For the first Jawn of the Month I had to pick Pfsense. I’ve used this open source router/firewall software for many years. I can’t stress enough how much I’ve learned in regards to network security and traffic flow with this operating system. For any entry level IT or Security individuals I would definitely suggest picking up a refurbished desktop on Amazon, load it up with two gigabit NIC cards and install Pfsense on it and learn how to use it. This tool will provide visibility into the incoming/outgoing connections in your network much better then anything you can buy off-the-shelf for home routers. On Pfsense you can create very strict firewall rules, create a VPN or even install an IPS into this system. This jawn is an extremely powerful operating system which can provide a strong layer of defense for a home or small business network. Pfsense has the ability to do many of the same things small business router/firewalls are capable of running. The UI for Pfsense isn’t as easy to use as a SonicWall or Fortigate but if you can use Pfsense those other types of router/firewalls will be much easier to master.
