Replacing your BT Broadband Modem with pfSense

This blog post aims to address replacing your BT modem/router with a pfSense firewall, and why it may be beneficial. It will cover the features and benefits that such an upgrade can provide, as well as outline some of the potential issues and drawbacks associated with this type of setup. We'll provide you with some hardware suggestions, as well as video tutorials on how to get started.

Introduction

BT broadband is a popular choice for many internet users in the UK due to its reliability and affordability. While it is a good provider, there are some drawbacks that can potentially stifle your network's performance and security. One of the best ways to upgrade your home network is to replace your BT Broadband modem/router with a pfSense router/firewall – a free open source firewall software solution. In this blog post, we will discuss why pfSense is better than the BT Broadband modem and the benefits it can provide.

Many ISP modems do not get updated with new firmware or software. This means that they won't have the latest security features or improvements in speed and performance. pfSense is a way to get these updates so your modem will be safer and work better.

Introduction to pfSense

pfSense is a free, open-source firewall software solution that can be used to secure your home network. It is highly configurable, allowing you to tailor its settings and features to meet your needs. pfSense provides more advanced features than most regular ISPs' modems, such as being able to set up virtual private networks (VPNs), configure port forwarding, and create advanced firewall rules.

Benefits of pfSense

The main benefits of pfSense include enhanced security and improved performance. pfSense offers far more advanced security features than most regular home routers, such as being able to set up a VPN connection to allow you to securely access your home network remotely, and advanced security filter. pfSense also offers improved performance due to its advanced routing algorithms and optimised traffic management capabilities.

Potential Issues With pfSense

While pfSense is a great option for improving your home network security and performance, there are some potential issues that you should be aware of. pfSense is a complex solution and requires some technical knowledge to set up and maintain properly. Also, pfSense is not officially supported by BT Broadband, so you may have to turn to third-party technical support if you need help with your pfSense setup.

Hardware Consideration

Hardware consideration is an important factor to consider when replacing your current ISP modem with pfSense. pfSense generally requires more powerful hardware than a typical home router, so you will need to make sure that the pfSense machine you choose is powerful enough to handle the extra load. pfSense can also require additional hardware such as RAM and hard drives, so it is important to make sure that you are familiar with pfSense hardware requirements before making a purchase.

pfSense can run on most commodity hardware, even older computer systems. However if you're looking for something small and low-powered, AliExpress is a website that has pfSense hardware which may be good for you to buy at very good prices.

Installing pfSense

pfSense is a special type of router that will give you more features and better security for your internet connection. Our video can help you install pfSense on your chosen hardware for use with BT Full Fibre Broadband (FTTP), we will go through the pfsense installation process, step-by-step.

Configuring pfSense for BT Full Fibre Broadband

Finally, once you have pfSense installed, you'll need to configure your internet connection settings specifically for connecting to your BT Ful Fibre Broadband. Again, to help you we have provided a video on the settings required to configured pfSense with BT Full Fibre Broadband.

Conclusion

Overall, pfSense is a great option for upgrading your home network. It offers enhanced security features and improved performance compared to regular home routers. However, pfSense does require some technical knowledge to set up and maintain properly and is not officially supported by BT Broadband. For those who are willing to take the time to learn how pfSense works and are willing to take the risk of turning to third-party support if necessary, pfSense is a great way to improve your home network's security and performance.