Best affordable hardware firewall/router
Posted: Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:55 am
I'm looking at really stepping up my game when it comes to security. I've only recently become aware of how crucial routers are in protecting your computer from internet threats. I used to plug my computer directly to the modem in early broadband days and used the cheapest router at 10 year life cycles after that. Right now I'm running my ISP provided router/modem all in one combo unit.
I'm looking to get a preferably wired only router that has a high emphasis on security. I could care less about the fastest whatever, gaming, connectivity to IOT, etc..
So something with higher end than typical consumer grade software on it that isn't vulnerable to a million exploits like most ISP provided routers/gateway modem combos, something with a good track record likely to be supported for a few years down the line or even better a product that runs some kind of Open source firmware on it that will be updated for a long time, so DDWRT, OpenWRT, FreeBSD, etc... I have a preference for Linux as that is what I run.
Other than that I am a one man show, only one internet device, the desktop. No need for more than one port actually, no need for wifi or anything special, I have a VPN already configured on my desktop. Having wifi or multiple ports isn't a deal breaker but I don't need them so it shouldn't be the main selling point. If I were to run a VPN on it, I use OpenVPN protocol so it would have to accept that. I don't need it to support crazy speeds, I run a generic 25mbps down/10up connection.
Willing to spend around $200'ish, potentially a tad more if the product is really above and beyond. Like I said main area of focus will be it's hardware firewall/security aspects.
I would like something that's relatively easy to use/set up and does not require a few weekends on the forums to get up and running.
Only issues I can think of is there might be a time where I have to run the router behind another router instead of directly to the modem. I can control them all but I might have to set this router with another crappy unsecured router in front of it talking to the modem. So my computer > router I'm asking advise for > crappy ISP router > ISP modem.
Currently the only affordable router that I have found that seems to meet this criteria is the pfSense netgate SG-1000
https://www.netgate.com/solutions/pfsense/sg-1000.html
That and a few options from Ubiquiti Networks like this model and those that are similar
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 01ZK-00003
only concern with that is that they are not open source and thus vulnerable to backdoors and I've heard Ubiquiti routers are not very user friendly to set up.
I'm looking to get a preferably wired only router that has a high emphasis on security. I could care less about the fastest whatever, gaming, connectivity to IOT, etc..
So something with higher end than typical consumer grade software on it that isn't vulnerable to a million exploits like most ISP provided routers/gateway modem combos, something with a good track record likely to be supported for a few years down the line or even better a product that runs some kind of Open source firmware on it that will be updated for a long time, so DDWRT, OpenWRT, FreeBSD, etc... I have a preference for Linux as that is what I run.
Other than that I am a one man show, only one internet device, the desktop. No need for more than one port actually, no need for wifi or anything special, I have a VPN already configured on my desktop. Having wifi or multiple ports isn't a deal breaker but I don't need them so it shouldn't be the main selling point. If I were to run a VPN on it, I use OpenVPN protocol so it would have to accept that. I don't need it to support crazy speeds, I run a generic 25mbps down/10up connection.
Willing to spend around $200'ish, potentially a tad more if the product is really above and beyond. Like I said main area of focus will be it's hardware firewall/security aspects.
I would like something that's relatively easy to use/set up and does not require a few weekends on the forums to get up and running.
Only issues I can think of is there might be a time where I have to run the router behind another router instead of directly to the modem. I can control them all but I might have to set this router with another crappy unsecured router in front of it talking to the modem. So my computer > router I'm asking advise for > crappy ISP router > ISP modem.
Currently the only affordable router that I have found that seems to meet this criteria is the pfSense netgate SG-1000
https://www.netgate.com/solutions/pfsense/sg-1000.html
That and a few options from Ubiquiti Networks like this model and those that are similar
https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product. ... 01ZK-00003
only concern with that is that they are not open source and thus vulnerable to backdoors and I've heard Ubiquiti routers are not very user friendly to set up.