New PC's, What the heck?

Beachnative · Apr 9, 2014

I'm looking for a new PC where I can put in two PCIE NICs but guess what? Most of the new computers under $500 have NO EXPANSION SLOTS!!! The back of the case looks like they do but I almost bought one for an Untangle project and looked threw the cooling openings and saw the other side of the case. So if anything goes bad, scrap it!
What a load of bull!!

Signed

Pissed and whining about it

COLGeek · Apr 9, 2014

Seems like a pretty broad, general statement. In fact, the vast majority of PCs I have seen in that price range indeed have multiple expansion slots.

What specific system did you look at?

Beachnative · Apr 9, 2014

A simple low cost, dual core, 4G RAM, 250G of storage and expansion slots for 2 NICs...That is it!

I went to Best Buy, Staples and Office Depot anything with the price range of around 400 clams had the room for expansion in the case but not on the motherboard!!!! Now I know why the images shown on the web are only of the front! Or have only 1 PCIE
I looked at Dell, HP and Lenovo.. HP did have one in the $450 + tax range but the others were pathetic!

Vanadil · Apr 9, 2014

Can't you just use USB to Ethernet as opposed to PCIe NICs? And you you mean PCIe or PCMCIA?

Beachnative · Apr 9, 2014

Vanadil :

Yeah PCIe or PCI, The USB solution is an alternative but I want to minimize the crap laying around. I'm building an Untangle server for content filtering at a hotspot in a time share..

COLGeek · Apr 9, 2014

I would look for Dell Optiplex on Craigslist in your area. Any dual-core Optiplex should meet the needs (with at least 4GB of memory) should handle this. Probably pick one up for $100 (or less).

I think you could roll your own firewall with content filtering via Linux as well and keep your costs down even more.

Vanadil · Apr 9, 2014

Sorry >.< My brain was in laptop mode with the PCMCIA.

Your best bet for the budget then is maybe building your own and grabbing a cheap mobo and case with plenty of expansion slot and then get the components building from there?

$44 and 2 PCI expansions that could have NIC's and also a PCIe. yum yum!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135347

Beachnative · Apr 9, 2014

COLGeek :

Untangle is free
Here is where you can download it and try it.

COLGeek · Apr 9, 2014

Trial is free. Product is not.

http://www.untangle.com/store/configurator/

Kewlx25 · Apr 9, 2014

I built a PFSense box with a Core i5 Haswell quad 3.2ghz with a high end Intel Server i350-T2 NIC and dual Samsung 840 EVO 120gb for about $800. I can do an iperf from my computer to my wife's across the NAT with 1.4gb/s and the firewall is only at 5% cpu load.

I can't get faster than 1.4gb/s because my two computers can't do any faster. I get the same results when connection directly through the switch.

Beachnative · Apr 15, 2014

COLGeek :

Untangle started out with a Lite software version where it was free and you could put it on your hardware. Then they offered a more robust software set that is not free and you must pay for it. Now they are selling hardware with their paid versions running on them. The link you provided is for the appliance and licensing.
Here is the link for the free one in different 32/64 versions
I laughed when I was first introduced to it because the interface looked like a game. It's simplistic and you would be surprised as to what it does. I'm running a few different versions at different locations and for me it works great for the price.

I've never looked at PFSense...maybe it's time I should???

Beachnative · Apr 15, 2014

I'm running Untangle ver 10 on an old Dell OptiPlex with Server 2008r2 Exchange 2010 in a very busy work environment and CPU never gets past 15%. have a content filter and AV running among other modules... As for speed never measured it yet...never had a complaint of a slow network

Beachnative · Apr 15, 2014

Kewlx25 :

Friggen firebreather!!!! Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

USAFRet · Apr 15, 2014

COLGeek :

There are still some free versions
http://www.untangle.com/store/get-untangle/

I've been using it for years.

Beachnative · Apr 18, 2014

USAFRet :

I'm setting up one for a large time share and tomorrow is install day. The bummer is the web filter is not free (in version 10) and that is the main purpose for the install. Now I have to tell them it's $270/yr for that feature now.

Beachnative · Jul 3, 2014

Uhhh Oops! The web filter is free and to get it you have to remove the trial version.....It's unbelievable how much some people watch porn while at a timeshare.

I have had this up and running for months without incident.

COLGeek · Jul 4, 2014

Good news. Glad it is working out.

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New PC's, What the heck?

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