We use Netgate pfSense for load balancing.
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A load balancing solution that needs to improve VPN configuration
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The tools' most valuable feature is load balancing.
What needs improvement?
Netgate pfSense needs to improve the configuration for a VPN.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with the product for three months.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the product's stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate Netgate pfSense's scalability a seven out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I have used online documentation and hence haven't contacted the support yet.
How was the initial setup?
I rate the tool's deployment a nine out of ten. Its deployment takes only a few hours to complete.
What about the implementation team?
We did the deployment in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I use the product's free version.
What other advice do I have?
I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Great devices
What do you like best about the product?
Netgate's pfsense devices are robust being based on FreeBSD. And if for some reason something goes wrong you have a rapid netgate support department to help turn things to the better.
What do you dislike about the product?
I don't see any major downsides. If one, I liked the metal casings of their smaller models better.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Secure access while still having a simple firewall setup you can explain to any first line of support employee
Great Firewall with plenty of options
What do you like best about the product?
The UIS is easy touse and has tons of options.
What do you dislike about the product?
There is 2 option that is missing and would be greate to have
- 2FA
- UDP proxy (for NTP and DNS)
- 2FA
- UDP proxy (for NTP and DNS)
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Cost and easy to use, IPSec and normal VPN
Most functions are readily available, and additional features can be obtained by downloading and installing plugins
What is our primary use case?
I have used Netgate pfSense for a range of purposes. Initially, I employed it for VPN connections, mainly for personal and professional use. I also relied on it to maintain network equipment in a professional context. In the professional sphere, I have experience with both pfSense and Juniper, but eventually, I decided to phase out Juniper due to its high costs, especially for updates and the addition of new functionalities. pfSense's cost-effectiveness and the flexibility to transition to new hardware while retaining configurations made it a preferred choice. pfSense also stands out in terms of its rapid algorithm evolution compared to competitors like Juniper. Its scalability is another advantage, where adding a new box or reconfiguring can boost the firewall's capacity.
On a personal note, I use Netgate pfSense to connect to my equipment at the data center. Currently, I have a highly available installation that requires two instances of pfSense. While I considered pfSense for this setup, I had to assess whether OpenSense might offer better features for future requirements before delving deeper into pfSense.
What is most valuable?
It's worth noting that Netgate pfSense's performance is independent of the hardware it runs on. As I mentioned earlier, its scalability is a strong point. Most functions are readily available, and additional features can be obtained by downloading and installing plugins, which are generally free. When you compare this to the alternative of purchasing a firewall from a different supplier, you'll find that the latter option typically doubles the cost of the firewall itself. This cost increase is often attributed to additional licenses for deep inspection and similar functionalities. While configuring pfSense may require more time and effort upfront, the long-term cost savings make it a more cost-effective choice.
What needs improvement?
One concern I have with Netgate pfSense is related to packet filtering. Specifically, issues can arise with certain functionalities like GP, and, at times, there may be bugs. When creating IP lists, I've noticed that synchronization doesn't always function correctly. While it's not entirely dysfunctional, troubleshooting these synchronization problems can be quite challenging.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Netgate pfSense since 2015-16.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've experienced certain issues with Netgate pfSense in the past, particularly with the previous version, which was 2.5. It posed several problems. However, the current version appears to be more stable. Nonetheless, I still encounter troubleshooting challenges. For instance, there is an issue where it initially blocks an IP range but releases it after ten minutes. This behavior is somewhat peculiar, and it pertains to IP filtering.
How are customer service and support?
The support for Netgate pfSense mainly comes from online forums. These forums are populated by a significant number of individuals who are knowledgeable in pfSense and its related areas, making it a valuable resource.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
The choice of whether to use Netgate pfSense often depends on the company's preferences. In some cases, particularly in Switzerland, there is a strong preference for open source solutions. This choice is sometimes motivated by the desire for open source alternatives and can also be related to cost considerations.
How was the initial setup?
The Initial setup is very easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Netgate pfSense is a cost-effective option. If you're not using a VPN, you can acquire a decent embedded PC for around a hundred dollars and install pfSense on it, effectively creating a robust firewall solution. With this setup, you can achieve a throughput of two hundred to three hundred megabits per second without any issues, provided you're handling relatively simple rules. The level of performance depends on the specific requirements and tasks.
What other advice do I have?
If you're considering using Netgate pfSense for the first time, I would recommend giving it a try. It's relatively easy to set up and use, especially if you have some prior knowledge of network and IT work. The user manual provides helpful guidance, and the basic configuration is straightforward. Just ensure you pay attention to the hardware requirements to make the most of it.
It can be rated as an eight for simplicity. However, as you progress and introduce complexities, such as enabling deep packet inspection, adding extra features, or installing multiple plugins, the configuration can become more intricate. I encountered some issues with iOS in version 2.5, but they are expected to be resolved or have been resolved.
Opensource software, professional support
What do you like best about the product?
Pfsense is easy to use and includes everything a network engineer needs.
What do you dislike about the product?
Tutorials and guides can be out of date but are usually sufficient to figure out what needs to be done.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
provides a uniform interface to manage multiple sites firewalls.
Ecstatic and grateful for support received!!
What do you like best about the product?
Extremely knowledgeable with product. My support tech took time to listen and understand what we were attempting to accomplish while explaining the steps he took to accomplish the task at hand.
What do you dislike about the product?
The email support / easy to trigger disconnect and frustration if you are experiencing a "mission critical" situation.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Restoring configuration of a 4100 firewall
pFsense - the understandable and highly capable firewall stack (for you)
What do you like best about the product?
pfsense covers all of the core use-cases for my new and existing networks alike. Firewall, router, traffic classifier, DHCP server IPv4/6, OpenVPN server and client, Wireguard server and client, Certificate Management and Authority, User Manager, DMZ and multi-WAN (incl PPPoE), all with excellent logging incl Syslog to aid traffic analysis and debug. It's very easy to use (which is not true of all firewall software), and it's stunningly robust. Run it on a PC/SBC with multiple NICs or on a dedicated appliance for optimized footprint and power consumption. Support for HA, external packages (OpenVPN Client Export one of the most labour saving of them all), a thriving community and both free and paid support all make for a very predictable experience.
What do you dislike about the product?
There is no one security platform that's perfect, they've all got nuances and application sweet-spots.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Support for OpenVPN - free in pFsense, but a paid for option in other appliances.
OpenVPN laptop clients and site-to-site VPN clients, we have sme very complex teleworking IP use-cases.
Support for Wireguard for lightning-fast mobile device (dial on demand) remote access).
Support for IPv4 to IPv6 Tunnelling (Hurricane Electric) as our ISP doesn't natively provide any IPv6 addressing on our WAN, but our products need IPv6 for testing.
Total containment of traffic for those "less trusted" interfaces.
OpenVPN laptop clients and site-to-site VPN clients, we have sme very complex teleworking IP use-cases.
Support for Wireguard for lightning-fast mobile device (dial on demand) remote access).
Support for IPv4 to IPv6 Tunnelling (Hurricane Electric) as our ISP doesn't natively provide any IPv6 addressing on our WAN, but our products need IPv6 for testing.
Total containment of traffic for those "less trusted" interfaces.
An affordable and scalable solution that provides excellent features and documentation
What is our primary use case?
I use the product to test firewalls and VPN solutions.
How has it helped my organization?
We could use the solution to connect with the firewalls remotely for security.
What is most valuable?
The VPN features are the most valuable. The product’s documentation is good.
What needs improvement?
The solution’s interface must be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for one year. I am using the latest version of the solution.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I rate the tool’s scalability a ten out of ten.
How was the initial setup?
The initial installation is easy.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The product is cheap.
What other advice do I have?
Initially, the product was difficult. It gets easier with use. It was a good investment. I would recommend the solution to others. Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
A stable and free solution that is easy to maintain and suitable for small businesses
What is our primary use case?
We use the product as a perimeter firewall.
What is most valuable?
We can run it on any hardware.
What needs improvement?
The product must provide integration with other solutions.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using the solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is not very scalable. That is why we are planning to switch to a different product. The solution is used by one administrator and 75 end users in our organization.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used SonicWall, Sophos, FortiGate, and Cisco Meraki. The choice of product depends on the context. Netgate pfSense is suitable for small businesses and homes. It is not the best solution for large deployments or branch offices. Sophos and FortiGate would be suitable for large companies.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to install the tool. We need two weeks to deploy it. One person can deploy the solution. It is also easy to maintain. One person can maintain the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is an open-source solution.
What other advice do I have?
Overall, I rate the product an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
pfSense and Netgate are great
What do you like best about the product?
We don't need it often, but when we do the email support has been quick and great.
What do you dislike about the product?
I'd like to see more development on the CE edition.
What problems is the product solving and how is that benefiting you?
Remote office connectivity and Intrusion detection
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