Freesco :: Replacement Control Panel for Freesco

The built-in web control panel that comes with Freesco v0.3.0 is nice and compact, but it lacks a few key features, and isn't particularly user-friendly.

FreePanel is a replacement web control panel that aims to make Freesco administration an even simpler task.

FreePanel v0.1.1BETA is now available for testing!



Why FreePanel?

Some of FreePanel's features include:
  • Complete DNS Management
  • Crontab task scheduling
  • Port forwarding setup
  • Service management
  • IP banning
  • User management
  • Logfile viewing & reports
  • Web console commandline
For screenshots, click here.



Why not FreePanel?

The main drawback to FreePanel is that it's about twice the size of the default web control panel (approx. 35KB), and only leaves about 12KB free on a stock Freesco floppy.

If you're running low on space, FreePanel is probably not for you. If you're just using Freesco as a basic Ethernet router, however, you shouldn't have any problems installing FreePanel.



How much does it cost?

It's free, of course! FreePanel is released under the GNU General Public License.



Can I try it?

Screenshots are here. Sorry, there's no online demo (as much as I'd love to have the general public playing with my firewall configuration :).



How do I get it?

Visit the Download Page for download and installation instructions.



MiniFAQ

Q: Is FreePanel still under development?
A: Unfortunately, my own networking requirements are rather complex, and quite some time ago I found that Freesco was no longer able to meet my needs. I am now running a custom Debian-based firewall, and as such, I have discontinued my work on FreePanel.

Update 21/May/05: I'm getting a lot of E-mails from folks asking if I'll be releasing a new version of FreePanel for Freesco v0.3.4. As stated above, I'm no longer using Freesco and thus I've discontinued work on it. I'm afraid I'm very busy with other programming work at my day job, and my spare time is filled with a number of other personal and OSS coding projects, so unless someone wants to sponsor FreePanel development I will no longer be working on it regardless of any new Freesco releases.

Q: Will FreePanel work with Freesco v0.3.2?
A: Yes, mostly - but some things (such as DNS) will be broken.

Q: Will FreePanel work with Freesco v0.3.0 or v0.3.1?
A: Yup, absolutely.

Q: Does it work on Freesco v0.2.7?
A: No. 0.2.7 is significantly different than 0.3.x, and 0.2.7 compatibility would pretty much require a total rewrite.

Q: Are you planning to make an 0.2.7-compatible version?
A: No.

Q: Will FreePanel become a built-in part of the "stock" Freesco?
A: No. FreePanel is huge compared to the stock Freesco control panel, and it would use up what little space remains on the stock Freesco floppy. FreePanel will be maintained as a third-party package. (Please don't bug the Freesco team about this! :)

Q: Why not make it look funkier?
A: The goal of FreePanel was to achieve decent looks, while maintaining an extremely small size. I would have liked to add more eye candy, but then it wouldn't have fit on a floppy.

Q: Where did my dial-up settings go?
A: When you're in Ethernet mode, they're hidden. Switch to dial-up mode first.

Q: Where do I change modes, update DynDNS, etc.?
A: All of these functions are available under "System Control" on the nav bar.

Q: I have another question - where can I get help?
A: Visit the 3rd Party Package Support for FREESCO v0.3.x Forum at the Freesco Forums.

Q: I found a bug!
A: Yes, you probably did. I had it working great, but then I optimized it for size and broke a few things. I think I've fixed most of it, but you might find the odd glitch.


Support

Please remember that FreePanel is a third-party product (created by me). I'm not affiliated with the Freesco team, so please don't bug them about problems with FreePanel. :)

If you have a question, feel free to post it in the 3rd Party Package Support for FREESCO v0.3.x Forum at the Freesco Forums. I check in occasionally, and there are many other helpful people there on a regular basis as well. You can also E-mail me at the address above, if you don't care for forums.