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.

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

Product Overview

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.

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.

Key Features Comparison

Smoothwall Features

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

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

Pros & Cons Analysis

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

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

Pricing Comparison

Smoothwall

• Open Source
• Freemium

OPNsense

• Open Source