[ILUG] Recommendations for DSL router box

[Conor Wynne]

On Thu, 2004-05-20 at 20:31, P at draigBrady.com wrote:
> Frank Duignan wrote:
> > One note on old pc's being used a firewalls: Their power consumption 
> > over a year would typically pay for a bought-in solution. Currently power costs of 
> > the order of 1 euro per year per watt. Old pc of the order of 100W so 100 euro a 
> > year to run. Bought in boxes typically use of the order of 10W.
> > Puts the cost of broadband into perspective when you think that many 
> > leave their 300W+ machine on all the time - power costing more than broadband.
> 
> This is a very important point which people usually don't consider.
> Note you can easily make a cheap "PC" using compact flash and a via
> processor that runs at about 20W.

Two excellent points and something of a concern in our home. We are a
very environmentally friendly household, recycle everything : paper,
cans, plastics, grass cuttings & dead vegetation, batteries, old pc's
etc etc.
Our bin only goes out every 6 weeks - saving a fortune ;--)

Now we, sorry, I fail _miserably_ on electricity usage. Two aquariums
with outragous filters, lights, heaters running hot (30 degrees for
discus) - not even counting the pond ones.

Then there's the three pc's, two are always on (one headless "server",
one a TV, and one gamestation)
Does having so many services on one box add security worries?

I've considered buying low power setups, but the wife would go mental if
I brought home any more kit. We are trying to acually _save_ money, a
concept I dont seem to have grasped. So I'm waiting for one box to die
first ;--0

I would image that switches and routers would use very little power, and
I am entrigued by your suggestion of compact flash. 
Have you implemented this Padraig? 
I would welcome comments from anyone who has done so.

Its gotta be cheper than my other mad idea - investing in a 5 grand
solar panel for the roof. Really got to grasp that savings concept!

> Pádraig Brady - http://www.pixelbeat.org

Conor.