Navigating to Buy pfSense +
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@RobbieTT Nothing is set in stone, and only NG knows the true motives behind all of this.
As @Darkk indicated above, a lab environment involves constant rebuilding. What happens to the install instance when the hardware (physical or virtual) changes...
License no longer valid?
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What happens about beta testing?
Do you still pay $129 a year to join a beta tester club?
Usually beta testers get some kind of reward in exchange for bug reporting. -
For me personally i am ok with $129 per year.
I am a home user and have a Sophos UTM425 appliance that i have pfsense installed, i do not change or test any hardware, just use it to secure my home.
For a lab and test environment i can understand the frustration
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@GPz1100 said in Navigating to Buy pfSense +:
@RobbieTT Nothing is set in stone, and only NG knows the true motives behind all of this.
I held an optimistic view too but this latest statement is post-weekend and any remorseful thinking time.
Yep, I fell for it.
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@HorstZimmermann said in Navigating to Buy pfSense +:
For a lab and test environment i can understand the frustration
It is, (IMHO) also for a modest Home-User by far to much (129$/y) ...
(Maybe a special offer to Forum/Community/Redmine - User would be a walk able way ... I think) -
@RobbieTT We all fall for it
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Something like Mikrotik licensing will fly better with the community.
License Levels
After installation RouterOS runs in trial mode. You have 24 hours to register for Level1 (Free demo) or purchase a Level 4,5 or 6 license and paste a valid key.
Level 3 is a wireless station (client or CPE) only license. For x86 PCs, Level3 is not available for purchase individually.
Level 2 was a transitional license from old legacy (pre 2.8) license format. These licenses are not available any more, if you have this kind of license, it will work, but to upgrade it - you will have to purchase a new license.
The difference between license levels is shown in the table below.
Price no key registration required not for sale $45 $95 $250
Wireless AP mode (PtMP) 24h trial - no yes yes yes
PPPoE tunnels 24h trial 1 200 200 500 unlimited
PPTP tunnels 24h trial 1 200 200 500 unlimited
L2TP tunnels 24h trial 1 200 200 500 unlimited
OVPN tunnels 24h trial 1 200 200 unlimited unlimited
EoIP tunnels 24h trial 1 unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited
VLAN interfaces 24h trial 1 unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited
Queue rules 24h trial 1 unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimited
HotSpot active users 24h trial 1 1 200 500 unlimited
User manager active sessions 24h trial 1 10 20 50 Unlimited
Bonding interfaces 24h trial 1 unlimited unlimited unlimited unlimitedAll Licenses:
never expire (a running and licensed router can be used indefinitely)
can use unlimited number of interfaces
are for one installation each
offer unlimited software upgrades (exception - demo license does not allow ROS version upgrade (started from 7.8)) -
So really, nothing has changed except the price of how much it would cost.
CE will only be updated for users this go round, and it will gradually be put into the ground.
I think @RobbieTT said it best above.
"Madness."
Good luck everyone, I hope you are satisfied with this decision. I am off to find a new solution.
o7
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Hah, shame on me for test driving 23.09 beta, now I won't get 23.09 full version and can't downgrade to CE either due to mismatched config versions.
I guess I'll either need to revert to an old config, or rebuild everything from scratch in opnsense.
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@HorstZimmermann said in Navigating to Buy pfSense +:
For me personally i am ok with $129 per year.
new blog post: https://www.netgate.com/blog/netgate-pfsense-plus-tac-lite-available-for-129-per-year
Pre-2.7.2/23.09: Only install packages for your version, or risk breaking it. Select your branch in System/Update/Update Settings.
When upgrading, allow 10-15 minutes to restart, or more depending on packages and device speed.
Upvote 👍 helpful posts! -
@SteveITS oh it is online, thanks
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@adam-lantos Been researching company history and lawsuits, had not realized what a dysfunctional company I'd contracted with!
I empathise with your situation; my short-term goal is leaving all options open.
I have three units, my live home router with Plus and TAC-LITE, a cold backup with Plus and H&L and a recently created one with CE using an import from my live plus unit.
I'm now taking disk images of backup unit, tomorrow I'll take the CE unit live and image the existing live unit. I hope this means I have a way back in all scenarios.
I guess I'm going opnsense, its only replacing pfBlockeNG which is holding me back.
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@AMG-A35
Yeah, quite some reading. -
How to encourage and reward beta testers?
Well, here is one example to consider @NetGate
I have been beta-testing Quicken for many years and several years ago they moved to a subscription model. Here is what they did.
They made the beta test program open to all (current users) and every year they waive an annual subscription cost based on a beta tester's participation.
Frankly, I don't know how they determine the level of good vs bad participation as I never was denied a waiver.
But this sounds like something that can be considered for pfSense as well.
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$129 is a bit steep for home use, maybe something like $50-60 with community support only would have been nice...
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@adam-lantos said in Navigating to Buy pfSense +:
now I won't get 23.09 full version and can't downgrade to CE either due to mismatched config versions.
I think 23.09 is the last they will give us. And then wait for CE 2.8
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Looks like they're offering a 23% discount for Tac Lite (you will see the discount code via the top banner) which brings it down to $99.33 for one year. If you pick two year the discount would also apply which would bring it to 198.66.
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@Darkk They are still out of the money for me.
Ted
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yup, me too. $0
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Definitely a disappointing turn of events, and for a home lab user $129 per year is just far too steep for me personally. A perpetual licence to 'help the cause' (with the ability for easy migration and VM use-cases) I would have done, but I'm not paying to also then beta test as well as supporting people via other channels.
Yes, I could run CE (though, need to look at the path back from 23.09 RC to CE), but part of the home lab interest for me is the strive for continual improvement (and tinkering - where the boot environments is useful).
Do I dig out an old board to run opnsense on to test/setup - maybe/probably. But, the thing is, I actually quite liked the pfsense+ experience (hence why I would have paid a perpetual licence). Damn.
