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How many of you build your own routers?

H

Hyperblaze

Lifer
And by build your own routers, I mean have a computer with 2 network cards in there with an operating system that does port forwarding, tcp/udp packet routing, firewall, etc

And what OS do you use for it?

<-- FreeBSD with all my toys installed on there.
 
Originally posted by: JS80
isn't that excessive?
Click to expand...

why?

It was a great learning experience. And I can do whatever the hell I want in there.

With the all-made routers you buy out there I find them rather restrictive. You can't do more then what they allow you to do.

Can you run a ftp server? no. Can you run a web server? no. Can you run a file server? no. Can you run a pop mail server? no. Can you run a smtp mail server? no.

 
Sorry, but I don't need another 200w going down the drain for a router.

If I want an FTP server or something, I'll set it up on my computer which is already on 24/7 and forward ports.
 
i use to have a pentium 166 running LRP years back, then one day i looked at it and said wtf is wrong with me. and proptly went out a got a linksys router.
 
I know the guy behind this.

I made the mistake and bought Netscreen 1000's for our facilities in Oregon, VA and Sydney (AU). 🙁
 
Originally posted by: keeleysam
Sorry, but I don't need another 200w going down the drain for a router.

If I want an FTP server or something, I'll set it up on my computer which is already on 24/7 and forward ports.
Click to expand...

Be my guest by all means. I'm not going to stop you.

I did it first for the learning experience more then just for the functionality.

Is what I have excessive? Possibly. Will I modify my network to allow a less crazy "router". Hell no.
 
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: JS80
isn't that excessive?
Click to expand...

why?

It was a great learning experience. And I can do whatever the hell I want in there.

With the all-made routers you buy out there I find them rather restrictive. You can't do more then what they allow you to do.

Can you run a ftp server? no. Can you run a web server? no. Can you run a file server? no. Can you run a pop mail server? no. Can you run a smtp mail server? no.
Click to expand...

Why would I do any of those things on my router? 😕
Building a computer to function as a router is right up there with cold cathodes in the computer case.
 
Originally posted by: keeleysam
Sorry, but I don't need another 200w going down the drain for a router.

If I want an FTP server or something, I'll set it up on my computer which is already on 24/7 and forward ports.
Click to expand...

Exactly, it is hard to justify an entirely separate computer running 24/7 just for routing. Use an off the shelf router (A good one obviously) and just forward ports.
 
Originally posted by: mercanucaribeWhy would I do any of those things on my router? 😕
Building a computer to function as a router is right up there with cold cathodes in the computer case.
Click to expand...
not exactly... one of the big reasons to build your own router is to do things like bandwidth monitoring, better QoS, and even restricting bandwidth. totally control. (but I wouldn't want to run an ftp server, smtp server, etc on a router. haha
 
Originally posted by: mercanucaribe
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: JS80
isn't that excessive?
Click to expand...

why?

It was a great learning experience. And I can do whatever the hell I want in there.

With the all-made routers you buy out there I find them rather restrictive. You can't do more then what they allow you to do.

Can you run a ftp server? no. Can you run a web server? no. Can you run a file server? no. Can you run a pop mail server? no. Can you run a smtp mail server? no.
Click to expand...

Why would I do any of those things on my router? 😕
Building a computer to function as a router is right up there with cold cathodes in the computer case.
Click to expand...

For fun? I know, strange answer isn't it? But one of the best damn reasons ever.

I like to try out different things. I built my first router out of a computer before the on the self routers became popular.

Sides...from what I learned today, You cannot configure a vpn client inside a linksys router (at least the one I was configuring). I couldn't believe the limitations inside these routers.

 
Originally posted by: keeleysam
Sorry, but I don't need another 200w going down the drain for a router.
Click to expand...

And it doesn't take 200w to use a firewall... You think if you install a 500w psu in your system, all of a sudden your power consumption will go up to 500w? no...


Originally posted by: JS80
isn't that excessive?
Click to expand...

No


Building your own firewall can be extremely useful as the consumer crap is just that, crap. It overheats and can't handle a moderate workload, if you want to use bittorrent I suggest building your own router as bittorrent has killed approx. 3 routers of mine and my friend's.

 
About 5-6 years ago before the advent of widely available, inexpensive, and powerful "prosumer" routers I built and ran a FREESCO box.

But anymore you can get some pretty robust little setups for a couple hundred bucks. I just see no point in building your own other than for the experience and geek factor of it.
 
I have a smoothwall box that I am going to play with one weekend at my part time job. The old admin setup the old box and while it is currently working I don't have the login for it.
 
I have before plenty of times. I've always used linux (mandrake, redhat, debian, gentoo) and basically had them handling everything (routing + services).

Right now I'm just using some POS embedded router/firewall and have a debian box sitting behind it serving various things (jabber, dns, www, etc.).

I prefer to keep things separate these days. I can fsck around with the server box and I don't have to worry about keeping the 'net connection up.
 
Originally posted by: Philippine Mango
Originally posted by: keeleysam
Sorry, but I don't need another 200w going down the drain for a router.
Click to expand...

And it doesn't take 200w to use a firewall... You think if you install a 500w psu in your system, all of a sudden your power consumption will go up to 500w? no...
Click to expand...
No, I don't think that. An old Pentium 3 with a hard drive or two (for that FTP server you guys are raving about) and enough RAM WILL use between 150 to 200 watts. It also won't be silent at all.
Originally posted by: JS80
isn't that excessive?
Click to expand...

No


Building your own firewall can be extremely useful as the consumer crap is just that, crap. It overheats and can't handle a moderate workload, if you want to use bittorrent I suggest building your own router as bittorrent has killed approx. 3 routers of mine and my friend's.
Click to expand...

I've been running DD-WRT on my Motorola WR850GP for months now, and never had to restart it. I have (and do) max out my connection on Bittorrent, and that's with hundreds of connections at a time.

I can also pump a ton of power into the radio (well, only about 100 extra mW), but that's something you definitely cannot do in a desktop.

Oh yeah, it's also about 20x smaller than a PC.
 
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: JS80
isn't that excessive?
Click to expand...

why?

It was a great learning experience. And I can do whatever the hell I want in there.

With the all-made routers you buy out there I find them rather restrictive. You can't do more then what they allow you to do.

Can you run a ftp server? no. Can you run a web server? no. Can you run a file server? no. Can you run a pop mail server? no. Can you run a smtp mail server? no.
Click to expand...

Hmm, yes you can. Having a router does not stop one from doing those things. me thinks you are confused as to what a router is.
 
Originally posted by: Hyperblaze
Originally posted by: JS80
isn't that excessive?
Click to expand...

why?

It was a great learning experience. And I can do whatever the hell I want in there.

With the all-made routers you buy out there I find them rather restrictive. You can't do more then what they allow you to do.

Can you run a ftp server? no. Can you run a web server? no. Can you run a file server? no. Can you run a pop mail server? no. Can you run a smtp mail server? no.
Click to expand...

Sure you can, on the computer behind the router. That's the way it's supposed to be. You don't need your router consuming 300 watts of electricity when you can have a little Linksys doing the same thing on 10 watts.
 
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