[Novalug] Mini-case / Diskless case recommendations

[Michael Stone]

On Sun, Dec 17, 2006 at 07:05:36AM -0500, Adam Glenn wrote:
>www.soekris.com they are great little boxes and are well documented  
>for many open source/free operating systems. Small power footprint too.

I'll second that. I've got a 4501 & a 4801 doing different things (4501 
runs openbsd off a 256M CF, 4801 has debian on a 60G 2.5" HD). The 4501 
used to have a custom distribution that I built on a 8M CF (back when it 
was my router).

On Sun, Dec 17, 2006 at 07:59:22AM -0500, Mark Smith wrote:
>the WRT54G can be re-flashed with a version of linux that permits
>you login, change things, etc.  it's tiny, utilitarian, diskless,
>fanless, and cheap.  you don't get to build it yourself, but it will
>probably give you everything you need.  just something to consider.

I've got one of these (actually a WRT54GS), also. It's more limiting 
than the soekris in some ways (no serial console, no pxe boot, less 
memory, no flexibility in storage). As a router/firewall it works great, 
and the built-in switch (ports configurable onto a couple of different 
vlans) gives some different kinds of flexibility. And it's a lot cheaper 
than the soekris. The only problems with going this route are that linksys 
keeps refining the product and reducing the amount of RAM & flash they 
have--and you generally can't tell what you're getting without checking 
the revision on the box (i.e., not online, since the model number 
doesn't change)--and that when you're ready to upgrade to 802.11n you'll 
have to toss the whole thing. I don't know offhand of any "n"-compatible 
hardware than can be reflashed the way the old WRT54G's could. I think 
linksys also has another model aimed at people who want to flash them 
(-l or somesuch) but you'll pay extra for that. I assume it's just an 
older revision of the WRT54G with a new label & price point.

On Sun, Dec 17, 2006 at 11:18:15AM -0500, Jay Hart wrote:
>Yes, but what I really want to know is this.
>
>If the security of a OpenBSD box is a 10, what would you determine is the
>security of a WRT54G with reflashed version of lInux running on it?

10. Do you think the openbsd box comes with magic security fairy dust? 
Dang, but they have good marketing.

Mike Stone