I started a small project focused on network security, monitoring, and modern firewall solutions. The main goal was to evaluate pfSense as a replacement for my Cisco ASA firewall and to build a flexible platform for future home lab development.
As an open-source enthusiast, I found pfSense to be an excellent solution for both home labs and small to medium-sized businesses. It offers many enterprise-level features without the high cost of commercial firewall appliances.
Cyberoam CR25wiNG (router/firewall)
The original operating system was replaced with pfSense, which became the main router and firewall for the project. The following services were deployed:
- Router-on-a-Stick VLAN configuration
- Snort (IDS)
- Tailscale (VPN)
Dell Wyse 5060 (mini-pc)
A Debian Linux installation was used to provide additional network services, including:
- AdGuard Home (for local DNS filtering)
- Syncthing (for secure file synchronisation)
Cisco Catalyst 2960G (managed switch)
The switch was configured with basic VLAN support, while inter-VLAN routing was handled by pfSense.
Raspberry Pi
A dedicated Raspberry Pi was used to deploy Zabbix Server for infrastructure monitoring.
To create a more realistic test environment, I also connected my Dell R210 II servers and a Windows laptop to the network. This allowed me to monitor multiple systems and services while testing the firewall and network configuration.
By the end of the project, I was convinced that pfSense could successfully replace my Cisco ASA firewall. Many of the technologies tested here later became part of my larger home lab infrastructure and formed the foundation for future networking and security projects.
