OPNSense – Install OPNSense on Zimaboard: My Experience and Recommendation

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Recently, I decided to experiment with installing OPNSense, a popular open-source firewall, on my ZimaBoard, a budget-friendly single-board server aimed at networking and home lab enthusiasts. If you’re looking to do the same, here’s a quick guide on creating a bootable USB and my take on whether the ZimaBoard is the right choice for OPNSense.

Here is the video version of this written tutorial:

Step 1: Creating the Bootable USB

  1. Download OPNSense ISO – Head over to the official OPNSense website and grab the latest image (AMD64). Download
  2. Prepare Balena Etcher – A simple, free tool that makes flashing images to USB drives a breeze. Download it from balena.io.
  3. Flash the ISO to USB:
    • Open Balena Etcher
    • Select the OPNSense ISO
    • Choose your USB drive
    • Click “Flash” and wait for completion.
  4. Boot the ZimaBoard from USB – Plug the USB into your ZimaBoard, enter BIOS (usually by pressing DEL)

Step 2: Installing OPNSense on ZimaBoard

Once booted into the installer, follow the prompts to install OPNSense onto your internal storage. Configuration is fairly straightforward if you’ve set up firewalls before.

Step 3: Fix Realtek Ethernet NIC Issues

Why I Don’t Recommend ZimaBoard for OPNSense (Unless You Already Own One)

While ZimaBoard offers an attractive price point and a fanless, low-power design, it comes with one major drawbackRealtek NICs (Network Interface Cards).

The Issue with Realtek NICs

  • OPNSense (and FreeBSD-based firewalls in general) have poor driver support for Realtek network adapters, leading to performance issues, instability, and dropped packets.
  • If you’re planning to use your ZimaBoard as a serious firewall/router, the Realtek NICs can quickly become a bottleneck and might result in frustrating troubleshooting sessions.
  • You’ll likely end up having to purchase an additional Intel-based NIC, which adds to the cost and defeats the budget-friendly appeal of the ZimaBoard.

Recommendation: If you’re serious about running OPNSense, I highly suggest going with a system that includes Intel NICs out of the box, such as a small form-factor PC or dedicated firewall hardware.

Final Thoughts

If you already own a ZimaBoard, it’s worth experimenting with OPNSense for light-duty tasks or learning purposes. However, for production or high-performance setups, investing in hardware with better native support is the way to go.

Have you tried OPNSense on ZimaBoard? Let me know your thoughts and experiences in the Youtube or Facebook Page comments.

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