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Help Choosing Hardware for Heavy Home Use

Hi everyone,

I've been reading threads and researching the Sophos XG firewalls for some time now, but I keep running in circles in regard to my hardware choice.

I'm an IT professional, who works from home, but also has a family that heavily utilizes the internet (tons of web traffic and media streaming, upwards of 1TB+ per month). I also run a Plex media server and an ESX rig with multiple heavily utilized guests that have applications which are externally accessible. An average number of users is 4, but can be 10+ on many occasions. Wireless is also not an issue, as I have multiple Unifi AC-PRO's already in place.

Currently, my internet connection is 60/10, but there's a real chance I'll have access to synchronous 1Gbps in the near future, so I'm trying to future proof. From a module perspective, I'm looking to run basically all of the available modules, except for maybe Security Heartbeat. I'm not sure if I could really utilize it since most of my users are using tablets, phones, and other smart devices, and it was my understanding that was more desktop/server focuses (could be wrong, though?).

Anyway, I think my best option would be an XG-115 if I bought the hardware (about $750 with a 1-year license from CDW), but I didn't know if that was overkill. I was considering the XG-85 (about $550 from CDW with 3-year license) but didn't know if that was enough horsepower.

The other option is to build a mini-ITX machine with the following specs, and then load up the home edition:

Intel Core i5-7500. 4-cores (8 threads) @3.4Ghz

8GB of DDR4-2400 (I know home version can only run 6GB)

128GB Samsung EVO m.2 SSD

Dual Intel GigE NIC's

Cost - about $600

Thanks for all your help everyone!!

- J



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Parents
  • Note that from a cost perspective (STRICTLY for home use), it is always going to be more cost-effective to build your own gear.  

    The 100-series appliances use Atom processors (either dual or quad-core..depending on specific model) and they max out at 6GB of ram.  Core i5 systems are going to be in line with 300-series XG appliances from a processor standpoint.  So, it is a no-brainer for a home-use situation.  BUILD IT!

Reply
  • Note that from a cost perspective (STRICTLY for home use), it is always going to be more cost-effective to build your own gear.  

    The 100-series appliances use Atom processors (either dual or quad-core..depending on specific model) and they max out at 6GB of ram.  Core i5 systems are going to be in line with 300-series XG appliances from a processor standpoint.  So, it is a no-brainer for a home-use situation.  BUILD IT!

Children
  • My current XG, the one carrying all the load as of today is based on a server board using 8gb (6gb is only allocated under home licence) and a e3-1225v5. 2 onboard NICs and two added.

    Uses about 20 watts, now has two ISPs and 8 rules, 2 AP55s with 5 SSIDs about 25 devices spread over both ISPs.

    Utilsation.

    cpu about 2% when very busy

    ram 45% peaking at 49%.

    Both ISP connections are flat out at 5mb/s on a good day, most days around 4.3mb/s down and 500kb/s up if I am lucky.

    How well this box loads up I will not know for at least 12 months if lucky.

    Ian