pfSense Firewall or Linsys/Cisco router for small offices
- by Tim Meers
I'm about to start switching some networks around for multiple small offices. Each office has about 10 to 15 users and 10 to 15 computers. Each office has a spread of generic routers and access points. The routers vary from being used as routers, to just being an access point for wireless. Nothing formal has really ever beem implemented for each of the 10 offices.
What I'm wanting is to set up a pfSense box for each office to configure things like:
traffic shaping (for VoIP QOS)
URL Filtering
DHCP
static routing
multiple VLANs
I'll then use some of the existing hardware for wireless. Maybe even integrate the wireless right into the firewall depending on the office layout.
So my question, would this be better to do a full blown firewall box, or but a new business class or high end consumer class Linksys router to do the URL filtering, QOS and DHPC?
Each option could allow for remote access and VPN for remote maintnance and each would only cost a nominal about of money for something decent, i.e. under $250.
