you used an ALIX or Vigor 120. Thanks Smiley
oh here's some of the system boards stats
http://pcengines.ch/alix2d13.htm
16 REPLIES 16
Grinny
Grafter
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎25-06-2010

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Maybe I might sign up for the FTTC since I seem to live near one of the newly upgraded Cornish exchanges and if the suppled router is trouble then I'll buy a ALIX.
Anyone know what the router will be? Thomson TG585vn isn't it?
Peter_Vaughan
Grafter
Posts: 14,469
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Netgear WRN1000v2
Grinny
Grafter
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎25-06-2010

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Thanks Peter Smiley
Well I don't know what to think of that router as there aren't many reviews for that one but there seems to be problems for some with many claims of poorly written firmware although the hardware sounds ok 400Mhz, 32mb ram but flash of 4mb I guess we will just have to see Smiley
David_W
Rising Star
Posts: 2,305
Thanks: 33
Registered: ‎19-07-2007

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Grab a Cisco, I use the 877W without any issues, plus you can switch off the internal ADSL modem and use the Ethernet ports to plug in a FTTC modem to supply your household with IPV6 if required.  May be able to get one for around £100+ ish but if you can find one with 34Mb Flash and 256Mb RAM, even better.
Grinny
Grafter
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎25-06-2010

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Tempting I've always wanted to try a cisco because of there rep for building rock solid equipment but I'm just as tempted by an ALIX  Undecided
I just relised it's gona be a pain to get an AC extention lead near the Master socket and was wondering if the Bog standard Openreach VDSL Modem that I imagine that is also used with Plusnet FTTC product is POE (power over ethernet) compatible but I doubt it, eh  Sad
Peter_Vaughan
Grafter
Posts: 14,469
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

The VDSL modem and the Netgear WRN1000v2 are not POE devices - you will need 2 power sockets to have them fitted... However, during the FTTC installation, BT will run a phone wire from the master socket to anywhere (within reason) where you want to locate the devices so they don't have to be near the master socket.
As for the Netgear reliablity, mine has been rock solid for months with no problems at all on wired or wireless connections, and I've not heard of anyone else having problems with it either.
Grinny
Grafter
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎25-06-2010

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

It seems i did find a AC socket hidden thats near the master socket  Roll_eyes , but would getting another phone socket near my networking equipment be better in terms of stability and low latency than using the "data extension cable" that I've heard is free (cat 6 cable right?). Fitting a new socket would cost right?
Ahh yes I did a quick Google and found a few complaints but might have been for the v1 but upon more research, upon more research thou if the WRN1000v2 dosn't work out or I need more options and features I might get the WRT160NL and load DD-WRT as I always liked the WRT54GS but thats getting a Lil underpowered with my family using the net more these days and at £59.99 compared to around £150 plus the effort and head scratching of setting up the ALIX with BSD
Thanks, big help so far everyone always have problems deciding things alone, even if I do sound like I'm talking to myself or going off on a tangent  Smiley
avatastic
Grafter
Posts: 1,136
Thanks: 2
Registered: ‎30-07-2007

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

I'd say BSD isn't that hard to use, but I've been growing my BSD firewall solution (which started out as a NAT for dial-up in '98)  for some time.
I've been tempted by the ALIX route, but I'm not sure how well it'll cope with also being my imap/webmail server as well as dutifully virus scanning everything that goes in or out.
Currently I'm using an Asrock A330 NG (Atom based PC motherboard) in place of the old AMD64 that was running it, and moved the old mysql/www sites over to a bytemark vm.
The savings in electricity pay for the VM Smiley
F9 member since 4 Sep 1999
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DLM manages your line the same way DRM manages your rights.
Look at all the pretty graphs! (now with uptime logging!)
Grinny
Grafter
Posts: 37
Registered: ‎25-06-2010

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

yeah I fort about using a mini-itx for many years even when VIA was the only company making boards of that size but as I didn't want to do anything to complicated no VPN, web hosting or such, just routing, good wireless and maybe a few extras like web cashing but really about 30 - 50 watts compared to about 5 watts or so for an embedded system seems to good to dismiss right away (I don't pay the electric bill).
David_W
Rising Star
Posts: 2,305
Thanks: 33
Registered: ‎19-07-2007

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

I've taken an interest in the Fritz! AVM Fon or something, German build quality and amazingly good features for a router/modem combo, they cost a pretty penny mind you and only seem to be stocked in a few places.  How many ADSL routers have a built in PBX and can use ISDN as a backup feature?  I believe one of them also has DECT built in so you can use it as a phone base too, quite a nice bit of kit for the home - shame PN don't give them away really Tongue
stephenw10
Rising Star
Posts: 109
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Registered: ‎14-04-2011

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

I'm using pfSense and the Vigor 120 modem, works great!  Smiley
I'm using an old Watchguard Firebox to run pfSense. After some tweaking it runs around 40W but that gives me 10 individual interfaces, 3 of them gigabit and one wireless. It cost me £40 from Ebay.
Please ask if you want to know anything.
Steve
jaark
Dabbler
Posts: 19
Registered: ‎19-04-2011

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Quote from: stephenw10
I'm using pfSense and the Vigor 120 modem, works great!  Smiley

I am another VM refugee and have been using pfsense on an ALIX with them for quite some time.
How are you running it on PN? Does the pfSense box have an Internet valid IP address?
Quote from: Grinny
Any idea's or have you used an ALIX or Vigor 120. Thanks Smiley

I have an ALIX (2 Ethernet) with a WLAN card and it works great. Linitx also carry a neat little box with the right cut-outs for a wireless aerial too.
stephenw10
Rising Star
Posts: 109
Thanks: 11
Registered: ‎14-04-2011

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Quote from: jaark
I am another VM refugee and have been using pfsense on an ALIX with them for quite some time.
How are you running it on PN? Does the pfSense box have an Internet valid IP address?

The Vigor 120 can act as a pure pppoa to pppoe bridge, and does by default.  So you just plug it into your adsl line and your pfSense WAN port and use pppoe. pfSense then receives a proper internet addressable IP.
Steve
jaark
Dabbler
Posts: 19
Registered: ‎19-04-2011

Re: ALIX 2D13 firewall + DrayTek Vigor 120 Adsl 2 modem

Slightly off-topic, but the Thomson ST516 from PN can act as a PPPoA to PPPoE bridge if you re-flash it with a generic firmware ($DEITY only knows why they removed that function in their custom FW Roll_eyes )