If you’ve been following my OPNSense content, you may have seen my other posts. In this post, I wanted to provide a consolidated guide covering the different hardware options available. We are going to cover what I use for my current setup, single board computers, old computers, official hardware, or just virtualizing it.
- OPNsense vs pfSense : Full Comparison of Features, UI, and Hardware
- 2025 Update – OPNsense Firewall/Router Two Year Review
- DIY OPNSense Router/Firewall build
Hardware Recommendations
In this post, I’m focusing specifically on hardware recommendations for OPNSense, whether you’re building your own setup or buying ready-made solutions.
Minimum Requirements
Here are the hardware requirements from OPNsense, but check out their site for additional details.
| Minimum | Reasonable | ||
| CPU | 1 GHz dual-core CPU | 1 GHz dual-core CPU | 1.5 GHz multi-core CPU |
| RAM | 3 GB | 3 GB | 8 GB |
| Disk Space | 4 GB (see notes on opnsense website) | 40 GB SSD, a minimum of 3 GB memory is needed for the installer to run. | 120 GB SSD |
Mini Computer Options
Here are a few recommendations, mostly in order of preference.
- Beelink EQ14 Mini PC
- Protectli Vault V1410-4
- Protectli Vault FW4B
- Older model to the V1410-4
- Mini PC Quad Core N150, DDR5 8GB RAM 128GB NVMe SSD)
- No Name, but has decent reviews on Amazon
- MINISFORUM MS-01-S1260 Mini PC Barebone with Intel Core i5-12600H
- No RAM or SSD, so don’t forget those!
- Qotom Router Q750G5 Intel Celeron J4125 (my current setup)
- No longer available as of 2025 (vs 2023 when I bought it)
Note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. No additional cost to you.
Old computer with Dual/Quad NIC
If you have an older desktop or server lying around, it can make a great OPNSense firewall with a bit of tweaking. Adding a dual or quad NIC provides multiple network interfaces for separating LAN, WAN, and optional DMZ networks. While these systems can be less power-efficient than mini computer option, they offer an affordable way to experiment, learn, and try out different configurations. This is a great option by providing reliable performance for home or small office networks without the need to buy new or specialized hardware.
Amazon typically has renewed computers that you can pick up pretty cheap.
- Dell Optiplex 7070 Desktop Computer, Intel i7-9700, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD
- This one is newer and high performance, but they have older that are most cost effective.
- Amazon Renewed Store
Official OPNSense Store
The Official hardware store offers a range of firewalls, from compact desktop units to full rackmount systems. All of the hardware is designed, built, and shipped from Europe, which does add to the overall cost, but you’re getting high-quality, purpose-built gear that’s fully supported for OPNSense.
Virtualized Hardware
This is the cheapest option, since you can virtualize OPNSense on hardware you already own. Running it on platforms like Proxmox or ESXi keeps costs low while still giving you flexibility, easy backups, and the ability to manage multiple services on a single machine.
Conclusion
Choosing the right hardware is a key step in building a reliable OPNSense setup. Whether you go with a DIY build, a single-board computer, old computer, or hardware from the official store, the options listed here cover a range of performance needs and budgets. Use this guide as a starting point, and tailor your setup to match your network demands. With the right hardware, OPNSense can provide a powerful, stable, and flexible firewall for years to come.