Firewall Mini PC N355 (Upgraded N305) - Compact 6-Port 2.5GbE

In this review of the Firewall Mini PC N355, the bottom line is straightforward: it is a compact, fanless micro appliance built for small offices, home labs, and anyone who needs a powerful dedicated firewall with multiple 2.5GbE ports. The review finds the main reason to buy is its combination of a 12th Gen N355 Twin Lake processor with AES-NI, six i226V 2.5GbE LAN ports and DDR5 memory, which together deliver strong packet handling, low power draw and quiet operation for continuous network security tasks.

Key Features

• 12th Gen N355 Processor: The Twin Lake N355 with 8 cores and up to 3.9 GHz provides responsive throughput for firewall, VPN and routing workloads while keeping power consumption low.
• Six 2.5GbE Ports: Six i226V LAN ports let the appliance handle multiple WAN/LAN or DMZ segments at 2.5G speeds for faster internal traffic than gigabit hardware.
• DDR5 Memory and NVMe Storage: Support for a single DDR5 SO-DIMM and two M.2 NVMe slots plus a SATA 3.0 bay gives flexibility for fast caching, logs and storage-heavy packages.
• Fanless Design with Optional Fan: The passive cooling keeps runtime quiet for always-on deployment, while an included 4-pin fan cable and small fan support provide extra thermal headroom if needed.
• Triple Display and I/O: Built-in UHD graphics with 2 HD outputs plus Type-C supporting 4K@60Hz and multiple USB ports make it useful as a compact desktop or console machine as well as a firewall.

Who It's For

The Firewall Mini PC N355 is best for small businesses, branch offices and advanced home users who want a dedicated hardware firewall running OPNsense, OpenWrt, Linux or ESXi and need multi-gig connectivity across several network segments. Reviewers will note the appliance excels where sustained throughput, AES-NI acceleration and low-noise operation matter.

It is less appropriate for casual users who only need a basic home router or who cannot configure third-party firewall software; those users should look for simpler consumer routers with guided setup. Also, large data center environments that require chassis-scale features and redundant power should consider rack appliances instead.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Six 2.5GbE i226V ports provide substantially faster LAN throughput than gigabit alternatives.
• DDR5 memory and dual NVMe support enable responsive packet processing and fast logging or caching.
• Fanless micro form factor keeps operation quiet for continuous desktop or closet deployment.
• Versatile software support including OPNsense, Linux and ESXi for advanced firewall use cases.

Cons

• Preinstalled Windows 11 Pro may need reinstallation for users who prefer a pure OPNsense or Linux image, which adds setup time.
• No built-in redundant power or rack mounting for larger enterprise deployments.

Specifications

Processor	Twin Lake 12th Gen N355, 8 cores / 8 threads, up to 3.9 GHz
Network	6 x i226V 2.5GbE LAN ports
Memory	1 x DDR5 SO-DIMM support (4800MHz)
Storage	2 x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 3.0 slots and 1 x SATA 3.0 for 2.5" SSD/HDD
Graphics & Display	Integrated UHD Graphics, 2 x HD + Type-C triple display, 4K@60Hz
Cooling	Fanless design; optional 12V 4-pin small fan supported (cable included)

Our Verdict

The Firewall Mini PC N355 is a compelling value for small networks that need multi-gig connectivity, efficient AES-NI crypto and flexible storage for logs and caching. It balances solid processing power, quiet fanless operation and broad OS support, making it a practical choice for tech-savvy administrators and home lab enthusiasts who want a dedicated, compact appliance rather than a consumer router.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can it run OPNsense out of the box?
Yes, the unit supports OPNsense and other network OS options, though users may need to reinstall the preferred image over the preinstalled Windows 11 Pro.

Does it support NVMe and SATA at the same time?
Yes, it has two M.2 NVMe slots plus one SATA 3.0 port for a 2.5" SSD or HDD, allowing mixed storage configurations.

Is the unit noisy in normal operation?
The appliance is fanless and operates quietly; an optional small 12V fan can be added using the included 4-pin cable if extra cooling is required.