Editorial desk
OPNsenseLab Editorial
The editorial desk that publishes OPNsenseLab. It is a byline for the site's editorial process, not a person, and this page carries no author biography because there is no individual author to describe.
How this desk works
- Articles are researched from primary sources: vendor and project documentation, published standards and specifications, release notes, advisories, and measurements published by the people who took them.
- Drafts are produced with AI assistance and then edited against those same sources before publication.
- Nothing published here claims hands-on lab testing, benchmarking, or first-hand measurement. Where a figure comes from a datasheet or someone else's test, the article names the source.
- Corrections go to hello@opnsenselab.com and are made on the affected page. Funding is set out on the disclosure page.
Posts (18)
- VPN
How to Set Up OPNsense as a VPN Server: WireGuard, OpenVPN
Set up OPNsense as a VPN server with WireGuard: instance, peers, WAN rule, MSS clamp and client config, plus when OpenVPN or IPsec IKEv2 fits better.
- Networking
OPNsense VLAN Setup: Trusted, IoT, Guest, and Management
Build four routed VLANs in OPNsense with an 802.1Q trunk, switch tagging, DHCP, inter-VLAN firewall rules, mDNS discovery, and isolation tests.
- Hardware
Best NIC for OPNsense: Intel i226-V, i350, and 10G Picks
Why Intel i226-V, i350, and X520 NICs are the safe OPNsense picks on FreeBSD, where Realtek fits, and the iperf3 checks to run before you trust one.
- Security
OPNsense DNS Blocklists: Unbound Setup and Tuning
OPNsense blocks ads and tracker domains natively through Unbound DNSBL. How to choose lists, scope them per VLAN, and fix the breakage they cause.
- Hardware
OPNsense on Raspberry Pi: What Actually Works
OPNsense ships amd64-only images, so it will not boot on a Raspberry Pi. Here is what the Pi can still do for your firewall, and what to buy instead.
- Firewall
OPNsense Port Forwarding: NAT Rules That Actually Work
OPNsense port forwarding needs a destination NAT rule plus a filter rule that matches the internal IP. Here is the correct order and the hairpin fix.
- Getting Started
OPNsense Training: A Self-Paced Learning Path
A staged OPNsense training path for homelab operators: seven lab exercises from first install to CARP failover, each with a build and a verification step.
- Firewall
OPNsense Firewall Rules Explained for Beginners
A beginner walkthrough of OPNsense firewall rules covering rule evaluation order, every field, block vs reject, aliases, and reading the live log.
- Firewall
How to Install OPNsense on Proxmox VE: Step-by-Step Guide
A walkthrough of how to install OPNsense on Proxmox VE: WAN and LAN bridge setup, VM sizing, the installer wizard, and interface assignment.
- Firewall Comparison
OPNsense vs pfSense for Homelab: Packages, Updates, IDS
A source-based OPNsense vs pfSense comparison for homelabs, covering updates, licensing, IDS/IPS, VPNs, plugins, and which use cases fit each.
- Networking
OPNsense Multi-WAN Failover with Gateway Groups
Configure two ISP uplinks on OPNsense with gateway groups for automatic failover or load balancing: monitoring, NAT, DNS, and pitfalls that break it.
- Security
Zenarmor (Sensei) on OPNsense: Free NGFW Setup and Tuning
Install and tune Zenarmor (formerly Sensei) on OPNsense for application-aware filtering and web category blocking, plus what the Free edition includes.
- Networking
HAProxy Reverse Proxy on OPNsense with Let's Encrypt
Use the os-haproxy and os-acme-client plugins to put one HTTPS front end in front of every homelab service on OPNsense, with automatic Let's Encrypt certs.
- VPN
OPNsense WireGuard Road Warrior: Remote Access Setup
Explains OPNsense WireGuard remote-access setup: instances, peers, interface assignment, firewall rules, client routing, DDNS, and troubleshooting.
- Getting Started
OPNsense Initial Setup: Complete Installation Guide (2026)
Install OPNsense on a Protectli vault or mini-PC step by step: installer options, interface assignment, WAN and LAN setup, and first-boot hardening.
- Security
OPNsense Suricata IDS/IPS: Installation and Tuning Guide
Set up Suricata as an inline IPS on OPNsense: enable the built-in engine, add ET Open and Abuse.ch rules, choose alert or drop, and tune false positives.
- Hardware
Best Hardware for OPNsense in 2026: Protectli and Mini-PCs
How to size CPU, NICs, and RAM for OPNsense in 2026, with picks across three tiers: fanless Protectli vaults, mini-PCs, and refurbished enterprise gear.
- Advanced
OPNsense High Availability: CARP Active-Passive Failover
Explains how OPNsense uses CARP virtual IPs and pfsync for active-passive failover, including addressing, node setup, testing, and common pitfalls.