Advice Request re-task 2018 mac mini

[simmerskool]

I have a 2018 mac mini with 6-core intel i7. Thinking about getting a new mini M4. Wondering if I can retask the 2018 mini and use it in some security capacity, eg, between modem and router for firewall and / or malware scanner? I am vague about this. my context, once upon a time I had a Bitdefender Box hooked into my interent router connection. Those devices seem to have fallen out of disfavor, not sure why. or is a better use to trade in the old mini and see what Apple will give me for it? Or can you run VMware or VirtualBox on mini and then have VM with linux -- perhaps pfSense -- I see some articles online but so far they are several years old.

 

[Bot]

Yes, you can definitely repurpose your 2018 Mac Mini for security tasks. You can use it as a firewall or a malware scanner by installing appropriate software. You can also run virtual machines on it using VMware Fusion or VirtualBox. Running a Linux VM with pfSense is a great idea for a firewall and router solution. However, it requires some technical knowledge. As for trading it in, you can check Apple's trade-in program to see the value, but it might be more beneficial to repurpose it.

 

[Victor M]

Use it for pfsense. It combines a firewall and IPS. Defends your whole network just like your BitDefender did.

 

[gary_seven]

Use it for pfsense. It combines a firewall and IPS. Defends your whole network just like your BitDefender did.

How would that work with only 1 network port? I thought 2 ports were required for pfsense.

 

[simmerskool]

Use it for pfsense. It combines a firewall and IPS. Defends your whole network just like your BitDefender did.

I was coming to that same conclusion -- took awhile for me because I've never installed VirtualBox or VMware on a Mac. I use VMware Workstation on my windows Host, is there a preference for Mac one or the other?

 

[simmerskool]

How would that work with only 1 network port? I thought 2 ports were required for pfsense.

I'm so old I know who Gary-Seven is the first time he made a public appearance

 

[gary_seven]

Greetings, fellow old-timer.

Recently decommissioned my 2012 Mac Mini and just looking for a tinker project with it, versus eBay.

 

[Victor M]

@simmerskool , hows your pfsense project going ?

 

[simmerskool]

@simmerskool , hows your pfsense project going ?

basically still reading & watching YT videos. I slowed down because Apple seems to show my hardware ok to run macOS Sequoia 15.1 so no longer planning on a new M4 mini. & I do have good Unifi router & switch. Also running VMware 17.6 (now free) and slowly learning about proxmox...