A cheap PC to run smoothwall?

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Serious Hardware/Software Crap > A cheap PC to run smoothwall?

no_one: Mar 17, 2004; i'm a lying jerk; Lipstick Apathy

Hi, my parents gateway computer is getting flakey and overheating and crashing. It's my old ABIT kt7a with a T-bird 1.33 ghz processor.

They are looking to replace it and I suggested these 2 computers:

http://www.ginger6.com/intel-haswell-core-i3-i5-i7-custom-built-pc.html

or

http://www.ginger6.com/amd-home-office-custom-built-pc-p-35075.html

it needs to have three lan connections, but both motherboards seem to support that with 1 onboard gigabit lan and 2 pci-e expansion slots.

Is there any major difference between the two or should we go with the AMD 'cause it is �10 cheaper.

Noise is a factor also as it will be in my dads office so quieter is better.

Or does anyone have a suggestion for a cheap PC with 3 LAN ports?

# ? Sep 3, 2015 17:23

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# ? Apr 20, 2024 05:12

Aunt Beth: Feb 24, 2006; Baby, you're ready!; Grimey Drawer

# ? Sep 3, 2015 17:25

no_one: Mar 17, 2004; i'm a lying jerk; Lipstick Apathy

My parents actually have 3 WAP54G on their network, but because of how the house is laid out there is no one sweet spot to put the wireless access point to cover the whole thing. At the moment they have one wireless access point in the 'granny annexe', one upstairs at the far end of the house and one downstairs by the cable modem. Because the signal has to go through what were once external walls it is difficult to get everyone to have a solid connection.

Does the WRT54G give a stronger signal than the WAP54G?

# ? Sep 3, 2015 17:31

skipdogg: Nov 29, 2004; Resident SRT-4 Expert

I'd ditch the PC option and look at something like a Microtik or Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite. No sense in running a desktop computer for something that can be handled by a cheap appliance these days.

# ? Sep 3, 2015 17:56

thebigcow: Jan 3, 2001; Bully!

I'm not familiar with smoothwall, are you using it for more than routing and firewall?

edit: what the guy above me said

# ? Sep 3, 2015 17:57

no_one: Mar 17, 2004; i'm a lying jerk; Lipstick Apathy

It is being used for cable modem in, green network ( mine and my dads PC on wired lan) and the purple(i think) interface which is the 3 WAP.

I does seem like overkill abit if there is some better hardware for this I am all ears.

Our cable modem can do a similar job but then you are limited in terms of wireless to the signal at the other end of the house which is not good enough for skype or streaming iplayer.

I will look into Microtik or Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite thx for the advice.

# ? Sep 3, 2015 18:09

akadajet: Sep 14, 2003

Just pick up an asus whatever or airport express and stop geeking out over your parents network setup.

# ? Sep 3, 2015 18:22

Don Lapre: Mar 28, 2001; If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

5k imac /w 3 thunderbolt to ethernet adapters

# ? Sep 3, 2015 19:03

Don Lapre: Mar 28, 2001; If you're having problems you're either holding the phone wrong or you have tiny girl hands.

no_one posted:

It is being used for cable modem in, green network ( mine and my dads PC on wired lan) and the purple(i think) interface which is the 3 WAP.

I does seem like overkill abit if there is some better hardware for this I am all ears.

Our cable modem can do a similar job but then you are limited in terms of wireless to the signal at the other end of the house which is not good enough for skype or streaming iplayer.

I will look into Microtik or Ubiquiti EdgeRouter Lite thx for the advice.

Just buy a $100 c7 router

# ? Sep 3, 2015 19:04