7 Causes pfSense Is Higher Than Your Router Software program

It’s no secret that I feel pfSense is fantastic. I’ve written articles about why you need to think about using it and really helpful {hardware} that can work nice with it. However why is pfSense good? Extra particularly, why is it higher than your router software program? Listed below are seven explanation why.

1. It has fewer unpatched safety holes than your router software program

Sadly, hackers and safety specialists incessantly uncover new safety holes in router software program. Common safety patches are vital to plug these holes. However, many router producers abandon updates to routers after just a few years in favor of supporting their new fashions.

pfSense doesn’t have lots of yearly releases, however it’s conscious of safety holes and has by no means been deserted. It has group builders in addition to an organization serving to to shore up vulnerabilities.

2. It’s extremely customizable

pfSense provides granular entry to many options, particularly firewall guidelines. You possibly can fine-tune your firewall guidelines to your delight, together with tweaking guidelines by port, protocol, IP handle, and extra. Most client router software program doesn’t permit for direct management of firewall guidelines.

pfSense customization isn’t restricted to firewall guidelines. It’s also possible to customise the entrance web page dashboard, VPN settings, QoS settings (visitors shaping), multi-WAN configuration, and rather more.

3. It’s extremely expandable

It’s also possible to customise the capabilities of the pfSense. Not like most router software program, pfSense has a package deal administration system (suppose plugins) that enables customers so as to add options like IDS/IPS techniques, proxies, visitors displays, VPN assist, and rather more.

Listed below are a few of the customizations and packages I like to recommend.

4. It has wonderful group assist

This is likely one of the major causes I switched to pfSense years in the past. The assist boards are crammed with extraordinarily educated individuals. Moreover, you could find every kind of how-tos on YouTube and on blogs. I’m a part of that group and have produced just a few weblog posts to assist customers with pfSense proper right here at HomeTechHacker.

5. It has an incredible value

Do you want free? I like free. Effectively, the software program is free to obtain, though you possibly can pay for assist in case you are utilizing pfSense Plus (be taught extra concerning the variations between pfSense Plus and pfSense CE right here). However you’ll nonetheless want to purchase {hardware} for pfSense…

6. You possibly can choose your personal {hardware}

The power to decide on your personal {hardware} means that you can match the specs of your router with the wants of your community. You’ll have 2 WAN connections or need a number of VLANs. Then you should buy {hardware} with the suitable quantity of community ports. Perhaps you have already got nice entry factors like I do, by which case you don’t have to purchase any wi-fi gear on your router.

You might want to purchase extra highly effective {hardware} if you’re going to run a VPN server or IDS/IPS like snort or Suricata. You possibly can even determine to virtualize your router.

Usually, you can too substitute the router offered by your Web service supplier, typically even when they are saying it’s required. I did this after I converted to fiber.

The purpose is you should buy {hardware} to your precise specs, after which you possibly can prolong that {hardware} in case your wants change. Right here’s assist choosing the proper {hardware} for pfSense.

7. It has intensive documentation

pfSense has its personal documentation web site that’s intensive, searchable, and repeatedly maintained. You will discover every thing from how-tos to technical documentation.

Last ideas

I do know pfSense isn’t for everybody, however I do suppose it’s superior to most router software program that comes with off-the-shelf routers. pfSense isn’t the one recreation on the town. It has some good options which might be in all probability additionally higher than most!

What router software program are you utilizing? Have you ever seemed into utilizing pfSense? Let me know within the feedback or on Twitter.