Hardware fo pfSense
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I have decided to move to pfSense and am looking for a platform to install it on. I have looked at the Netgate appliances and I am wondering if there are other options other than Netgate or all of those cheap chineese mini-PC's the experts are showing on YouTube. Aren't there any name brand small form factor providers out there that have been tested with pfSense? I understand I can build my own but am not in the mood to do so.
Thanks for any suggestions!
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@KayakMan4289F said in Hardware fo pfSense:
Thanks for any suggestions!
Hi,
what is wrong with these: Protectli (example) despite the Hardware is produced in China? (Protectli offers coreboot) (btw. in almost every PC Hardware are chineese components or parts manufactured there) or PCengines APU (PCEngines)
BTW: I have no relationship with these enterprises.My 2 cents,
fireodo -
@KayakMan4289F said in Hardware fo pfSense:
I have decided to move to pfSense and am looking for a platform to install it on. I have looked at the Netgate appliances
@KayakMan4289F said in Hardware fo pfSense:
Aren't there any name brand small form factor providers out there that have been tested with pfSense? I understand I can build my own but am not in the mood to do so.
The best test and supported solution is a Netgate appliance. It includes lifetime software upgrades.
To just to see if the product suits your needs, install it on one of your existing computers. Preferably a computer with two network interfaces (or connect a programmable switch and use VLAN to get separate lan/wan ports).
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You might consider a used network appliance of some sort, many can run pfSense.
What are your throughput requirements? VPNs? Packages?
Steve
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To get your feet wet, there's nothing wrong with a throwaway PC and some net ports.
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@provels said in Hardware fo pfSense:
To get your feet wet, there's nothing wrong with a throwaway PC and some net ports.
That's exactly how I got started with pfSense back in 2016...HP computer sitting on the ground next to the trash dumpster...picked it up and plugged in...it works!
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@fireodo said in Hardware fo pfSense:
there) or PCengines APU (PCEngines)
Thanks, here why I don't want one:
Most are not UL certified, no support, firmware updates rare or undocumented, failure rate is higher than name brands, security concerns... -
@KayakMan4289F said in Hardware fo pfSense:
@fireodo said in Hardware fo pfSense:
there) or PCengines APU (PCEngines)
Thanks, here why I don't want one:
Most are not UL certified, no support, firmware updates rare or undocumented, failure rate is higher than name brands, security concerns...OK, understood!
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Normal Routing
IDS/IPS and other apps that provide enhanced security.
6 Clients
8 IOT devices
NAS @ 2.5gbps (not open to the internet)
Network Analysis /Troubshooting apps.Still planning the design and how I will use a managed switch to create an iot/guest network.
Thanks,
Jeff
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@KayakMan4289F said in Hardware fo pfSense:
@fireodo said in Hardware fo pfSense:
there) or PCengines APU (PCEngines)
Thanks, here why I don't want one:
Most are not UL certified, no support, firmware updates rare or undocumented, failure rate is higher than name brands, security concerns...Then a Netgate appliance is really your best option. That leaves only which Netgate appliance is most appropriate for your needs.
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@Patch said in Hardware fo pfSense:
Then a Netgate appliance is really your best option. That leaves only which Netgate appliance is most appropriate for your needs.
2.5Gbps ETH (built-in) is only on the Cordoba devices -- the 4100, 6100, and 8200.
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@KayakMan4289F said in Hardware fo pfSense:
failure rate is higher than name brands
This is not my experience: I've been running pfSense and other systems/OSs on PCengines machines in the last 10 years since the time of Alix (32 bit predecessor of APU).
Now I'm maintaining about 30 APUs, working 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, most of them since many years.Not a single hardware failure, out of some power suppliers and a couple of SD cards.
So the troubles have nothing to do with PCengines hardware:
- power suppliers are standard 220 AC in - 12V 2A DC out
- SD cards were standard SD cards from other producers.
Now I use mSATA SSD cards or SATA SSD drives instead of SD cards for storage and power suppliers from other producers and everything is working flawlessly.
So my personal reputation about PC engines board reliability is very high.
Not big numbers for statistics, just my experience.Now I'm going to find a different hardware just because PCengines announced that APU platform is going EOL.
Bye
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Mmm, the ALIX board was almost legendarily indestructible! Pretty sure the one I have here would fire right up if I blew the dust off it.
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@stephenw10 I've got some Alix still working 365*24 until more than 15 years ago.
None of the PCengines boards I've been using had failures.
Sure, ready to bet that if you plug in a power supplier it will work. -
@Odette said in Hardware fo pfSense:
So my personal reputation about PC engines board reliability is very high.
@Odette said in Hardware fo pfSense:
I've got some Alix still working 365*24 until more than 15 years ago.
How do you find their bios update frequency and after sales support?
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@Patch Never needed after sales support. They have been massively used by a large community of users, so I've always found every information I needed just by... "praying St. Google"
.Anyway here is PCengines support page and, from there, the bios update info page.
