Hardware Requirement

[NugentS]

Hi All,
I currently run an OpnSense Firewall on a 900Mb duplex connection. Its a somewhat overpowered i7-8565U with 16GB. Unfortunately (or fortunately) my ISP is offering an upgrade to 2.5Gb and the old hardware has no 2.5Gb ports and no upgrade path.
Its a https://www.pondesk.com/product/Intel-i78565U-6-LAN-4G-Fanless-Security-Gateway-Appliance_MNHO-084

I run a OpenVPN client connection and IPS and plan on doing more with it over time.

The new connection will be 2.5Gb duplex, based on PPoE and I will need some suitable hardware. My question is what is suitable hardware?
2 * 2.5Gb Ports and 1* 1Gb Port are required with preferably a spare 1Gb port as well
Dedicated hardware - I am not virtualising this
Low power, preferably fanless type hardware

The main question however is CPU.
Looking at various option:

• N100
• N200
• C3758R/C3758
• Something else?

I realise its not just about CPU - but thats probably a good starting point.
Budget - about £300UKP + VAT
I have looked at OpnSense hardware and its either waaay to expensive or not suitable

Thanks

[meyergru]

I think the C3758 may be too weak for that speed. An Alder Lake based system would probably do fine.

There are several fanless options with 4 or 6 2.5 GBit/s ports on either Amazon or Aliexpress, if you want to go that route and if "supported" products like Protectli and Deciso are too expensive.

[NugentS]

I think the C3758 may be too weak for that speed. An Alder Lake based system would probably do fine.

My research tends to agree with your comment on the C3758, and The C3758R is only slightly more powerful. A shame as I found one that ticked every single box (other than CPU, and a bit of price) https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005935384830.html?spm=a2g0s.imconversation.0.0.10c33e5fVySdGk&algo_pvid=86db9010-b8d2-4ad5-8a66-238ff912cfdf&algo_exp_id=86db9010-b8d2-4ad5-8a66-238ff912cfdf-27&pdp_npi=4%40dis%21GBP%21244.48%21232.26%21%21%21291.67%21%21%40210385a816994522908968069ec202%2112000035162002658%21sea%21UK%21138725599%21&curPageLogUid=jxRuWUz44AV2 and would have lasted me for ages

So I guess an N100 is my target, the N200 appearing to be not worth the price uplift or the lack of choice that I can find currently