Like every other subset of the home lab ecosystem, the router/firewall faction is primarily split between pfSense and OPNsense, and rightly so. The former is known for its solid stability, while the latter benefits from a more user-friendly approach and fast update cycles. During my years of working from home, I migrated to a pfSense virtual machine running on my network attached storage server, and it served me well for a long time.
However, I had heard good things about OPNsense, and with the criticism of pfSense’s shenanigans piling up, I jumped on the former. Although I wouldn’t say that OPNsense surpasses its ancestor in every way, I didn’t expect it to please me as much.
How did OPNsense derive from pfSense and become a better firewall?
OPNsense and pfSense have the same origins, but OPNsense is now the recommended firewall of choice.
OPNsense’s sleek web UI was a breath of fresh air
pfSense’s interface seems a little too dated for my tastes
Having worked with Linux distributions long before they became beginner-friendly, I’m no stranger to clunky user interfaces. On the contrary, pfSense’s interface, based on FreeBSD, is more than usable for the average DIYer, and I didn’t encounter too many problems tweaking essential network settings after going through its documentation.
However, I was hooked by OPNsense’s web interface as soon as I logged into it. Each setting, whether it’s simple firewall rules, network interfaces, or VLAN management options, is neatly laid out in its respective tab, and I don’t need to wade through a wave of menus just to change a specific aspect of my router. Plus, it’s much easier on the eyes, especially compared to pfSense’s outdated UI elements.
OPNsense’s plugin arsenal is more diverse than expected
Although I still miss pfBlockerNG
Back when I first dove into OPNsense, its plugin library was nowhere near as large as pfSense’s. The latter still beats OPNsense in add-on utilities you can arm it with, and I continue to miss the DNS filtering giant that is pfBlockerNG. That said, OPNsense has a reliable set of plugins that I can download, and that list has only grown over the years.
I currently use the AdBlocker Home plugin for my IP blocklists, with Unbound acting as a recursive DNS resolver, and this setup has filled the pfBlockerNG-shaped hole in my networking arsenal. On the VPN side, both versions of FreeBSD support OpenVPN, WireGuard and IPsec, although pfSense requires the latter to be installed via plugins. The same goes for the IPS/IDS utility, as OPNsense comes with Suricata, whereas I had to manually install Snort on pfSense.
The OPNsense ecosystem seems much more reliable than that of its rival
I’m not interested in tech policy, but I can’t support pfSense’s antics
While I’ve never had any breakthrough issues with my pfSense instance, I don’t much like the former’s stance on open source software. The strange licensing shenanigans of pfSense have always existed, but the addition of the closed-source pfSense Plus seemed jarring to many users, including yours truly. The same goes for the unclear update cycle on pfSense CE. While I won’t rush to install the new OPNsense update when it comes out, it’s good to know about new features coming to the platform. Meanwhile, pfSense CE generally only includes maintenance fixes, with most new and interesting features relegated to the Plus version of the distribution. When I tried to install pfSense CE on my local router a few days ago, the platform asked me to log in only to download the image – a platform requiring my address and a valid phone number, no less.
Still, OPNsense has a few caveats that make me want pfSense.
Although I consider myself a member of the OPNsense faction, I’d be lying if I said I loved everything about this router distribution. Its faster release cycle is certainly commendable, but I’m always cautious about installing them, especially because one unpredictable bug is enough to bring down my networking stack. Meanwhile, pfSense CE is ideal for home labs where you need stability first and foremost (although I would still appreciate a slightly faster release cycle and more frequent updates for the CE version).
Now, make no mistake: pfSense’s antics are by no means a deal breaker. If you’re new to working from home, you can’t go wrong with either distribution. But when given the option to choose between OPNsense and pfSense, the former’s polished user interface, robust support, and completely open source nature are enough to tip the scales in its favor.