Re: Is the long term electricity cost higher if I use a PC ratherthan a Linksys router?

[Andrew Schott <schotty core com>]

On Thu, 2003-04-24 at 18:47, Kevin MacNeil wrote:
> You can have as many ports as you want. Typically you put 2 network
> cards in the firewall computer; one connects to the net, the other to
> your internal network.  Then you can attach a switch or hub to the
> internal network side and connect as many computers as there are ports
> to plug them into.
> 
> A commercial router usually would have a firewall built in, but would
> not be as configurable or powerful as a linux solution.  With respect to
> cost, the linux firewall was actually cheaper for me because I had all
> the parts for the computer lying around, and all I had to buy was a
> 5-port switch on sale for $20.

Well, the Netgears I love.  I have an older RT311 that I loaned a friend
and it was worth th 150.  It is configurable (moreso than the Linksys's
that are out now) and realiable. 

However, I am in your position.  I have a few 486's and pentium class
boxes that I can use.  A few 300MB HD's... A quick OpenBSD install is
all that is needed, and a half hour configuring pf, sudo, and ssh.

For the parent poster -- really, I doubt that the power consuption
should really be that big of a deal.  Its not doing 3d, its not a
Athlon, is it?  Those eat power big time.  Its not going to have a
monitor on all day is it? A HD + VGA card that isnt hooked up to a
powered monitor is not going to be much power draw.  Trust me.  Your
best calculation is what ever your mainboard is drawing + 10W for HD and
NIC.  That is still a bit high.

Andrew