All articles
In-depth technical comparisons of OPNsense, pfSense, UniFi, and prosumer firewall platforms. Features, hardware, published throughput figures, and security posture — compared side by side from vendor documentation.
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Firewall Cost Comparison 2026: 3-Year Cost of 8 Options
Three-year firewall costs at October 2026 prices: UniFi from $199, DIY OPNsense from $359, Netgate $829, FortiGate and SonicWall $1,486 to $2,729.
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Is OPNsense Better Than pfSense? The 2026 Verdict
Is OPNsense better than pfSense? For most new installs, yes: it is free, updates fortnightly and builds in IDS/IPS. pfSense Plus wins on Netgate gear.
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Best Firewall for Gigabit Internet Home: 2026 Picks
For gigabit home internet, an OPNsense box on Intel 2.5GbE hardware is the pick. We compare it with UniFi, Firewalla, Netgate and MikroTik.
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UniFi Dream Machine Pro vs pfSense: Hardware and Cost
How the UniFi Dream Machine Pro compares with a pfSense build on ports, IDS/IPS licensing, VPN protocol support, and long-term cost of ownership.
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Firewalla vs pfSense (2026): Features, Cost & Verdict
Compare Firewalla and pfSense on published throughput, VPN limits, setup, extensibility, maintenance, and total cost, with clear picks by use case.
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pfSense Alternatives: 7 Platforms Compared for 2026
Seven pfSense alternatives compared on licensing, IDS/IPS, VPN and hardware, plus the once-popular names that no longer belong on a 2026 shortlist.
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Best Mini PC for OPNsense 2026: A Buyer's Guide by Tier
A spec-driven guide to the best mini PC for OPNsense in 2026, covering NIC compatibility, AES-NI, IDS/IPS sizing, and three picks from budget to multi-gig.
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UniFi vs pfSense (2026): Ubiquiti Gateway or DIY Firewall?
UniFi vs pfSense: Ubiquiti's zone-based firewall and IDS/IPS against pfSense packages, FRR routing, VPN and hardware cost, and who should pick each.
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How to Set Up WireGuard on OPNsense: 2026 Guide
Configure WireGuard on OPNsense for road-warrior and site-to-site VPNs, with current version notes, peer setup, firewall rules, and MSS clamping.
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Best Firewall for Small Business 2026: 7 Options Compared
Seven firewall options for a small office in 2026: two UniFi gateways, Firewalla, TP-Link, Fortinet, SonicWall, and Meraki compared on total cost.
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Firewall Hardware Tiers: Celeron vs N100 vs i5 Mini-PCs
How much CPU does a home firewall really need? A tiering of mini-PC silicon, from older Celeron through Intel N100 to i5-class, mapped to throughput.
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HAProxy vs nginx Reverse Proxy for a Home Firewall
Both OPNsense and pfSense can run a reverse proxy on the firewall itself. HAProxy and nginx solve the same homelab problem differently.
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WireGuard vs OpenVPN on Your Firewall
A practical WireGuard vs OpenVPN comparison covering performance, transport, authentication, roaming, and the firewall use cases each protocol fits.
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4 Best Homelab Firewalls for 2026 (Compared)
Pick the best homelab firewall by budget: MikroTik under $100, UniFi from $129, OPNsense on a Protectli VP2420e, or a Netgate 4200, plus IDS/IPS tips.
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OPNsense vs pfSense in 2026: Honest, Side-by-Side Comparison
A documentation-based comparison of OPNsense, pfSense CE and pfSense Plus on UI, packages, IDS/IPS, upgrades, licensing and long-term maintenance.
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Protectli vs Netgate (2026): Hardware, Support & Cost
Compare Protectli and Netgate appliances on ports, CPUs, OS flexibility, support, pricing, and the throughput figures Netgate publishes.