[ale] About that firewall machine [Was]Re: [ale] unidentified processes

[Geoffrey]

Thompson Freeman wrote:
> 
> Well, I'm familiar with at least one of the broadband routers, and if it
> wasn't this late I could remember which of them I set my daughter up
> with. 8-/. And the '486 idea certainly has cost benefits. My goal here,
> however, is more aligned with having open source control with minimal or
> near minimal power consumption. I'm not certain to go down this route, but
> I find it very interesting (especially when I look at the nest of power
> cables crawling around behind the desk, and under some of the other
> furniture around here. I haven't tripped the circuit breakers yet, but
> I've got to be grazing the edge around here.)

Yeah, I know how it is.  Fortunately, I've recently moved to a new
home.  I'm putting together an office in the basement, which means I've
got free rein of the place.  I've rewired this room, adding two
circuits, one for my computers, another for all else (lights, shredder
and such).  I've added a wall and placed all my boxes behind it, so as
to reduce the noise.  It's still in the works, but it's getting there. 
I've come pretty far from working off a laptop while sitting on a
beanbag. :)

As far as the power issue though, I don't know how much current the
average computer pulls, but understand, devices only pull as much juice
as they need.  The power supply might be rated at 15 amps, but you're
not pulling that.  The box will generally pull the most power when it's
powered up.  If you've got a headless 486 with two nics, the amount of
power consumed is going to be very little.  Certainly more then some
imbedded device though.  Curious as to whether or not it might be
possible to run a couple of boxes from a single power supply.  I would
expect that it could handle the load, just a matter of rigging the
proper connections.

I guess I could just stick a meter on one of these boxes and really get
a decent measure.  For me, it's more the noise and heat generated then
the power used.  Anyone ever actually measured the amount of current
their box pulls???


--
Until later: Geoffrey		esoteric at 3times25.net

"...the system (Microsoft passport) carries significant risks to users
that
are not made adequately clear in the technical documentation available."
- David P. Kormann and Aviel D. Rubin, AT&T Labs - Research
- http://www.avirubin.com/passport.html

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