Smoothwall vs OPNsense

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

Smoothwall is a Security & Privacy solution with tags like firewall, web-filtering, network-security, access-control.

It boasts features such as Stateful inspection firewall, Web content filtering, Application control, Intrusion prevention, Bandwidth management, VPN, Reporting and monitoring and pros including Open source and free, Easy to set up and use, Good for basic network security needs, Active community support.

On the other hand, OPNsense is a Network & Admin product tagged with open-source, firewall, routing, freebsd, packet-filtering, traffic-shaping, vpn, intrusion-detection, intrusion-prevention, centralized-logging, reporting.

Its standout features include 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 it shines with pros like 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.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Smoothwall

Smoothwall

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

Categories:
firewall web-filtering network-security access-control

Smoothwall Features

  1. Stateful inspection firewall
  2. Web content filtering
  3. Application control
  4. Intrusion prevention
  5. Bandwidth management
  6. VPN
  7. Reporting and monitoring

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Freemium

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


OPNsense

OPNsense

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.

Categories:
open-source firewall routing freebsd packet-filtering traffic-shaping vpn intrusion-detection intrusion-prevention centralized-logging reporting

OPNsense Features

  1. Stateful packet filtering firewall
  2. Traffic shaping and QoS
  3. VPN capabilities (IPsec, OpenVPN, L2TP)
  4. Intrusion detection and prevention
  5. Centralized logging and reporting
  6. Web interface for configuration and management
  7. Plugin architecture for extensibility
  8. High availability with CARP protocol
  9. Captive portal for guest networks
  10. Traffic analysis and monitoring

Pricing

  • Open Source

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