Hello, i've been looking for an excuse to build a diy router with suricata or snort as ids and a whole lot of other services just for fun and learning purposes and maybe increase my chances of getting better jobs opportunities, but mainly for the fun.

i'm trying to decide what nic expansion card to get. the main options, at least in my country, are realtek (rtl8125b) and intel (i-226v)... and those are of generic brands. realtek and intel are just the chipset they claim they ship with. yes, 2.5gbe both of them. A hell of a lot more than what my current isp provides me right now...and probably in the near/mid future. but thats beyond the point xD

besides the trustworthy of those expansion cards, having the chipset they say the have, how is the state of those drivers and the stability in general as of 2026?

i've read a few posts here on reddit, but at least those i found, they are from 2+ years ago. if anyone has been using those and still are, it may help me to choose the right one, or at least not to end up wasting the little money i can spend on this project.

thanks.-

/edit

i'm starting to see a pattern here. i guess the realtek rtl8125b driver is not yet as mature as the intel one. sad to here that. I dont remember having any issues with an onboard realtek nic when i tried openbsd 3 or 4 years ago. In fact i was glad that the card was recognized during installation, unlike freebsd. Granted, i never used that box for long periods of time, or maybe old nics are better supported, rtl8168/69 i dont remember which one exactly, than newer ones.

anyway, thanks for all the feedback

PC info:

uname -a
uname -r
arch -s
cat /etc/installurl
env | grep '^PKG_PATH='
OpenBSD main_pc.my.domain 8.0 GENERIC.MP#72 amd64
8.0
amd64
ttp://mirror.mephi.ru/pub/OpenBSD/

I use latest snapshot.

Error:

doas pkg_add -u
ttp://mirror.mephi.ru/pub/OpenBSD//8.0/packages/amd64/: no such dir
Couldn't find updates for

Thanks

PS: It is not an error in link i made it so reddit won't ban my post.

An oddity I've noticed with the Firefox browser on OpenBSD vs. every single other OS I've used it on is the usual RAM leak doesn't grow completely out of control. I've been using this browser engine since Firebird version 0.6 on various different OSs. Mostly Linux and Windows but on many others. No matter where it's used or how I configure it there has always been the same problem. It will consume more and more RAM and refuse to let it go even if you close all tabs and windows. In time it will consume all the RAM on the system and the only fix is to kill all Firefox processes and re-open it. At which point it will reload all the pages you just had open that were consuming e.g. 8GB of RAM while only needing e.g. 1GB of RAM. Rinse and repeat this every few days.

Now with OpenBSD I've noticed it doesn't have this same pattern of constantly consuming more and more RAM. No matter how many tabs I open up or how long I keep Firefox's processes running it'll only at most take about 3-5% of the RAM on the system. On a laptop I run OpenBSD-current on with 32GB of RAM Firefox will never consume more than about 2GB of RAM. 1GB of that being a mfs mount I have set aside for Firefox. Of that 1GB it hardly ever uses more than 300-400MB of the RAM allocated for it.

What is it about the OpenBSD kernel that prevents this 25+ year old bug that will probably never be fixed from chewing up all RAM on a system? It's surprising to me that the same bug has existed for multiple decades now across a bunch of different OSs I've used the Firefox browser on. It has the memory leak on the NT kernel, the Linux kernel, the other BSDs and a bunch of other UNIX-like OSs I've used over the years. But OpenBSD's kernel can keep it in check.

I've gone out of my way to try to get it to leak memory on OpenBSD by opening up a bunch of youtube tabs and other heavy modern websites. Since youtube seems to be one of the main offenders to getting the browser to chew up RAM on the NT/Linux kernel. But no matter what I try it never exceeds 2GB of used RAM on my OpenBSD-current laptop.

The configuration I'm using for Firefox is mostly the same across all my machines so I know it isn't that. I run the same add-ons and basically the same userchrome/user.js/about:config tweaks on all of them. Nothing I do can tame Firefox on other kernels.

I wonder if the pledge+unveil patches are somehow preventing it from doing what it normally does to leak so much memory. If anyone has some ideas I'm all ears. This is by far one of the most annoying software bugs I've had to deal with on a day-to-day basis since the late 90s/early 2000s.

I like to run my webapps on OpenBSD, for the usual reasons we're all familiar with. However, the development and deployment process is always a bit of a pain; achieving repeatability typically results in a bunch of scripts that are hard to maintain and reuse.

So I am working on a utility ("aqua") that should, ideally, give me a docker-like experience but with OpenBSD images (running locally on qemu, so it can be done on any desktop OS).

The rough development process then becomes:

• write a declarative aqua.yml in your repo root
• run aqua prep, which will read the file and build a master system image with syspatch applied, the necessary user created, database installed, pf ports set up, etc. (This could be done with packer, but instead I do it "the openbsd way" with auto_install.conf etc.). This takes time but it's a one-off: the image will only ever be rebuilt if the configuration changes dramatically, you want to move to another version, or security patches are released.
• run aqua run, which will start an instance based on the master image, copy or checkout project files, configure a service and execute a bunch of hooks, again according to aqua.yml. This is pretty quick. At this point you can check if the app works etc. The instance is left running.
• run aqua run --test, which will do the same but execute automated tests inside the image and shut down.
• run aqua deploy to copy modified files back into a running image and reconfigure it, so you don't have to reboot it after every change. (this might become automatic at some point)
• run aqua ssh to log on the instance and troubleshoot issues, using prebuilt keys automatically
• run aqua stop to end the session and throw away the instance, it will be reconfigured again with the next aqua run
• run aqua prod setup and aqua prod deploy to create production environments that mirror the tested configuration (using terraform, the only 3d-party dependency I would allow).

What do you think ? Would you ever use such a thing?

Here's a sample yml, to give you a rough idea:

name: myapp

runtime:
  type: python

deployment:
  user: app
  service: myapp
  command: /home/myapp/venv/bin/python3 ./app.py
  working_dir: /home/myapp
  ENV_VAR_1: "myvalue1"
  ENV_VAR_2: "myvalue2"

  hooks:

    pre_deploy: 
        - run: python3 -m venv venv
    post_deploy:
        - run_script: ./install-deps.ksh

    pre_start: 
        - run: . /home/myapp/venv/bin/activate
    post_start: []

    healthcheck:
        - run:  ftp -o- http://127.0.0.1:5000

test:
  command: pytest -v
  working_dir: /home/myapp/tests

ports:
  http: 8080
  ssh: 2223

database:
  type: postgres

setup:
  packages: nginx,acme-client

I know it's kinda niche, but I've wanted it for some time, because there are elements of the Docker experience that I miss on OpenBSD. At this point I have built most of it, just missing --test, some db config options and the prod setup.

Dear fellow OpenBSD users/developers. I made a 3D printed OpenBSD Puffy magnet and put it on Etsy. I guess some of you may find it cute and wish to stick it to desktop/server/refrigerator as I did.

Neofetch isn’t available for VAX, so I wrote a small vaxfetch by hand.
Running here on a real VAXstation 3100/m76 32MB with OpenBSD 5.8, displayed on a DEC VT220.

Dedicated to everyone who spent years keeping OpenBSD alive on old and unusual hardware.
Puffy belongs on a VAX.

This is my second post here. Last time I installed openbsd but my knowledge was limited, and I hadn't configured or installed anything.

Since then:

I've learned more about openbsd and bsd in general

I installed fastfetch to larp (obviously)

Switched from fxwm to dwm

Configured and setup wireless wifi

Will post a part 3 when I rice dwm on it

Hey, I am kind of new to networking in OpenBSD, and I was trying to turn a laptop I had into a second "router" that would filter all packets going through my switch and send them wirelessly to my main router.

I've tried both bridges and setting routing up via pf.conf, however I wasn't able to route my traffic to WAN, I've only been able to route traffic on my switch. (by setting the laptop's local IP as a gateway on my devices)

Does anyone have a guide or some manpages on how to do this? I essentially just want to route all (non-local) traffic from em0 to athn0 and vice versa, while (hopefully) appearing as a single device to the main router.

For this Quick Study Guide https://www.barcharts.com/quickstudy-unix-laminated-reference-guide-9781572223974/ for Unix it shows an odd file structure I am having difficulty understanding. This is the part "The Unix File System" where they have a root directory structure

OpenBSD

/ root home, usr, tmp, etc, bin, dev, var, proc FROM usr - lib, bin, local, sbin FROM etc - lpvs FROM dev - dsk FROM var - log, mail, spool, adm, proc

FROM dsk - log, mail, spool, adm, proc

Why is /dev/dsk/log, mail, spool, adm, proc & /var/log, mail, spool, adm, proc

showing what appears to be a shared directory of "log, mail, spool, adm, proc" folders? Or do both /dev/dsk & /var both contain their own versions of "log, mail, spool, adm, proc" folders?

Linux

/ root home, usr, tmp, etc, bin, dev, var, proc, root, opt, sbin FROM usr - bin, lib, sbin, doc, src FROM etc - rc.d, sysconfig FROM var - log, spool, mail

FROM rc.d - init.d FROM sysconfig - network scripts, daemons

Why is Linux's file system different? Why didn't they just stick with the Unix File System Folder Structure?

Anyone who knows OpenBSD history knows why there is no way to set %gs from userland? There are no syscalls (on amd64, I know I386 sets %gs), and os always parks values at 0 for userland.

Is it a security decision? Swapgs vulnerabilities? The fact that only reason to have it is to simplify windows "not emulation" and supporting it is not the goal of OpenBSD?

Installing current on a T14G2 - Intel i7-11g 16gig ram.

The fan is continously spinning after powering on. Just the bare bones base install ...I have not installed any packages as yet. Happens on AC power as well as battery.

It originally had Win11 pro and it was fine -- started immediately after the first boot with OpenBSD.

Already tried setting hw.perfpolicy=auto,auto - but no change. Is there a know issue with this generation Thinkpads ?

My other maching a T14s -Gen1 i5 -- the fan never spins. Temps are in the same range. 40-53 degrees.

------

Hmm ...another thing I noticed just now -- the fan is spinning even when the lid is closed or when I suspend using zzz !!

--------

Thanks all.

Hi is there someone that might now, how to make the mic work on my T490 I mean webcam works flawless but mic does not record anything at all. I hope someone out there know some tips and tricks ?

I am running into a strange situation. On a fresh OpenBSD install running -current, I have a US keyboard with which I wish to use an international layout in order to be able to type French/latin accents using dead keys.

Typing setxkbmap us intl on the go in the command line works. But putting it (or any variant) in the .xsession (executable or not) makes xenodm apparently crash and start again when logging in is successful. Nothing particular is displayed in .xsession-errors.

What could be wrong ?

I’d like to tinker and explore with OpenBSD, but I’m not really sure where to start. I’m seeking ideas for something that would be educational to me.

What’s something I could do in a relatively small time box that will let me experience some of OpenBSD’s strengths?

The only idea I’ve come up with so far is setting up a bastion/jump server for my home lab. Not too exciting, but it’s something. 😅

I have previous experience with FreeBSD, I’m comfortable with terminal/shell (don’t need a desktop/gui), and I’m an experienced programmer. What has me interested in OpenBSD is it seems to be hostile toward user mode processes due to its strictness and “fail hard” philosophy. It caught my attention, at least.

I’m just bored and curious, looking for relatively small tinkering ideas. Thanks!

I actually just got into the history and philosophy of it today, and as a hardcore GNU+Linux minimalist that highly values security and simplicity, this is really the peak of operating systems.

I love the founder's dedication and uncompormising philosophy, and while I don't agree with everything he says (particularly licensing), his perspective on linux and gnu really opened my eyes.

I hope I can get more into openbsd and contribute to it in the future because it truly is wonderful.

(I had something planned today, so I sadly had to leave the house before I could install fastfetch, so until I get back home, the login screen will do)

I run -current and update to new snapshots sometimes daily but usually bi-weekly depending on what's happening on the mailing lists and how close new stable releases are. I typically update packages/ports via pkg_add -u usually daily or at least every few days. Again to help with testing.

I've noticed that sometimes pkg_add -u runs very slow. At first I thought this was an issue with my ISP or LAN. But after awhile I figured out that I must be requesting updates from the mirror I use when the mirror's server is fetching updates (or building updated packages?). Same is true of fetching snapshots if I do it at the same time of course. This is the difference between pkg_add -u taking a couple of minutes to 20-30+ minutes on a 1Gbps connection and fetching snapshots taking 2-3 minutes vs. sometimes 30+ minutes.

I would prefer that I not hit the mirror(s) when this is going on so I don't place extra load on the mirror server(s) when they're doing whatever they're doing that causes this. So my question is: Is there a way to check this is happening to the mirror I'm using that doesn't involve running sysupgrade -s / pkg_add -u and waiting to see if it's running slow. If not: Does anyone know the regular schedule when the mirrors fetch/build updates?

Most of the time I'm usually using the New York, NY https mirror. But sometimes I'm using the Berkeley, CA https mirror depending on travel schedule. I've also used the San Fran, CA and the Nomi, Ishikawa mirrors in the past when traveling along with various mirrors in Germany. I understand not all mirrors update at the same time as that is impossible. Just knowing the New York and Berkeley schedules would be very helpful.

One of my concerns with this is not having the snapshot I'm using (and firmware) and packages falling too far out of sync with each other. Packages aren't a huge deal since running pkg_add -u on an older snapshot will simply fail gracefully if a package is built against a new lib or something. But again: don't want to place extra load on the mirrors since I understand running them isn't free for the project.

I also get that adding an option to check that the mirror is currently building/updating packages would add complexity. But surely a "this server is currently updating check back later" message/option wouldn't add much complexity. Or perhaps there is something I could script using pkg_add -s to run a check before invoking pkg_add -u?

I also understand that the extra wait really isn't a big deal. If I notice it I typically cancel and just try again later. But I don't know if I've just gotten unlucky or mirrors were taking an extra long time to update but I've sometimes checked back multiple times multiple hours between tries only to encounter pkg_add crawling through checking my installed packages. When I've asked about that in the past I was told it was because I was using the default Fastly CDN. Which is why I started using the https or ftp mirrors nearest to me at the time. But then a month or so later I started running into the same issue with them.

Again I know it isn't on my end and it's on the mirror's end. Since I've checked that over the course of several months now.

Another thought I've had: Is this due to AI scraper bots or something? I never had this issue when syncing /usr/ports and /usr/src over cvs (I do this at least weekly so perhaps I just have gotten lucky and not encountered the same slow down there yet).

I'm doing this on an amd64 arch machine so I know it isn't just because I'm on an older/slower arch. I understand some of those take a week+ to build new packages.

Anyway, just looking to learn more about how the infrastructure behind the mirrors work and how updates trickle through the various mirrors.

Last question: Are the CDNs updated first and then those updates trickle down to the ftp/http mirrors or is it the other way around?

EDIT: I ended up typing up a new bug report, saving the file, and copying it to another machine where I used a normal email client and a normal email address to send it. Thanks for all the advice

ORIGINAL QUESTION BELOW:

My general understanding of email is that getting yourself set up to send mail from a host is a pain. You gotta have a domain and hostname that's real, maybe an Mx record or something, there's various authenticating voodoo to do.

But the standard way of submitting a bug from an openBSD install is... just sending an email from that host. Is there any way that will just work out of the box, say on a laptop I'm installing OpenBSD on, at my home, behind a NAT? Or will my bug report disappear into the ether along with all the other low-effort SMTP traffic from spammers?

I'm wondering because I finally decided to try sending a bug report based on the fact that I can't get an IP address from my home router. (Note that I *was* online via ethernet when I sent the bug! It's just wifi that I can't connect with) I sent the report off into the ether with sendbug a day ago, and I've been watching the bugs mailing list web page to see if it shows up, and it hasn't. So I'm assuming it never made it.

But I thought I'd ask whether theoretically it ought to have made it somehow.

Hi all! Is that possible like OPNsense to allow me to override system hostname on each NIC?

Thank you!

Hello folks,

I have a relatively large SDD (2TB) and when I run the openbsd installer it partitions out ~600GB of it and leaves the rest unused. I understand that I can manually partition or edit the partitions that are recommended but I'm wondering if there are any documentation or guides out there on doing so _particularly_ when using disk encryption.

In general I would like my /home, /var, and /tmp to be much larger.

Thanks in advance!

OpenBSD 8.0 beta running on a Sun Ultra 24.
Window Maker, xterm, xcompmgr and some old-school dockapps.
Next stop: OPEN LOOK

DWL 0.8 dev under Wayland is working now. DWL is patched with the ipc patch, gaps patch, autostart patch and alwayscenter. The bar is waybar, terminal is foot. Sometimes I forget it's not DWM.

It's running stable so far. Just wanted to test if I can get this to work