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

[Thompson Freeman]

There are all kinds of tricks and things which can be done to reduce the
power load (and therefore noise & heat & etc.) Since I'm not quite at the
point of changing the way things are done here, I'd like to investigate
doing the job as well/elegantly as possible. Hence the desire to go _way_
down on the power scale if possible. (Also kills more noise that
way). Further more, with the "right" board, building the firewall router
could lead easily to a low power X terminal.

I guess I'm just offended by the fact that my pda lasts 3-4 weeks on a
pair of AAA batteries, yet my desk almost needs a separate airconditioner
to avaid over heating.

As to actually measuring the power consumed - wish I had the equipment to
do so, as that would be a "good thing" to know.

On Wed, 19 Dec 2001, Geoffrey wrote:

> 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
> 
> ---
> This message has been sent through the ALE general discussion list.
> See http://www.ale.org/mailing-lists.shtml for more info. Problems should be 
> sent to listmaster at ale dot org.
> 
> 

-- 
===========================================
The harder I work, the luckier I get.
                    Lee Iacocca
===========================================
Thompson Freeman          tfreeman at intel.digichem.net


---
This message has been sent through the ALE general discussion list.
See http://www.ale.org/mailing-lists.shtml for more info. Problems should be 
sent to listmaster at ale dot org.