{"product_id":"micro-firewall-appliance-fanless-mini-pc-n3700-quad-core-compact","title":"Micro Firewall Appliance Fanless Mini PC N3700 Quad Core - Compact","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review the Micro Firewall Appliance Fanless Mini PC is judged as a compact, low-power network appliance aimed at home labs and small offices; its single biggest selling point is a balance of quiet, fanless operation and four Intel 2.5GbE ports in a tiny chassis. The unit ships with an Intel N3700 quad core CPU, 8GB DDR3L and a 128GB mSATA SSD, making it ready for open-source firewall distributions and lightweight hypervisor tasks out of the box. For buyers who need a silent, energy-efficient router box with solid wired throughput and BIOS-level features like PXE boot, this device delivers a focused solution.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eQuad core N3700 CPU:\u003c\/strong\u003e Provides better CPU and integrated GPU performance than common Braswell chips, useful for packet processing and light virtualization.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFour Intel 2.5GbE ports:\u003c\/strong\u003e Uses Intel i225\/i226 NICs for stable multi-gigabit wired connections when the OS provides drivers, improving network throughput capacity.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFanless, low power design:\u003c\/strong\u003e 6W TDP and passive cooling let the unit run quietly and reliably in cramped or noise-sensitive locations.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReady storage and memory:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ships with 8GB DDR3L (single SODIMM) and a 128GB mSATA SSD, covering common firewall and router OS storage needs and allowing mSATA upgrades.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRouter-friendly I\/O:\u003c\/strong\u003e Includes 2 HDMI, 1 COM, 2 USB 3.0, 4 RJ45 LAN and DC input, meeting configuration, console and display requirements for network appliances.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe appliance suits home power users, small office networks and IT hobbyists who want a compact, silent box to run pfSense, Linux or other open-source firewall and router software. Its multiple Intel 2.5GbE ports and BIOS features like auto power on, Wake on LAN and PXE boot make it convenient for network lab setups and edge routing tasks.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIt is not ideal for those needing built-in wireless, large memory capacity or high-end CPU performance for heavy virtualization; the single SODIMM slot limits RAM to 8GB and some operating systems may need additional driver installation to enable true 2.5GbE speeds.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFanless passive cooling keeps power consumption and noise very low.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFour Intel i225\/i226 2.5GbE ports provide higher-than-gigabit wired options when supported by drivers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCompact, mountable design fits behind a monitor or in tight racks for space savings.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRAM is limited to a single 8GB SODIMM slot, which can restrict heavier firewall or hypervisor use cases.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe 2.5GbE ports may fall back to 1G if the chosen operating system lacks appropriate drivers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProcessor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntel N3700 quad core (1.6GHz base, up to 2.4GHz burst)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMemory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e8GB DDR3L, 1x SODIMM slot (max 8GB)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStorage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e128GB mSATA SSD (1x mSATA, upgradeable up to 512GB)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNetwork\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4x Intel 2.5GbE RJ45 (Intel i225\/i226)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eVideo \u0026amp; I\/O\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2x HDMI, 1x COM, 2x USB 3.0, DC in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCooling \u0026amp; Power\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFanless passive cooling, 6W TDP\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForm Factor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCompact 5.27 x 5 x 1.43 in, mountable bracket included\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor home labs and small offices that prioritize silence, low power and reliable wired networking, this fanless micro firewall appliance is a practical value: it pairs an adequate N3700 CPU with four Intel 2.5GbE ports and ready-to-run storage and memory. Prospective buyers who need more RAM, internal Wi-Fi or plug-and-play multi-gig drivers in every OS should verify driver support or consider a different platform, but for dedicated soft-routing and firewall roles this unit is a sensible, space-saving choice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan this run pfSense out of the box?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes, the device is compatible with pfSense and other open-source firewall systems, though you should confirm network driver availability for full 2.5GbE support.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs Wi-Fi included?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, this model does not include Wi-Fi; it is designed as a wired firewall\/router appliance.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan I upgrade storage and memory?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eStorage can be upgraded via the mSATA slot (up to 512GB supported); memory is limited to the single 8GB DDR3L SODIMM slot.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"VNOPN","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48640871563483,"sku":"B0BYDTLW2F","price":209.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/61AiKdgDByL._AC_SL1500_09275498-45d9-4795-bcce-e1aba5cf6aeb.jpg?v=1778730207","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/micro-firewall-appliance-fanless-mini-pc-n3700-quad-core-compact","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}