Re: Alternatives
What alternatives are people using, I'm thinking of going for PFSense for the firewall/router. I'm a home user with three switches and a couple of APs and I use things like VLANs and various firewall rules.
It depends what level of config vs what level of pissing around you're willing to tolerate. I used NetBSD for years, and have moved to FreeBSD recently. Both times using pf as the firewall for nat/routing.
This has served well for years, currently running PPPoE to an old style VDSL modem on Plusnet. (so the server gets the external IP).
However, all the config is done on the command line (I expect there's web options, I just don't use them), and as I've used it for years I probably have a level of acrued knowlage that I'm not considering.
It runs all the services I need on the network (It does all home servering duties, eg media via plex, files via samba), gives me nice, configurable firewalling and is flexible. (eg, I have pihole running in a small debian VM, and another windows VM running a minecraft server for the small person). It allows me to support 3 people and a gob load of devices without issues.
I don't use the server for WiFi however, I have a TP-Link and an old repurposed plusnet homehub doing wifi duties (seperate SSIDs, but on the same network), these are just acting as bridges though, things like DHCP is disabled in the wifi kit, all handled by the server.
After home office requirements for stupid stupid covid I am now also running 3 switches, and 2 APs. I've not made any use of VLANs though.