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Step-by-step pfSense and pfSense Plus tutorials, package guides, and hardware recommendations for homelab networking. Covers installation, VLANs, pfBlockerNG, Snort IDS/IPS, OpenVPN, WireGuard, and more.
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pfSense Port Forwarding Not Working? Fix It Step by Step
Nine ordered checks for a pfSense port forward that passes nothing: rule destination, private or CGNAT WAN address, target gateway, reflection.
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What Is pfSense and How to Use It: VLAN and Firewall Guide
Learn what pfSense does, how to install it, and how to build a four-VLAN home network with explicit firewall, DNS, mDNS, and VPN policy.
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pfSense VLAN Setup for Homelab: Design, Rules, and Tests
pfSense VLAN setup for homelab: trunk layout, a four-VLAN plan, firewall rules in apply order, mDNS reflection, DNS pinning, and the tests that prove it.
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How to Set Up an OpenVPN Server on pfSense
Run the pfSense OpenVPN wizard end to end: CA and server certificate, a tunnel network that will not collide, firewall rules, and client export.
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pfSense Appliances: Netgate, Protectli, or DIY Build
What a pfSense appliance actually buys you, how Netgate, third-party boxes, and DIY builds differ, and the five checks to run before ordering any of them.
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pfSense Requirements: Minimum & Recommended Hardware
See pfSense minimum and recommended CPU, RAM, storage, and NIC requirements for basic routing, VPN, pfBlockerNG, and Suricata IDS/IPS.
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How to Set Up WireGuard VPN on pfSense: Step-by-Step Guide
Set up WireGuard VPN on pfSense step by step: install the package, create the tunnel, add peers, assign the interface, and write the firewall rules.
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How to Install pfSense in a Proxmox VM: Step-by-Step Guide
A step-by-step walkthrough for how to install pfSense in a Proxmox VM, covering ISO upload, Linux bridges, VirtIO settings, and the checksum offload fix.
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Best Mini PC for pfSense 2026: Buying Guide and Picks
What actually matters when picking a mini PC for pfSense in 2026: Intel NICs over Realtek, core count for IDS and VPN, RAM headroom, and which boxes fit.
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pfSense vs OPNsense for Homelab Firewalls
This pfSense vs OPNsense homelab comparison covers licensing, patch cadence, WireGuard, Suricata, multi-WAN, VLANs, and hardware.
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pfSense Multi-WAN Setup: Failover vs Load Balancing
Use separate gateway tiers for dual-WAN failover or the same tier for per-flow load balancing. Configure policy routing, DNS and NAT for both links.
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pfSense High Availability: CARP Failover Setup Guide
Build two active-passive nodes with CARP VIPs, pfsync state replication and XMLRPC config sync. Check spare LAN and WAN IP needs, then test failover.
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OpenVPN vs WireGuard on pfSense: Performance and Features
This pfSense comparison covers OpenVPN and WireGuard throughput, CPU use, edition support, Plus-only DCO, authentication, TCP fallback, and roaming.
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pfSense Suricata vs Snort: Which IDS/IPS to Choose
Suricata suits most pfSense homelabs with multithreading, EVE JSON logs and Snort rules. Choose Snort for OpenAppID, then stage IDS before inline IPS.
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pfSense GeoIP Blocking with pfBlockerNG and MaxMind
Add a MaxMind license key for GeoLite2 country blocks, choose inbound or outbound actions, then add Emerging Threats, Spamhaus and Abuse.ch feeds.
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pfSense Hardware Appliance: Netgate vs Protectli vs DIY
Compare official Netgate appliances, Protectli boxes, and DIY pfSense builds by licensing, support, upgrades, NICs, and total cost before you buy.
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pfSense VLAN Configuration: Segment IoT, Guest, and Trusted
This pfSense VLAN configuration guide covers trusted, IoT, and guest networks, plus DHCP, firewall rules, switch tagging, DNS access, and tests.
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pfBlockerNG Setup on pfSense: DNSBL and Threat Blocking
This pfBlockerNG setup guide covers DNSBL feeds, resolver enforcement, IP reputation, false-positive tuning, testing, and rollback on pfSense.
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Best pfSense Hardware to Buy in 2026 by Use Case
A spec-based comparison of pfSense appliances, mini PCs, and used systems by WAN speed, IDS/IPS load, NICs, support, power use, and budget.