Re: i386 home firewall/router/nat bottleneck diagnostics?

[Manuel Bouyer <bouyer%antioche.eu.org@localhost>]

On Thu, Mar 17, 2011 at 11:29:32AM -0000, yancm%sdf.lonestar.org@localhost 
wrote:
> > On Wed, Mar 16, 2011 at 01:57:10PM -0000, yancm%sdf.lonestar.org@localhost 
> > wrote:
> >> Network cards:
> >> - to the cable modem I have a realtek 8169SC
> >>   which uses the re driver. Mode is 1000baseTX.
> >>
> >> - to the internal network I have a realtek 8139
> >>   which uses the rtk driver. Mode is 100BaseTX.
> 
> > I think that 8139 (rtk) is not happy when it has to share its
> > interupt line - e.g. machines with lots of PCI slots.
> >
> > The advice is to get a Real Network Card for the inner network,
> > too.
> 
> This sounds like practical advice, and I'm OK with doing this.
> But...what do I need for a "Real Network Card"?
> Is an 8169SC based card "real" enough? I can obtain them for $8-20US.
> Others have specifically said only Intel, which I see at $25-50US.
> 
> I know, I know...you get what you pay for...but is the cost
> difference really worth it in this case? Are there other
> chipsets or manufacturers that behave well?

3com 3c905c are good too. I don't know if there's still manufactured,
but you can certainly find used ones for a few $

-- 
Manuel Bouyer <bouyer%antioche.eu.org@localhost>
     NetBSD: 26 ans d'experience feront toujours la difference
--