Topics

Configure two ISP uplinks on OPNsense with gateway groups for automatic failover or load balancing: monitoring, NAT, DNS, and pitfalls that break it.

Use the os-haproxy and os-acme-client plugins to put one HTTPS front end in front of all your homelab services on OPNsense — real backends, SNI host

How to create and enforce VLANs on OPNsense to isolate IoT devices, guest Wi-Fi, and your trusted LAN — with firewall rules that block inter-VLAN traffic

An OPNsense-leaning but honest comparison — release cadence, the open-source model, the GUI, plugins vs packages, and the specific use cases where each

Step-by-step walkthrough for installing OPNsense on a Protectli vault or mini-PC, covering installer options, interface assignment, WAN/LAN configuration

Install and configure Zenarmor (formerly Sensei) on OPNsense for application-aware filtering, web category blocking, and live traffic analytics — what the

Set up Suricata as an inline IPS on OPNsense — install the plugin, enable ET Open or ET Pro rulesets, configure alert actions, and tune to reduce false

Configure OPNsense HA using CARP virtual IPs and pfsync state synchronization for sub-second firewall failover — step-by-step for a two-node homelab or

A practitioner's comparison of OPNsense and pfSense for homelab use — update cadence, licensing, IDS/IPS, VPN support, and when to pick each.

Tested hardware recommendations for running OPNsense: fanless Protectli vaults, refurbished mini-PCs, and purpose-built appliances — with throughput data

Configure WireGuard on OPNsense for secure remote access — create the Instance, add Peers with the built-in generator, assign the interface, write