Firewall Mini PC Quad Core N150 - Compact Fanless 2.5GbE Router

In this review of the Firewall Mini PC Quad Core N150, the bottom line is simple: this compact, fanless appliance is aimed at small offices and advanced home labs that need reliable, multiport networking and support for open firewall OSes. The biggest reason to buy is its combination of a modern Twin Lake-N 12th Gen N150 processor with four 2.5GbE ports, which delivers noticeably better throughput than typical gigabit mini routers while remaining quiet and energy efficient.

Key Features

• 12th Gen N150 Processor: The Twin Lake-N N150 4-core CPU delivers efficient multi-threaded performance up to 3.6 GHz for routing, VPN and packet inspection tasks without high power draw.
• 4 x 2.5GbE i226V LAN: Four full i226V 2.5GbE ports provide greater throughput than gigabit ports, useful for multi-WAN or LAN segmentation in small networks.
• DDR5 and NVMe storage: A single DDR5 SO-DIMM slot and an M.2 2280 NVMe slot let the device run firewall OSes and store logs or VMs with better memory and storage headroom.
• Fanless aluminum body: Passive cooling and a solid aluminum chassis keep the unit quiet while providing decent heat dissipation for typical loads.
• Flexible OS support: Works with OPNsense, Linux, OpenWrt and ESXi, allowing users to choose firewall and virtualization stacks for their environment.
• Rich I/O: Dual display outputs, multiple USB ports, TF card slot and a SATA cable included make the unit useful for configuration, maintenance and local storage expansion.

Who It's For

The Firewall Mini PC is best for small business IT admins, network enthusiasts and home lab users who need a compact appliance with multiple 2.5GbE ports and the flexibility to run OPNsense or other open firewall software. Its low TDP CPU and DDR5 support make it attractive for users who want a quiet, energy efficient edge router that still handles VPNs, IDS/IPS, and moderate throughput.

It is less suitable for users who need enterprise-class chassis redundancy, dozens of ports, or heavy sustained throughput beyond what a low-TDP N150 can reliably handle. Users who require full hardware VLAN compatibility in every OS should verify their specific firmware and driver support, as some customers reported mixed VLAN behavior.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Solid build quality and stable operation in typical firewall roles.
• Four 2.5GbE ports for higher-than-gigabit LAN performance.
• DDR5 memory and NVMe storage support provide modern expandability.
• Quiet, fanless design with aluminum body suitable for office or home.

Cons

• Can run warm under load; active cooling option is available but passive use may require attention to placement.
• Some advanced VLAN features showed mixed results for a few users depending on OS and driver support.

Specifications

Our Verdict

The Firewall Mini PC Quad Core N150 is a well built, compact firewall appliance that delivers good value for small offices and home labs that need multiport 2.5GbE connectivity and flexible OS support. Its DDR5/NVMe expandability and quiet operation make it a practical choice for users who prioritize stability and throughput above enterprise-grade chassis features.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it support OPNsense out of the box?
Yes, it supports OPNsense and other open firewall OSes, but users should confirm driver and firmware compatibility for features like VLANs.

Will it run hot without a fan?
The unit is designed fanless with an aluminum body; it can get warm under sustained load, so allow airflow or fit the optional small fan if needed.

How many 2.5GbE ports does it have?
It includes four Intel i226V 2.5GbE LAN ports for higher-than-gigabit local networking.