I am planning to replace the default router from my ISP with a device running OPNsense to gain more advanced features, but I have doubts about which hardware to choose that best fits my needs.
Description of my network:
Description of my network:
- Infrastructure:
- I will use an external ONT that will handle the conversion from fiber optic to Ethernet.
- A separate access point (AP) to manage the WiFi network.
- OPNsense will be responsible only for:
- Managing the traffic from wired devices and those connected to the AP.
- Routing traffic to the ONT. (Is it possible that the ONT handles PPPoE and OPNsense would act as a router in double NAT?)
- Devices on the network:
- Approximately 20 devices, including:
- A home server.
- A server accessible from the outside to host services.
- Common devices such as PCs, consoles, smartphones, and equipment for streaming and web browsing.
- Approximately 20 devices, including:
- Required services:
- Network segmentation using VLANs.
- Intrusion detection and prevention system (IPS/IDS).[ /li]
- Traffic analysis and malware protection.
Key hardware requirements:- It must support 1 Gbps of traffic even with IPS/IDS enabled and traffic/malware analysis.
- Low power consumption (it's a home network, and I'm looking for efficiency).
- Quiet and compact (optional).
Hardware doubts:
I am considering several options, but I have doubts about which one would be the most suitable:- Mini PC from Aliexpress with Intel N100:
- 8 GB of DDR5 RAM, 128 GB NVMe SSD.
- Compact, efficient, and low power consumption.
- Is it sufficient to handle 1 Gbps with IPS/IDS and malware analysis on my network?
- Processors with QuickAssist Technology (QAT):
- Such as Intel Atom (C3558/C3758) or more advanced processors.
- Is the extra cost worth it for my home use case, or is it more geared toward enterprise environments?
- Efficient portable hardware:
- Based on modern low-power processors (i3/i5 or similar).
- Could it be a viable option in terms of performance and energy efficiency?
I would appreciate any advice, experience, or recommendations on efficient, functional hardware suitable for this type of network and my network setup.