Choosing the Perfect Network Firewall Device for < $300 — Part 1

hydn · February 15, 2024, 1:47am

Read the full article: Choosing the Perfect Network Firewall Device for under $300

Embarking on the quest to find the ideal home office, home lab or small business firewall device is akin to navigating a jungle, but let’s narrow it down by setting the budget to under $300 USD. Picture this: your network is already configured and has been working without issue for a while now. You are… continue reading.

hydn · March 4, 2024, 12:03pm

I’m leading towards the rack mount options.
— https://www.hunsn.com/collection/1u-rackmount-server. (considering)
— Fortinet Firewall Appliance Rack Mount - 1U.

With random ware attacks on the risk. I think all offices, whether home-office or small office, should invest in robust firewall security.

~~Update, I’m going to go with this one:~~

I will most likely install pfSense on it (open to suggestions, prefer no yearly fees). I work from my home-office as such, it’s only wise to invest in a full-fledged firewall. There has been a rapid rise in ransomware attacks and other threats.

I’m also still considering trying Sophos.

Will try both for a week and then decide.

Update: So I found this online yesterday. I was seriously considering just buying the 4-port NIC card (cost < $100) and running pfSense on it:

But then today I opened my Lenovo Tiny, and it’s missing the PCIe on the motherboard. It looks like it can be added, but haven’t read up on that yet.

Added, or even converting another slot like NMVe to PCIe: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256805499016832.html?gatewayAdapt=glo2usa4itemAdapt

Just random stuff I found but now continuing research.

For my long time pending firewall upgrade, I would prefer x2 WAN ports for load balancing or failover ISPs. I know USB can also be used with a RJ45 to USB 3 adapter.

But I also would prefer to have another 3 to 5 LAN ports so that everything in my office can be directly plugged into the firewall-router. I have/use and want to continue using my EdgeSwitch 10x which I don’t have plugged into the larger backup battery because it pulls more with PoE APs plugged into it.

So it’s not becase I couldn’t fit everything on the swithch ports I probably could but I’m currently already using all 5 ports on the Peplink Balance 20x (including USB connected modem for 2nd ISP) but also using 6 of the 8 ports on the switch. (2 of the 10 network ports are SPF).

So to make use of existing patch panels and not having to move patched cables etc I would need a firewall router with at least 5 ports.

This morning, I found this on Amazon for ~ $300.

A review here: https://www.reddit.com/r/PFSENSE/comments/163z370/new_qotom_q1055ge_model_june_2023/

More ports and seems reliable. It is tempting. Getting closer lol. This is something I want to get the least 5 years out of, hopefully 10. So it’s difficult to decide, lol. Took me 3 years to propose to my wife.

So it looks like the options for 5 to 8 ports for ~ $300 is Chinese built router/firewall hardware.

…or $500 for plug and play Firewalla Gold SE. I’m leaning more to

or something else I have not come accross yet.

Here’s the peplink:

Follow part 2 here.