Netgate 4200 - Let down
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I received two 4200s I ordered back in January. Seriously let down on the poor quality. The ports are labelled Port 1, 2, 3, 4 no indication of what is WAN or LAN. The case has no labels/design, just a white box that says nothing on it. Still has the LEDs that cannot really be configured, without development knowledge that isn't documented as best I can tell. Of course there is the 3 month wait between the 4100 being cancelled and the 4200 being shipped. This has been a serious let down for me. If I want random unlabeled ports on an unlabeled box, there are thousands of options out there for a lot less money or wait. Then there is the cover on the front for some ports that are undocumented and the cover on the bottom for what looks like programming ports but nothing user serviceable. Just looks like something that was thrown together, like you would get on AliExpress as opposed to a quality product from a reputable company.
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@Cyphon said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
The ports are labelled Port 1, 2, 3, 4 no indication of what is WAN or LAN
well in fairness they are discrete ports so any port can be LAN or WAN as stated in the documentation.
Other than a cosmetic issue, what specifically is the problem? -
@michmoor said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
well in fairness they are discrete ports so any port can be LAN or WAN
I was about to say the same thing, just to add, this is a common thing that people usually complain about..
In my case, I'm using a WAN port as LAN, so it is incorrectly labeled now.
Edit: I have a SG-4100 -
@mcury I dont think theres an actual issue here tbh..
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@michmoor said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
@mcury I dont think theres an actual issue here tbh..
I think that ports labelled as 1,2,3,4 are a better approach than LAN/WAN.
I'm fine with LAN/WAN also.. np for me, I really love my SG-4100.. :) -
@mcury said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
I think that ports labelled as 1,2,3,4 are a better approach than LAN/WAN.
agreed. I much rather prefer the numbering rather than using a defined label such as LAN/WAN.
Its what enterprise gear also uses as well. Look at any Juniper or Cisco switch and its eth1/1 or ge-0/0/0. No difference...Ports can be L2 or L3 -
I can get past the port labelling. It's all the rest on top of it. For this class firewall though you wouldn't expect a non standard configuration. So having WAN/LAN labelling would make more sense. Not going to be installing this in an enterprise environment.
Using your example of Cisco or Juniper or more realistically as comparison Sonicwall or fortinet... They all have a design and labeling on the case to indicate it is a firewall. Not just a blank white box. With LEDs that flash and don't mean anything.
I failed to include the power button that sticks out to be easily pressed. I've been very happy with Netgate design in the past, this just isn't what I would have expected for a new firewall.
I am excited it is true 2.5Gbps across all ports, that is a HUGE plus. Unlike unifi who just released their "firewall" which has a 2.5Gbps wan port with a 1Gbps backplane. So it's not all bad, just disappointed in the design choice.
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@Cyphon said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
The ports are labelled Port 1, 2, 3, 4 no indication of what is WAN or LAN.
Given that Netgate cannot know in advance how the ports will be used, type labels have made little sense. People have been requesting Netgate to drop the type labels on the ports for several years. I for one am pleased to see that they have finally done so.
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My opinions only. Agree, disagree, no skin off my back.
@Cyphon said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
For this class firewall though you wouldn't expect a non standard configuration. So having WAN/LAN labelling would make more sense
I don't understand this. "...this class..." the Netgate website clearly says "Home Pro/Small-Medium Business" so it seems to be targeted at someone who at least thinks they know something. I'd maybe agree with your statement if we were talking about the 1100 because a typical consumer may be more of a target there.
Keep in mind the labelling is driven by what you can do with the software: WAN/LAN makes more sense to me if the software/firmware is inflexible like on a cable modem, Netgear consumer stuff, etc.@Cyphon said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
Just looks like something that was thrown together, like you would get on AliExpress as opposed to a quality product from a reputable company.
I'm going to disagree with this, I miss the metal case of the 5100, but plastic doesn't mean cheap. If the 4200 is similar to the 4100 and other products, that plastic case is over a honking big heat sink, power buttons are meant to be pressed once in a while and it's kind of nestled amongst the wiring. I think it's only getting pressed accidentally if one is actively mucking around with cables.
@Cyphon said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
Not just a blank white box. With LEDs that flash and don't mean anything.
Completely disagree here. One thing that always brings me back to Netgate/pfSense products is there clear documentation. Getting started guides, How-Tos on some more complex stuff, very clear docs on what the different LEDs mean (colors and states). Heck they still have the docs for my SG-2440 which has been EOL for a very long time now. It's the first place I start before I even put money down for a new box. Grab the docs go through them.
One can argue about having to get docs online instead of printed in the box but Netgate is no different than almost every other tech company out there.https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/netgate-4200/index.html
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@Cyphon said in Netgate 4200 - Let down:
I received two 4200s I ordered back in January. Seriously let down on the poor quality. The ports are labelled Port 1, 2, 3, 4 no indication of what is WAN or LAN.
It clearly states in the manual that the default port assignments are WAN on port 1 and LAN on port 2. There is even a photo showing where to plug each cable ...
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@Cyphon I'm interested in buying a 4200, you say poor quality, other than the labels what else is wrong with it?
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I have a pair of 4200s which I added my own NVMe storage to, making them equivalent to the MAX version. Nothing wrong with either of them and I would not quibble about quality. I would say that if you want long life from the unit and are expecting to run things like IPS/IDS or pfBlocker, either adding an NVMe SSD or buying the MAX version is important. The eMMC storage in the base 4200 has a lower write capacity & will wear out sooner, but since it is built in, is not replaceable.
--Larry
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@flowermoron I am happy with the unit from a functional standpoint. Only dissatisfied with the looks. I have installed 4 or so, so far and not had any major issues. The unfinished look is bothersome but I guess it gives one the opportunity to add their own labels.
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@LarryFahnoe re: drive life, only because some are unaware of this (as was I) there is a list of packages and storage recommendations: https://www.netgate.com/supported-pfsense-plus-packages
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@Cyphon
The one I bought looks exactly like the pictures on the product page, so I wonder what you were expecting.With the 4200 only having been on the market for a month or so, it's way too soon to pass any judgments on reliability or anything like that. But so far I'm very happy with mine; it does everything I expected it to.
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Why does the looks of the box matter? Usually network equipment is out of sight anyway, atleat mine are... well, apart from WiFi Accesspoints, with those I can understand that the looks could matter, but I will choose an AP for its performace and features over it's looks.
But each to their own :)
