In fact, this is something I do recommend if you are on the fence about a project like this. The actual hardware requirements are not all that high and many of you will be able to setup your own pfSense firewall with some of the hardware that has been collecting dust for years.

Expanding the firewall’s capabilities through packages.

Installation of the OS and preparing for remote management.

Hardware I used for this build / ideas for what you should be using.

To carry on forward, I will be breaking this down into: My main focus and what I will be setting up / touching on is :

With the recent release of version 2.0-RC1 they have even cut the install time down to answering a few simple questions so you can be up and running in minutes.Ĭlick the links for a pfSense List of Features and whats new with pfSense 2.0RC. The developers for the project have done an excellent job: gone are the days of fighting with the shell and manually editing iptables. We are going to be using a project that has dedicated itself to this cause, and unlike some people in the *NIX world they make a product that is easy to use and just works. If you have never stepped outside of the Windows world before, or live in your walled fruit garden, that is okay. Now, before I scare anyone off: don’t panic. What I plan to show is the basic hardware required to run your own Personal Firewall along with how simple this is to actually set up. Firewall Requirements: Hardware and Software This might just be the solution you are looking for. Hopefully today you will see why I feel that way, for those of you who feel the same or would just like to have improved security over the basic router/Windows firewall. Any solution that I don’t have the final say over just doesn’t work for me. I require a solution that allows me to turn the knobs and push the buttons.

Not being able to set up my own options with Windows and a router’s basic firewall doesn’t work for me as I require more control. You’re being left in the dark about what is actually being filtered or done, can you even trust this? I hope after today I can help you take more control over your own network and its security. Far too many people rely simply on the Windows firewall and whatever filtering is done by your router. Today I would like to share some of my experiences with you in regards to firewalls, as this is an area of computing that is often overlooked.

Firewall pfsense hardware