{"product_id":"firewall-mini-pc-n355-upgraded-n305-fanless-4-x-2-5gbe-security","title":"Firewall Mini PC N355 (Upgraded N305) - Fanless 4 x 2.5GbE Security","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of the Firewall Mini PC N355 (Upgraded N305) the bottom line is simple: this is a compact, fanless security appliance built for small offices, home labs, and edge deployments that need multi-gigabit wired throughput and flexible OS support. The N355 dual-core family design and DDR5 memory options deliver noticeably better packet handling than typical gigabit boxes, and the four Intel i226V 2.5GbE ports make it well suited for routing, firewalling and lightweight virtualization. For anyone evaluating an OPNsense or Linux-based hardware firewall, the combination of AES-NI capable CPU, NVMe storage and quiet operation is the single biggest reason to consider it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProcessor:\u003c\/strong\u003e The 12th Gen N355 Twin Lake processor provides 8 cores and burst clocks up to 3.9 GHz for responsive packet processing and encrypted VPN workloads.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMulti-Gigabit Networking:\u003c\/strong\u003e Four Intel i226V 2.5GbE ports deliver up to 2.5x the throughput of gigabit Ethernet for faster inter-VLAN and WAN\/LAN traffic handling.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMemory and Storage:\u003c\/strong\u003e DDR5 SO-DIMM support and two M.2 NVMe slots plus two SATA3 ports allow ample memory and fast system\/storage configurations for caching and logging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQuiet Fanless Design:\u003c\/strong\u003e The passive chassis runs with minimal noise and the included 4-pin fan cable allows adding a small fan if higher-duty cooling is required.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDisplay and I\/O:\u003c\/strong\u003e Integrated UHD graphics with 4 display outputs including Type-C and DP support easy console access and troubleshooting when installing software such as OPNsense or ESXi.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlexible OS Support:\u003c\/strong\u003e Officially supports OPNsense, Linux, ESXi and OpenWrt, enabling a range of firewall, routing and virtualization use cases.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Firewall Mini PC N355 is ideal for small business IT administrators, home lab enthusiasts, and network integrators who need a compact, low-power appliance with multi-gigabit wired ports and support for open firewall OS options. It works well where AES-NI acceleration, NVMe boot, and multiple Sata\/NVMe drives are useful for logging, caching or running small virtual machines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose who want a plug-and-play consumer router with built-in Wi-Fi or who require extremely high-end firewall throughput for large enterprise cores should look elsewhere; this unit targets edge deployments and modest throughput scenarios rather than carrier-class aggregation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eCompact, fanless chassis that keeps noise to a minimum while providing multiple 2.5GbE ports.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eSolid hardware feature set for a micro appliance: DDR5 support, AES-NI capable CPU and dual NVMe slots for fast storage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eWide OS compatibility including OPNsense and ESXi for flexible firewall and virtualization setups.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eRich I\/O including Type-C, DisplayPort and two HDMI outputs for management and console access.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eNot intended as a wireless gateway since there is no integrated Wi-Fi; external APs are required.\u003c\/li\u003e\n \u003cli\u003eAlthough fanless by default, heavy sustained loads may benefit from the optional small 12V fan accessory.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProcessor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12th Gen N355 Twin Lake, up to 3.9 GHz, 8 cores\/8 threads\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNetwork Ports\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4 x Intel i226V 2.5GbE LAN ports\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMemory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e1 x DDR5 SO-DIMM 4800MHz, up to 48GB\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStorage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2 x M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 3.0 slots and 2 x SATA 3.0 for 2.5\" drives (SATA cable included)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGraphics \u0026amp; Displays\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntegrated UHD Graphics (32 EUs) with 2 x HDMI, 1 x DP, 1 x Type-C; supports 4K@60Hz\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePower \u0026amp; Cooling\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFanless design, supports 12V 4-pin small fan (cable included); power adapter included\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Firewall Mini PC N355 is a strong value for small networks and home labs that need multi-gigabit wired performance, flexible OS choices and quiet operation. It pairs modern DDR5 memory and NVMe storage with AES-NI capable silicon, making it a practical hardware platform for OPNsense, Linux routers or light virtualization without excessive cost or footprint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I run OPNsense or ESXi on this device?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, the appliance supports OPNsense, Linux and ESXi, and the vendor notes BIOS access via the Delete key for configuration.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow many drives can I install?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere are two M.2 NVMe slots plus two SATA 3.0 ports for 2.5\" SSD or HDD, and a SATA cable is included.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the unit noisy under load?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is fanless by default for quiet operation; a small 12V 4-pin fan may be added if needed for sustained high-load cooling.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Glovary","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48650297934043,"sku":"B0DXTTDGC3","price":481.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/71VNt5XqHzL._AC_SL1500_c3a2f395-8838-429e-920a-6dc3755d1611.jpg?v=1778616503","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/firewall-mini-pc-n355-upgraded-n305-fanless-4-x-2-5gbe-security","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}