Virtualizing a Router with pfSense

Introduction to pfSense: An Open-Source Firewall and Router Platform

Notes:

• pfSense is a free, customized distribution of FreeBSD that can turn an old computer into a full-featured router and firewall.

• pfSense was created in 2004 as a fork of the popular m0n0wall project. The main difference between pfSense and m0n0wall is that pfSense is designed mainly to be installed on PCs instead of embedded devices which allows pfSense to offer more flexibility and features.

Reasons to use pfSense:

• pfSense is fast, free, and stable, offering tons of great features.

• If you have an existing router that doesn't offer the features or performance you need, pfSense is a great choice to replace it with. Offering complete control of the hardware, you can customize your pfSense system with the components you want.

• If you've ever shopped for routers or firewalls before, you probably know that depending on the features you are looking for, they can be quite expensive. By using pfSense, you can save a ton of money without compromising on features.

Summary: After reading about pfSense, this almost reminds me of Linux in a way. Since pfSense isn't a traditional router but one that is full-featured using an old pc. Just like Linux isn't your traditional OS system and it is also fast, free, and reliable. I think this topic is important to explore because it's helpful to have as many options as opposed to just focusing on the traditional, well-known pieces of tech. This can also make technology more accessible to everyone. Lastly, I think it's important as technical professionals to have some experience with as many technologies that are out there.

Things I want to know more about:

• In what environment do people usually use pfSense?