Here’s an interesting project, perhaps someone has an easier or alternate way of doing this:
PROBLEM: I bought this box called ‘the NetEqualizer’ a little over ayear ago. It’s a little device that you install right at your outgoing pipe that allows you to control traffic by IP on different ports, and specific ports for all IPs. I use it on our wireless network to (sorry kids) choke sharing ports so one goober who installs limewire to it’s defaults doesn’t hog the entire bandwidth that over 75 people share. The device bit the biscuit a couple weeks ago.
So I checked on RMAing the sucker and the supplier is balking, saying it’s the manufacturer problem. The manufacturer says it was sold to the reseller so it’s their problem, as they only warranty for 90 days. So I blew my top, as I don’t pay $2500 for something so poorly guaranteed, and the best the manuf. would do was offer to bypass the reseller and sell me a new one with extra warranty for $1100 US.
THE MACHINE: so I knew it’s a mini ITX with a Linux distro for the OS. I cracked the sucker and it’s a VIA C3-800 ITX board, one of those all-in-one boards I can pick up other places for about $120 CDN. But, the board’s been modified with a CompactFlash onboard, and the OS installed on a 256MB flashcard. (flash IDE system). The problem is definitely the board itself. It doesn’t post even with the CF removed, the RAM replaced, and a HD in the IDE slot.
MY SOLUTION IDEA: remove the CF card, make an ISO of it and build a new box. I could match the board with a new VIA board (minus flash), and it should just reinstall if booted off a regular HD, or I could build a whole new box and debug the bootup.
- being Linux fs, the Compact Flash shows up as ‘not formatted’ in my Windows 7in1 reader.
- So I booted a box with a 7in1 with Ubuntu, but the card didn’t even show up. None of the card reader USBs automounted.
- So I know I have to get a 7in1 to work under Linux, find out what program to use to make an iso and burn it to CD, and try from there.
In the meantime I am demanding that either the reseller or the manufacturer supply me with the bw manager software, as I paid for it and therefore have the rights to a copy. They’re ‘thinking’ about this. In the meantime I’ve used the AP software to limit everyone to 128K up and 384K down so there’s some minimal mangement on the systems…
EDIT: In the meantime, be warned. The NetEqualizer works really well and is the best product I have run into for the purpose. But now you know the warranty is shit, and the the hardware is way overpriced.