Re: Custom kernel for Soekris net4801-50

[Bryan Vyhmeister]

On Wed, Oct 04, 2006 at 11:44:30AM -0700, Richard P. Koett wrote:               
> I thought that since I'm not using compact flash (and don't care about        
> writing to disk) I'd have no need to "build a filesystem in virtual           
> memory"?                                                                      
>                                                                               
> That being said I'm sure it won't hurt to leave it in. Based on other         
> people's responses it sounds like no kernel customization is even             
> required on this device.                                                      
                                                                                
I would leave it in in case you decide you want to mount / read-only and        
mount /var and /tmp as MFS. I am doing that on a Soekris net4511 I am           
using as a wireless access point to EDGE internet connection for on the         
road. Like another response said, you probably do not need a custom             
kernel. I looked back at the NET4801 kernel config and the reason I was         
using it is because it included PCCOMCONSOLE and CONSPEED=19200 (which I        
changed to a different speed). The config also does not have all the            
SCSI drivers compiled in. The latter really does not make any difference        
in the long run.                                                                
                                                                                
I think you can just add /etc/boot.conf with something like:                    
                                                                                
set tty com0                                                                    
stty com0 19200                                                                 
set timeout 5                                                                   
                                                                                
This may cause there to be no need for PCCOMCONSOLE and CONSPEED=19200.         
I am not positive but others may be able to confirm that.                       
                                                                                
Anyway, none of this will improve the "speed" of the internet access.           
The more likely possibility may be that PF is not configured in the most        
efficient manner. I discovered this on my firewall this week when I was         
having lots of connection slowdowns and the like.                               
                                                                                
If you were using a Soekris net45xx, then you would need a custom kernel        
config because the PIT clock for the AMD Elan SC520 runs at a different         
frequency, 1.189161 MHz, instead of the standard 1.19318 MHz.                   
                                                                                
Bryan