Check if PFsense functions with your NVMe drive.
Check if PFsense functions with your NVMe drive.
I was planning to purchase a Thinkcentre M720 Tiny for setting up pfsense. Adding the Intel i350 NIC limits options to a 128GB NVMe SSD instead of a 2.5-inch SSD, which fits my needs because the NVMe drive is more affordable overall. I’m okay with that. My concern is whether an NVMe drive will function properly with pfsense. A Reddit post shared the M720 model and mentioned someone experiencing problems with NVMe drives in pfsense, possibly due to visibility issues or errors. I’m unsure if that person was biased toward Netgate and trying to dissuade me from buying my own hardware. I just need to confirm before ordering and wait a few weeks.
It seems excessive for pfSense based on your usage and connection speed. Usually a laptop or NUC provides the right balance, often 10-20W versus desktop power that can reach 50W+ or more. Do you require four ports for separate LANs/WANs, or are you planning to use them just as regular LAN ports? It’s usually smarter to use proper hardware switches. I haven’t looked at the current version, but when I first set up pfSense I noticed it used a bit more power when idle compared to Linux, since FreeBSD doesn’t focus much on power saving. On desktops this can make a noticeable difference. Of course, this also depends on whether you’re using NVMe and are confident about its reliability. Where were your discussions about this? If it was before FreeBSD 11 it would have been much harder to achieve, though I’d still be cautious.
I’ll just grab a used OptiPlex, like a 3020 model. It’s the same dimensions but more affordable and quicker to get.
It was a bit too much for me, but for my gigabit connection the Netgate gear wouldn’t work well without overloading the CPU or costing around $700 for the SG5100—twice the price. The talk happened on Reddit just yesterday.
It's worth noting that adding desktop hardware gives you the option to upgrade components like the CPU when needed. However, comparing Intel and Pentium CPUs can be confusing due to performance versus power usage differences. https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/Int...2865vs3248 This situation is tricky with pfSense since it's unclear what setup works best for Gigabit speeds. My device claims to support it, but I'm unsure about the connection type (PPPoE, OpenVPN, etc.). It might take a few years before I confirm whether Gigabit remains affordable compared to the current cost of two VDSL lines.
Having gigabit speeds is both a benefit and a challenge. You need strong hardware to handle those data transfers, but you also avoid long wait times for downloads. The CPU in that system is the G5400T, with the T being the slower version and using less power. The main obstacle preventing me from getting the Lenovo is the NVMe issue, though if it doesn’t work, I might consider another mini PC.
Nvme should function properly. It makes sense to try other options too, like untangle. The chip doesn’t really need 54w—it’s based on the TDP they provide, which is minimal. Mobile chips will consume significantly more than TDP if cooling allows, so TDP doesn’t equal actual power use.
I tried looking for the T, but it led me to the wrong page. Before buying the device, I had a low-power CPU too, though it used around 30-40W—much less than the faster model.