Justin Latimer

pfSense Plans

At home I run a pfSense server, which is the backbone of my network. It runs a firewall and filter between the LAN and WAN links, as well as a DHCP, DNS and NTP server, etc. One thing I've tried to do with it without success is run an HTTP filter with something like squidGuard.

At the moment I'm running it on a borrowed ALIX 2D13 which a buddy had spare after he upgraded to an APU which he got from Nicegear. It runs of a compact flash card and therefore uses the nanobsd build of pfSense, which the squidGuard package isn't compatible with.

My plan is to get a new mini server to replace the trusty ALIX. My requirements are as follows:

  • Fanless
  • Low power draw
  • Relatively cheap
  • Well supported by pfSense
  • 2 NICs
  • Can route over 100Mbit
  • Able to run squidGuard

After looking around, I think my best bet is an Intel D2500CCE. Dual core Atom 1.8GHz, dual Intel gigabit ports, fanless. Either that or the APU, but I'm not sure that CPU wise the APU will be up for the packages I need to run. The option of upgrading the RAM on the Intel board is a good one as well.

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