Optimize your network with these router suggestions.
Optimize your network with these router suggestions.
They're considering switching to a router instead of paying the ISP for a rental device. I prefer pfSense because it's familiar and I understand it well. There are various choices available, but I'm unsure which one is best for VPN use. I need a router that can handle about 500-1000Mbps through the VPN, though most I see offer around 150-200Mbps. My budget is roughly $150 to $200. Also, they want a device with Wi-Fi capabilities since they don't want to purchase a separate access point.
Are you really requiring more than 200Mbps for the VPN? Even with pfSense, which is affordable and handles IPSec well, you’d need at least a FW6B or similar to reach around 500Mbps. That could cost close to 600 dollars just for the firewall without Wi-Fi. For that level of performance I’d suggest a FortiGate 40F—it’s about 530 USD on Amazon and offers 4.4Gbps of VPN throughput. It also supports hardware switching, which pfSense lacks. If you still prefer pfSense, you’ll need a separate AP, but its Wi-Fi support is poor. I recommend lowering your expectations for VPN speed. You don’t need 500–1000Mbps; it’s nice to have but not essential. Personally, the Asus RT-AX55 at around 100 dollars on Amazon would be a solid choice—it’s a budget Wi-Fi 6 router that covers most needs. According to this video, you could potentially achieve over 800Mbps with IPsec if you’re careful.