{"product_id":"protectli-vault-6-port-firewall-mini-pc-silent-fanless-performance","title":"Protectli Vault 6 Port Firewall Mini PC - Silent Fanless Performance","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFanless design:\u003c\/strong\u003e A completely silent chassis reduces noise in office or home lab environments and removes a moving part that can fail.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIntel i5 CPU with AES-NI:\u003c\/strong\u003e The quad core i5-8250U delivers multi-threaded throughput and hardware AES acceleration for encrypted VPN traffic and firewall encryption tasks.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSix Intel Gigabit NICs:\u003c\/strong\u003e Six dedicated Intel Ethernet ports allow flexible network segmentation and direct WAN\/LAN\/DMZ assignments without extra adapters.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAmple memory and storage:\u003c\/strong\u003e 64GB of RAM and a 960GB SSD provide headroom for packet inspection, caching, and running additional network services simultaneously.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOS flexibility:\u003c\/strong\u003e Ships without an OS so it can be paired with pfSense, OPNsense, Untangle, or other tested open-source firewall distributions for a tailored setup.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePorts for peripherals:\u003c\/strong\u003e Four USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI output and an RJ-45 COM port simplify initial setup, console access and attaching backups or logs.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eReliable, fanless design that runs silently and lowers maintenance risk by removing fans.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eIntel i5-8250U with AES-NI gives strong performance for VPN and encrypted throughput.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSix Intel Gigabit NICs provide flexible network segmentation without extra hardware.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLarge RAM and SSD make it easy to host additional services and store logs locally.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eShips without an OS, so initial setup requires familiarity with open-source firewall software.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo built-in wireless; a separate AP is necessary for Wi-Fi coverage if required.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBrand\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProtectli\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eProcessor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eIntel Quad Core i5-8250U (1.6GHz, 3.4GHz Turbo) with AES-NI\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEthernet Ports\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e6x Intel Gigabit Ethernet NIC ports\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMemory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e64GB RAM\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eStorage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e960GB SSD\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eExternal Ports\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e4x USB 3.0, 1x RJ-45 COM, 1x HDMI\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOperating System\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNo OS pre-installed; tested with pfSense, OPNsense, Untangle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 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.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes it come with an operating system?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo. The unit ships without an OS so users can install pfSense, OPNsense, Untangle or another supported distribution.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the unit noisy?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe Protectli Vault is fanless and runs silently, making it suitable for office or home lab placement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan it handle VPN encryption?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The Intel i5-8250U includes AES-NI hardware support, which accelerates VPN and encrypted traffic for better throughput.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Protectli","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48190882382043,"sku":"B08ZRV9XT2","price":609.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/71jXaBfdWAL._AC_SL1500_57d1896b-baa9-4a2f-bff3-50dec07e2792.jpg?v=1769613342","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/protectli-vault-6-port-firewall-mini-pc-silent-fanless-performance","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}