FreeBSD is an advanced operating system that powers modern servers, desktops, and embedded platforms. Developed by a large community for over thirty years, it has continuously evolved to meet modern computing needs.
Boasting advanced networking, security, and storage features, this platform is widely adopted as the solution of choice for both the busiest websites and the most pervasive embedded networking and storage devices.
FreeBSD provides robust kernel support for stateful IP firewalling, complemented by a range of advanced services. These capabilities encompass IP proxy gateways, access control lists, mandatory access control, jail-based virtual hosting, and cryptographically protected storage.
FreeBSD offers robust security features, including encryption software, secure shells (SSH), Kerberos authentication, and ‘virtual servers’ implemented through jails. Additionally, it supports chroot-ing services to limit application access to specific file system areas and Secure RPC facilities. Furthermore, it leverages TCP wrappers to control access to network services.
FreeBSD Features:
- Internet services. FreeBSD stands as an ideal platform for many Internet Service Providers (ISPs), expertly handling WWW, Usenet news, FTP, Email, and other vital services. Its ecosystem of ready-to-run software, including the Apache web server and ProFTPD FTP server, facilitates the easy establishment of both business and community-centered ISPs.
- X Window workstation. The system comes equipped with Free X software (X.Org), offering native NVIDIA drivers for high-performance graphics hardware and supporting industry-standard Motif and OpenGL libraries. Users benefit from full support for both the KDE and GNOME desktop environments. Furthermore, it provides robust office suite functionality, complemented by additional capabilities in OpenOffice.org and TextMaker.
- Networking. From packet filtering to routing to name service, FreeBSD can turn any PC into an Internet firewall, email host, print server, PC/NFS server, and more.
- Software development. A suite of development tools includes the GNU C/C++ compiler and debugger. You can also choose from various popular and powerful editors, including XEmacs and Vim.
- Net surfing. A real UNIX workstation makes a great Internet surfboard. Firefox and Opera are available for serious web users. Surf the web, publish your web pages, read Usenet news, and send and receive email on your desktop.
- And much more. From accounting and action games to MIS databases, scientific visualization, and video conferencing, this OS finds real-world application today in Internet Relay Chat (IRC), home automation, multiuser dungeons, bulletin board systems, image scanning, and beyond.
Cutting-edge features
FreeBSD offers advanced networking, performance, security, and compatibility features today that are still missing in other operating systems, even some of the best commercial ones.
Powerful Internet solutions
FreeBSD stands as an ideal Internet or Intranet server, capable of providing robust network services even under the heaviest loads. It achieves this by efficiently utilizing memory to ensure excellent response times for thousands of simultaneous user processes.
Run a huge number of applications.
The quality of FreeBSD, combined with today’s low-cost, high-speed PC hardware, makes this operating system a very economical alternative to commercial UNIX workstations. It is good for a great number of both desktop and server applications.
Easy to install
You can install this operating system from various media, including CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, floppy disk, magnetic tape, and an MS-DOS partition. Or if you have a network connection, you can install it directly over anonymous FTP or NFS. All you need are these directions.
Free to use
FreeBSD is available at no cost and includes full source code. For more information on purchasing or downloading a copy to try, visit the official website.
Minimum Hardware Requirements
Supported hardware architectures and devices for a FreeBSD release are outlined on the Release Information page. The download page offers guidance on selecting the appropriate image for various architectures.
An installation requires a minimum of 96 MB of RAM and 1.5 GB of free hard drive space. However, these minimal requirements are suitable only for custom applications, such as embedded appliances. General-purpose desktop systems require more resources, with 2–4 GB of RAM and at least 8 GB of hard drive space being a good starting point.
A summary of this information is given in the following sections. Depending on the method you choose to install FreeBSD, you may also need a supported CD-ROM drive and, in some cases, a network adapter.
i386
i386 requires a 486 or better processor and at least 64 MB of RAM. A minimum of 1.1 GB of free hard drive space is essential for even the most basic installation.
Note: On old computers, increasing RAM and hard drive space is usually more effective at improving performance than installing a faster processor.
amd64
AMD64 can be run on two distinct processor classes. The primary class consists of true AMD64 processors, exemplified by the AMD Athlon 64, AMD Athlon 64 FX, and AMD Opteron — along with their successors.
The second class of processors compatible with AMD64 includes those using the Intel EM64T architecture. Examples include the Intel Core 2 Duo, Quad, and Extreme processor families; the Intel Xeon 3000, 5000, and 7000 series; and the Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 processors.
If you have a machine based on an Nvidia nForce3 Pro-150, you must use the BIOS setup to disable the IO APIC. Should that option be absent, it will likely be necessary to disable ACPI as an alternative. There are bugs in the Pro-150 chipset for which we have not yet found a workaround.
PowerPC Apple Macintosh
All New World Apple Macintosh systems with built-in USB are supported. SMP is supported on machines with multiple CPUs.
A 32-bit kernel can only use the first 2 GB of RAM. FireWire® is supported on the Blue & White Power Mac G3.
sparc64
Systems supported by SPARC64 are listed in the sparc64 Project.
A dedicated disk is required for SPARC64; sharing a disk with another operating system is not supported.
