RB1100 - Overclocking results

roc-noc.com · Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:46 am

Good news. My preliminary tests show that the RB1100 might be quite reliable when overclocked to 1GHz.

I have been testing new brands of RAM with RB1100 boards this week. I decided to test several of them with all available CPU and RAM speed settings.

The default speed as shipped is 800MHz CPU and 400MHz for RAM.
The bottom available speed is 333MHz CPU and 333MHz for RAM. The top available speed is 1066MHz for CPU speed and 533MHz for RAM.

With the RAM that I consider compatible, I didn't have a single failure at any of the speeds. I am now running a test unit at high speed for the next few days to see how it handles the extra clock speed.

I'd like to hear from others that are overclocking RB1100 or RB800 units which are very similar.

Tom

TKITFrank · Fri Jan 07, 2011 12:25 pm

Hi,

My test RB800 @home with 2 R52n + noname CF and running ROS 5.0rc7

Normal settings

/system routerboard settings print

baud-rate: 115200
boot-delay: 2s
enter-setup-on: any-key
boot-device: nand-if-fail-then-ethernet
cpu-frequency: 800MHz
memory-data-rate: 400DDR
boot-protocol: bootp
enable-jumper-reset: yes
force-backup-booter: no
silent-boot: no

Available options...
CPU

/system routerboard settings change-frequency frequency=?
Frequency ::= 1000MHz | 1200MHz | 400MHz | 600MHz | 800MHz

Memory

/system routerboard settings set memory-data-rate=?
MemoryDataRate ::= 333DDR | 400DDR | 533DDR

Overclocked

/system routerboard settings print

baud-rate: 115200
boot-delay: 2s
enter-setup-on: any-key
boot-device: nand-if-fail-then-ethernet
cpu-frequency: 1200MHz
memory-data-rate: 400DDR
boot-protocol: bootp
enable-jumper-reset: yes
force-backup-booter: no
silent-boot: no

Temperature

/system health print

fan-mode: manual
use-fan: main
active-fan: main
voltage: 51.1V
cpu-temperature: 59C

I have not tried to change memory rate...
system routerboard settings set memory-data-rate=533Mhz

I guess this would make it a 1333Mhz? But I don't know how the R52n cards will react.

roc-noc.com · Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:15 pm

What RouterBoot version are you running in this 800? I am not seeing the 1200 MHz option with RouterBoot 2.9 on a RB1100 running ROS 5.0rc7.

Tom

TKITFrank · Fri Jan 07, 2011 6:23 pm

I am running 2.29

kapulan · Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:20 pm

One year working fine rb800 to full heat outdoor cabinet ,processor overclock to 1333mhz. Amazing speed and great performance the network.

TKITFrank · Fri Jan 07, 2011 11:59 pm

One year working fine rb800 to full heat outdoor cabinet ,processor overclock to 1333mhz. Amazing speed and great performance the network.

What is your temperature and settings + radio interface kapulan?

disca · Mon Jan 10, 2011 1:46 am

I've just installed an RB1100 set to 1066Mhz CPU/533Mhz Ram in our DC. today. Boot 2.29. ROS 4.16.

Rack in DC isn't particularly well cooled - cpu is at 51C - rises to 59C when taxed to 100% cpu for 5 minutes. Is running maybe 10C hotter then ambient in our office here.

I have no stability issues in a weeks "testing" - will see how it does in DC.

freethought · Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:09 am

We have had a pair of RB1100 devices in one of our racks in a professionally run UK data centre (i.e. decent controlled ambient temperature, redundant CRACs etc.) running at 1333MHz with 533MHz RAM since May/June last year and they have been perfectly stable with a very respectable temperature:

routerboard: yes
model: "1100"
serial-number: "xxx"
current-firmware: "2.27"
upgrade-firmware: "2.27"

baud-rate: 115200
boot-delay: 2s
boot-device: nand-if-fail-then-ethernet
enter-setup-on: any-key
cpu-frequency: 1333MHz
memory-frequency: 533MHz
boot-protocol: bootp
enable-jumper-reset: yes
force-backup-booter: no
silent-boot: no

uptime: 5w2d14h25m24s
version: "4.11"
free-memory: 703784kB
total-memory: 1555964kB
cpu: "e500v2"
cpu-count: 1
cpu-frequency: 1333MHz
cpu-load: 3
free-hdd-space: 480952kB
total-hdd-space: 520192kB
write-sect-since-reboot: 3189238
write-sect-total: 12930005
bad-blocks: 0.1%
architecture-name: "powerpc"
board-name: "RB1100"
platform: "MikroTik"

fan-mode: auto
use-fan: main
active-fan: main
voltage: 13.5V
temperature: 20C
cpu-temperature: 25C

These have multiple internal and external BGP feeds and do all of our routing both between VLANs and out to the internet, so they see a good work out 24/7.

meno · Tue Jan 25, 2011 12:16 am

ive running mine @ 1333Mhz

hedele · Tue Jan 25, 2011 10:12 pm

Does anyone know if the stock RAM is capable of running at 533 MHz?
I might consider a RB1100 as suitable replacement for dying RB1000's if I can reliably clock them to 1333/533 MHz...

meno · Wed Jan 26, 2011 1:45 am

Does anyone know if the stock RAM is capable of running at 533 MHz?
I might consider a RB1100 as suitable replacement for dying RB1000's if I can reliably clock them to 1333/533 MHz...

yes it does im using it

sariao · Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:27 am

Greetings

how did you manage to change CPU frequency? when i used change-frequency command it gave me:

/system routerboard settings change-frequency frequency=?
Frequency ::= 1000MHz | 400MHz | 600MHz | 800MHz

when i try to change the frequency higher or lower it say:

 /system routerboard settings change-frequency frequency=1000
frequency is not suported on this board

then when i tried to change memory rate to 533 CPU jump to 1066MHz for about 20 sec then memory rate get back to 400 , result where as follow:

/system routerboard settings set memory-data-rate=533
/system routerboard settings print
            baud-rate: 115200
           boot-delay: 2s
          boot-device: nand-if-fail-then-ethernet
       enter-setup-on: any-key
        cpu-frequency: 1066MHz
     memory-data-rate: 533DDR
        boot-protocol: bootp
  enable-jumper-reset: yes
  force-backup-booter: no
          silent-boot: no

/system routerboard settings> /sys resource print
                   uptime: 34m41s
                  version: "4.16"
              free-memory: 1009232kB
             total-memory: 1036540kB
                      cpu: "e500v2"
                cpu-count: 1
            cpu-frequency: 799MHz
                 cpu-load: 0
           free-hdd-space: 460820kB
          total-hdd-space: 520192kB
  write-sect-since-reboot: 2147
         write-sect-total: 48890
               bad-blocks: 0%
        architecture-name: "powerpc"
               board-name: "RB1100"
                 platform: "MikroTik"

after 20 sec

baud-rate: 115200
           boot-delay: 2s
          boot-device: nand-if-fail-then-ethernet
       enter-setup-on: any-key
        cpu-frequency: 800MHz
     memory-data-rate: 400DDR
        boot-protocol: bootp
  enable-jumper-reset: yes
  force-backup-booter: no
          silent-boot: no

i am running firmware 2.30

any ideas?

BR

disca · Wed Jan 26, 2011 11:35 am

Sariao. I had the same problem - you just have to play around with it.

I suspect the best way to do it is via serial port/bootloader as like you the 1333mhz option doesnt appear in winbox/CLI for me.

Change your ram frequency to 533mhz first then reboot and you should see different cpu frequency options.

freethought · Wed Jan 26, 2011 12:01 pm

I changed ours from RouterBOOT via the serial console:

Change the RAM to 533MHz
Reboot and run the built in RAM test utility
Change the processor to 1333MHz
Reboot and run the built in RAM test utility

Wed Jan 26, 2011 12:19 pm

1333MHz was included by accident, this device is not meant to run at this speed. Only some versions of RouterBOARD 1100 will show this as an option.

sariao · Wed Jan 26, 2011 12:21 pm

Thanks guys that was useful.

Another Thing, does anyone tried to utilize the microSD for web caching ?
i used it for usermaneger and it worked just fine, but when i use it for web caching the router CPU jump to 100% and the router disconnect every time Webproxy tries to load or save anything to microSD cache!

anybody had the same issue?

Wed Jan 26, 2011 12:30 pm

microSD speed is not so good, if many writes/reads are done, CPU will climb.

hedele · Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:29 pm

OK, so what is the maximum "non-accidential" Speed a RB800 or RB1100 can be overclocked to?

disca · Fri Jan 28, 2011 7:49 pm

hedele: 1066Mhz on my RB1100. Can't comment on RB800.

hedele · Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:41 pm

Thanks for the quick reply, disca.
1066 is still a nice chunk slower than the old RB 1000, but still better than nothing...

@MT Staff: Isn't it possible to re-enable 1333 MHz with a RouterBoot Upgrade?
We are really dependent on every CPU cycle we can get for pushing traffic through...

Right now, if an RB 1000 were to fail, I would have to replace it with something way slower, or go the experimental route
with some x86 Appliance for 5-times the amount of money and then have a lot of problems resulting from multi-core usage...

disca · Fri Jan 28, 2011 8:50 pm

hedele: we have the same dilema re. replacement hardware should an RB1000U die. I wish the RB1100 had been a more powerful RB1000 CPU wise.

Hopefully they will address the gap in their product line up soon.

sariao · Sat Jan 29, 2011 2:05 am

Mhz rate is not evrything where both RB1000 and RB1100 are using almost the same processors family "PowerPC e500". where RB1100 is using e500v2 which has more advanced key improvements on older e500v1, i am not sure about RB1000 core. i know it is MPC8547 but it could be v1 or v2
how ever these processors made to handle up to 1.5Ghz so overclocking it to 1333Mhz would not be a problem i guess!

disca · Sat Jan 29, 2011 12:00 pm

sariao: Both show as e500v2 in mikrotik software.

sariao · Sun Jan 30, 2011 8:46 am

Well after second thought I am not sure if over-clocking is a good idea!
Yesterday i was implementing my 1st RB1100 which i changed the memory rate to 533 and CPU to 1066Mhz. the router stop responding for no reason about 4 times in 6 hours where i had to unplug the power cord to make it work again. every time i hard restart the router it start working normally without any configuration changes. how ever i reseted the memory rate again to 400 so the CPU drooped to 800Mhz and till now i had no hang up reported so far.

Any comments?

disca · Sun Jan 30, 2011 12:59 pm

sariao: Was it definately during normal usage and not on reboot?

If you have changed the memory & frequency and the routerboard doesn't "like" it - then on reboot it will hang. You have to pull the power to get it back up.

sariao · Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:07 pm

Yes. the router has been rebooted during memory rate changing procedure and it did like the 533Mhz
that was 3 days before the implementation day.

disca · Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:42 pm

sariao: what temperatures/voltages etc are you running at?

sariao · Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:50 pm

Max temp reached was 31c the voltage is between 2.5 and 2.6.
i am using this router as hotspot along with MAC authentication by usermanager, i am utilizing 10 ports out of 13
i have 8 DSL lines connected to it, each line can reach up to 20mbps, and i have about 80 users with rate limit of 4mbps / user

ROS: 4.16
RB: 2.30
Memory: 1GB

disca · Sun Jan 30, 2011 1:57 pm

"voltage is between 2.5 and 2.6" - rated input is 12-24VDC.

Rest of it sounds normal. Id probably just try with the 512Mb that came with it overclocked to 533/1066 as its very likely to be the memory you added and not CPU/System instability IMHO.

sariao · Sun Jan 30, 2011 2:05 pm

for the voltage i missed the 1. it is 12.5~12.6
for the memory changing i did not have the chance to try that, i will if any problem again reported.

Beccara · Mon Jan 31, 2011 7:47 am

Overclocking a device designed to be a core router? Really?
It will be more unstable

hedele · Mon Jan 31, 2011 8:07 pm

I never said it would be used as a core device...
Our core devices push in excess of 10 Gbits, so there is no way in hell any amount of RB 1000s (or any MTik device at all) could cope with that.

However, the RB 1100 is "just too slow" to use for a single Gbit Link (be it in the distribution or access layer), regarding the packets per second throughput.

Ideally, there would be a RB which is capable of pushing a full gigabit in 64-byte packets (2 Million PPS) to be safe in DDoS events as well.
To be honest though, I don't see that happening regarding Mikrotiks "but nobody needs this!!" attitude ...

Tue Feb 01, 2011 8:26 am

To be honest though, I don't see that happening

I'll write that down somewhere. And I will lock this thread.

RB1100 - Overclocking results

RB1100 - Overclocking results

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