OPNsense vs Smoothwall

Struggling to choose between OPNsense and Smoothwall? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

OPNsense is a Network & Admin solution with tags like open-source, firewall, routing, freebsd, packet-filtering, traffic-shaping, vpn, intrusion-detection, intrusion-prevention, centralized-logging, reporting.

It boasts features such as Stateful packet filtering firewall, Traffic shaping and QoS, VPN capabilities (IPsec, OpenVPN, L2TP), Intrusion detection and prevention, Centralized logging and reporting, Web interface for configuration and management, Plugin architecture for extensibility, High availability with CARP protocol, Captive portal for guest networks, Traffic analysis and monitoring and pros including Free and open source, Regular updates and security fixes, Extensive documentation and community support, Highly customizable via plugins, Supports latest network standards and protocols, Performs well even on low-end hardware.

On the other hand, Smoothwall is a Security & Privacy product tagged with firewall, web-filtering, network-security, access-control.

Its standout features include Stateful inspection firewall, Web content filtering, Application control, Intrusion prevention, Bandwidth management, VPN, Reporting and monitoring, and it shines with pros like Open source and free, Easy to set up and use, Good for basic network security needs, Active community support.

Feature	OPNsense	Smoothwall
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Network & Admin	Security & Privacy

Product Overview

OPNsense

Description: OPNsense is an open source firewall and routing software based on FreeBSD. It features a stateful packet filtering firewall, traffic shaping, VPN capabilities, intrusion detection and prevention, and centralized logging and reporting.

Smoothwall

Description: Smoothwall is an open-source firewall and web filtering software solution. It provides network security and access control features for schools, businesses, and organizations.

Key Features Comparison

OPNsense Features

• Stateful packet filtering firewall
• Traffic shaping and QoS
• VPN capabilities (IPsec, OpenVPN, L2TP)
• Intrusion detection and prevention
• Centralized logging and reporting
• Web interface for configuration and management
• Plugin architecture for extensibility
• High availability with CARP protocol
• Captive portal for guest networks
• Traffic analysis and monitoring

Smoothwall Features

• Stateful inspection firewall
• Web content filtering
• Application control
• Intrusion prevention
• Bandwidth management
• VPN
• Reporting and monitoring

Pros & Cons Analysis

OPNsense

Pros

• Free and open source
• Regular updates and security fixes
• Extensive documentation and community support
• Highly customizable via plugins
• Supports latest network standards and protocols
• Performs well even on low-end hardware

Cons

• Steeper learning curve than commercial solutions
• Lacks some features found in proprietary alternatives
• Requires more hands-on management than UTM appliances
• Plugin quality can vary

Smoothwall

Pros

• Open source and free
• Easy to set up and use
• Good for basic network security needs
• Active community support

Cons

• Lacks some advanced features of commercial firewalls
• Web filtering can be basic compared to dedicated solutions
• Limited scalability for large networks

Pricing Comparison

OPNsense

• Open Source

Smoothwall

• Open Source
• Freemium