Protectli Vault 6 Port Firewall Mini PC - Silent Fanless Performance

In this review the Protectli Vault 6 Port is evaluated as a purpose-built appliance for network security professionals and advanced home lab users. The bottom line: this compact, fanless unit is designed for stable, always-on firewall duties thanks to an Intel Quad Core i5 (8250U) with AES-NI and a full complement of six Intel gigabit ports; it is best for people who will install and manage their own open-source firewall OS rather than those who want a preconfigured consumer router. The included 64GB RAM and 960GB SSD make it capable of running multiple services without swapping hardware.

Key Features

• Fanless design: A completely silent chassis reduces noise in office or home lab environments and removes a moving part that can fail.
• Intel i5 CPU with AES-NI: The quad core i5-8250U delivers multi-threaded throughput and hardware AES acceleration for encrypted VPN traffic and firewall encryption tasks.
• Six Intel Gigabit NICs: Six dedicated Intel Ethernet ports allow flexible network segmentation and direct WAN/LAN/DMZ assignments without extra adapters.
• Ample memory and storage: 64GB of RAM and a 960GB SSD provide headroom for packet inspection, caching, and running additional network services simultaneously.
• OS flexibility: Ships without an OS so it can be paired with pfSense, OPNsense, Untangle, or other tested open-source firewall distributions for a tailored setup.
• Ports for peripherals: Four USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output and an RJ-45 COM port simplify initial setup, console access and attaching backups or logs.

Who It's For

The Protectli Vault 6 Port is aimed at network administrators, small business IT teams, and home lab enthusiasts who need reliable, low-noise hardware for routing, firewalling and VPN services. Its multiple Intel NICs and AES-NI support make it especially useful for sites that expect moderate encrypted traffic and want to avoid NAT or performance bottlenecks from consumer routers.

It is not ideal for users who require a preinstalled commercial OS or turnkey consumer support for setup; because it ships without an operating system, buyers should be comfortable installing and configuring pfSense, OPNsense, or other open-source software. Also, those who need Wi-Fi integrated should plan a separate access point.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Reliable, fanless design that runs silently and lowers maintenance risk by removing fans.
• Intel i5-8250U with AES-NI gives strong performance for VPN and encrypted throughput.
• Six Intel Gigabit NICs provide flexible network segmentation without extra hardware.
• Large RAM and SSD make it easy to host additional services and store logs locally.

Cons

• Ships without an OS, so initial setup requires familiarity with open-source firewall software.
• No built-in wireless; a separate AP is necessary for Wi-Fi coverage if required.

Specifications

Brand	Protectli
Processor	Intel Quad Core i5-8250U (1.6GHz, 3.4GHz Turbo) with AES-NI
Ethernet Ports	6x Intel Gigabit Ethernet NIC ports
Memory	64GB RAM
Storage	960GB SSD
External Ports	4x USB 3.0, 1x RJ-45 COM, 1x HDMI
Operating System	No OS pre-installed; tested with pfSense, OPNsense, Untangle

Our Verdict

The Protectli Vault 6 Port is a strong value for anyone building a dedicated firewall or router appliance who wants quiet, reliable hardware and full control over the software stack. It pairs a capable Intel i5 with AES-NI and six Intel NICs for real-world network performance, and the generous RAM and SSD let it handle additional services. Buy this if you plan to install pfSense or similar and need a solid, fanless mini PC for continuous network duty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it come with an operating system?
No. The unit ships without an OS so users can install pfSense, OPNsense, Untangle or another supported distribution.

Is the unit noisy?
The Protectli Vault is fanless and runs silently, making it suitable for office or home lab placement.

Can it handle VPN encryption?
Yes. The Intel i5-8250U includes AES-NI hardware support, which accelerates VPN and encrypted traffic for better throughput.