mirror of
https://github.com/wezm/wezm.net.git
synced 2024-12-21 19:59:54 +00:00
82 lines
3.4 KiB
HTML
82 lines
3.4 KiB
HTML
After ongoing issues maintaining a reliable Internet connection at home I
|
|
decided to add a custom built router to the network that would be in charge of
|
|
assigning IP addresses and sharing our Internet connection with the rest of the
|
|
network. I wanted something with at least two Ethernet ports so that all
|
|
Internet traffic would flow through the device and allow bandwidth hogs to be
|
|
identified at times when the connection appeared flooded.
|
|
|
|
After a bunch of research into appropriate hardware and software I
|
|
decided on a [PC Engines ALIX][alix] single board computer (alix2d13). The
|
|
ALIX is a small board about the size of a CD case with the following
|
|
features:
|
|
|
|
* 500Mhz AMD Geode (x86 compatible) CPU
|
|
* 256Mb RAM
|
|
* 2 × USB ports
|
|
* 3 × 10/100 Ethernet ports
|
|
* Mini-PCI socket (for WiFi if desired)
|
|
* RS-232 serial port
|
|
* CompactFlash socket
|
|
|
|
I also ordered one of [PC Engines cases][case] (case1s2u) to go with it.
|
|
|
|
[alix]: http://www.pcengines.ch/alix2d13.htm
|
|
[case]: http://www.pcengines.ch/case1d2u.htm
|
|
|
|
For the software I settled on [OpenWRT][openwrt]. I chose it for a number of
|
|
reasons:
|
|
|
|
* Good support for ALIX boards.
|
|
* Designed to run from Flash and read-only file systems.
|
|
* Great binary package manager that allows additional software to be
|
|
installed.
|
|
* Lightweight [Lua] based Web UI available ([LuCI][luci]).
|
|
|
|
[openwrt]: https://openwrt.org/
|
|
[luci]: http://luci.subsignal.org/
|
|
[Lua]: http://www.lua.org/
|
|
|
|
After learning to use the excellent OpenWRT build system I was able to
|
|
build a custom CompactFlash image for the board to run. I also created a
|
|
package for my [weather logging software][weather-software] so that the
|
|
ALIX can do all my [weather station][weather] logging.
|
|
|
|
[weather]: /personal/2010/09/weather-station/
|
|
[weather-software]: /technical/2010/09/weather-station-software/
|
|
|
|
I moved many of services that my ADSL modem and AirPort base station were
|
|
performing to the box and it's proven extremely reliable. This includes
|
|
maintaining the PPPoE connection to my ISP. I'd certainly recommend a set up
|
|
like this to anyone who is looking for a small, dedicated home router.
|
|
|
|
If you don't like the prospect of building your own custom OS image I'd
|
|
also highly recommend <tt>[m0n0wall]</tt>, which is a [FreeBSD] derived
|
|
router system. I ran this on the ALIX initially and it was very easy
|
|
to get up an running (write image to CF card, boot from card - default
|
|
settings worked fine but can be changed via a web UI) and very reliable.
|
|
|
|
[m0n0wall]: http://m0n0.ch/wall/
|
|
[FreeBSD]: http://www.freebsd.org/
|
|
|
|
<figure>
|
|
<img src="/images/2012/01/_MG_0562.jpg" width="600" height="258" alt="Front view" />
|
|
<figcaption>Front with three LEDs. The behaviour of the LEDs can
|
|
be customised in OpenWRT. I have the left one indicating power and
|
|
the middle one indicating activity on the WAN port. The other one is
|
|
currently unused.</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<figure>
|
|
<img src="/images/2012/01/_MG_0569.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="Top view with CD for size comparison" />
|
|
<figcaption>Top of case, showing size in comparison to a CD case.</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
<figure>
|
|
<img src="/images/2012/01/_MG_0567.jpg" width="600" height="600" alt="alix2d13 board" />
|
|
<figcaption>The ALIX board itself with the following connected: WAN
|
|
and LAN Ethernet, 8Gb [MosKeyto USB flash drive][moskeyto],
|
|
weather station USB cable and 32Mb CF card that the system boots from.</figcaption>
|
|
</figure>
|
|
|
|
[moskeyto]: http://www.lacie.com/au/products/product.htm?id=10425
|
|
|