[Cerowrt-devel] [Bloat] fq_codel is SEVEN years old today...

[Toke Høiland-Jørgensen]

"David P. Reed" <dpreed at deepplum.com> writes:

> I wonder if an interesting project to design and pitch for CrowdSupply
> to fund would be a little board that packages sch_cake or something in
> the minimal hardware package that could sit between a 1 GigE symmetric
> port and either an asymmetric GigE or a symmetric 1 GigE connection
> into a 10 GigE switch. The key point is that it needs to support
> wire-rate forwarding with small packets of Gigabit throughput.
> Ideally, it also supports a dnsmasq NAT and wireguard optionally.
>  
> I know a Celeron with 2 GB of RAM can easily do it (because that is
> what I use). We know (well that's what you guys tell me) that the
> dinky MIPS processors are underpowered to handle sch_cake at such
> packet rates. The Linksys and Netgear and TP-link guys seem to see no
> market at all for any such thing. But I see it as a useful jellybean
> device if it could be cheap and simple.
>  
> Could maybe design, produce, and sell this for $100? No one else seems
> to want to make such a thing. I could just barely design and implement
> the board and get it made, but to be honest I'm better at spec'ing and
> prototyping than making manufacturable hardware designs. I suspect I
> could find someone to do the PCB design, layout and parts selection as
> a project.
>  
> The idea for this hardware "product" is to decouple this buffer
> management from the WiFi compatibility and driver mess, and make it
> easy for people, maybe to demonstrate that it could be a great
> product. Forget designing the packaging, negotiating a sales channel,
> etc. Just do what is needed to make a few thousand for the CrowdSupply
> market.
>  
> Thoughts?

It's a cool idea, and I'd certainly buy a couple to help the
crowdfunding ;)

Ideally, it would need to be self-configuring, though... I.e., something
like the IQRouter auto-measuring of the upstream bandwidth to tune the
shaper.

For reference, the GL.iNet routers are tiny and nicely packaged, and run
OpenWrt; they do have one with Gbit ports[0], priced around $70. I very
much doubt it can actually push a gigabit, though, but I haven't had a
chance to test it. However, losing the WiFi, and getting a slightly
beefier SoC in there will probably be doable without the price going
over $100, no?

-Toke

[0] https://www.gl-inet.com/products/gl-ar750s/