Assuming you mean NUCs[0] and not NICs, I'm sure you're correct. That said, there are many other fanless miniPCs which are both less expensive and, as such, much less likely to be counterfeited.
>Regarding pfSense and OPNsense, I recently built and used a nice OPNsense box, including IPS, but decided to go back to OpenWrt for home use, because OpenWrt actually worked a bit better for the things I needed.
A fair point. The device I use as a router/firewall came pre-installed with OPNSense, which I immediately wiped and replaced with a vanilla Linux install and customised it to my own taste.
I mentioned OPN/pfSense not because I use them, but because they offer a fairly complete solution without having strong networking knowledge. Rolling your own is, IMNSHO, definitely superior to those, as well as to OpenWRT.
As for WiFi, I restrict my APs to just bridging to my wired network and have implemented strong egress filtering to control outbound access.
>I might use pfSense (or maybe OPNsense) router for a startup office of more than several people, though (until we can cost-justify a dedicated IT infra&support specialist). With OpenWrt on the WiFi APs.
That's not a bad idea at all. Although you might also consider one or more of the other distros/packages in the Wikipedia link[1] I included in my previous comment. Good luck!
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Next_Unit_of_Computing
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_router_and_firewall_di...
https://www.servethehome.com/identifying-risky-counterfeit-i...
(I used industrial NUC PCs as part of factory stations for a startup a few years ago, and they were nice. I looked into NUCs for home routers/firewalls, but I didn't like their NIC options.)
Many of their NUC-sized computers have dual physical LAN ports.
My misunderstanding. Apologies.
I use something similar to this[0] device, which has 4X2.5Gb ethernet ports and no WiFi (which was my preference) interface.
As such, no additional NICs were required, even with a dual ISP configuration.
[0] https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09J4H9ZXY?ie=UTF8&th=1
(I’m looking at my stack right now and looking to upgrade)
Regarding pfSense and OPNsense, I recently built and used a nice OPNsense box, including IPS, but decided to go back to OpenWrt for home use, because OpenWrt actually worked a bit better for the things I needed.
I might use pfSense (or maybe OPNsense) router for a startup office of more than several people, though (until we can cost-justify a dedicated IT infra&support specialist). With OpenWrt on the WiFi APs.