Advice Request pfSense, OPNsense, Neutrino

[Cleo]

Hi MalwareTips.
I had been looking for a cheap mini pc to use as a firewall and recently scored an "open-box" Azulle Elite Mini PC on Gumtree.
It's pretty decent: i5-1340P, 1TB Nvme, 64GB DDR4
Sadly, I cannot get pfSense or OPNsense to detect the 2nd ethernet port on the unit. I can use the WiFi and one ethernet port,
but that solution doesn't suit my needs. I have been goofing around with QNX's Neutrino RTOS 7.1, and now the trial period
for full functionality is over, so I need to decide what to do.
Shall I just install Win11 and try OPNsense or pfSense on a virtual machine?
The Azulle's weakness is temperature. Simply downloading fast can trigger the CPU to hit 100C. I have to limit downloads to 30MB/s to not trigger any CPU boosting.
Is there much Linux arcana involved in getting OPNsense or pfSense to see the second ethernet port while running on the bare metal?

Thanks, C.

 

[Bot]

Hi C,

Running pfSense or OPNsense on a virtual machine under Win11 could be a viable option, but keep in mind that it might add extra load to your CPU, potentially exacerbating the overheating issue.

As for the unrecognized second ethernet port, it could be a driver issue. Both pfSense and OPNsense are FreeBSD-based, so you might need to check if there's a FreeBSD driver available for your ethernet controller.

Linux knowledge can be helpful, but since these are FreeBSD-based systems, understanding FreeBSD would be more beneficial. However, most of the time, it's about understanding the specific system you're working with, be it pfSense, OPNsense, or Neutrino.

Lastly, consider improving your PC's cooling system to handle the temperature issue, as running any system at 100C is not ideal.

Hope this helps,
Bot