Done the same thing here using a single board ISA card form factor 386SX-40
SBC with 32MB RAM. Boots from SanDisk 4MB flash drive. Runs out of a 8MB
RAM drive leaving 24 MB as usable memory. I use the LRP distribution
(www.linuxrouter.org). It is a bare bones distribution built to boot off a
single floppy. I found it FAR easier to add what I needed to a bare bones
linux distribution than to strip away what I didn't need from Red Hat.
The device runs a solar powered, spread spectrum radio connected web cam.
(http://water.gbasin.net)
-bret
Bret Berger
[EMAIL PROTECTED] www.infowest.com/b/bret
(435) 673-3763 (435) 652-8417 FAX
StoneFly Technology
1071 East 100 South, Suite D5
St. George, UT 84770
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Fadler <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tuesday, December 22, 1998 7:01 PM
Subject: Re: Building a network applicance
>> Greetings list,
>> I've just joined this list so pardon the newbie nature of this
>> e-mail.
>> I'm building a network appliance, hopefully with Linux, and am
>> looking for pointers. I've checked out most of the embedded sites,
>> like the "router project", the various handheld implementations,
>> 8086/286 implmentations, etc, but nothing really seems to match my
>> needs. My hardware is a 75 mhz '486 with 8 MB or 32 MB of memory,
>> and a hard drive. Hardly even a real embedded sort of box. But it
>> has no head (keyboard or monitor), and when powered on, must just do
>> its job without fail. All interaction is via the LAN (100baseT)
>> connector.
>>
>> The device must communicate in a diverse networking environment.
>> What I really need to find out is how to build the smallest kernel
>> that will support networking, and no logins. Our software that is in
>> command of the device requires about 3 MB. This I'm left with either
>> 5 MB (small version) or 29 MB (more expensive to build). Can Linux
>> really support networking in about 5 MB without thrashing? Actually,
>> I'd like to disable swapping, too.
>>
>We have built something similar.
>
>We have a Pentium-class CPU with 16M of memory. Has a 4MB flash
>drive which it boots from, then builds a RAM disk in 8MB of
>memory, and runs in the other 8MB. If you are going to go to the
>lengths to remove all drivers except for the Enet, you might be
>able to run in 5MB.
>
>I don't have access to the details today. If you want more info,
>let me know and I'll see what I can dig up.
>
>Rick Fadler
>NetLeaf, Inc
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>425-643-9610
>
>
