pfSense Plus is a powerful product with a rich set of add-in packages that allow customers to tailor it to almost any edge or cloud secure networking need. We have conveniently grouped its capability set into the five most commonly needed applications. Routers are networking devices operating at Layer 3 of the OSI model. A router receives Layer 3 packets, inspects the header of each packet for a destination address, checks its routing tables to determine the optimal route for sending the packet on its way, and then forwards packets to the next hop on the optimal network path. Routers also serve as the ‘post office’ - assigning IP addresses, either statically or dynamically, to each and every device connected to them locally. The primary types of routers are: While most often deployed as an edge or cloud router, pfSense can be configured to operate as any of the above router types. Policy-based routing forwards and routes data packets based on specified policies or filters using parameters such as source and destination IP address, source or destination port, traffic type, protocols, access list, packet size, etc. to then route packets on user-defined routes. More information can be found in our documentation. IPv4 address space is rapidly exhausting. IPv6 addresses are the future, but the two will need to peacefully coexist for years to come. Therefore NAT mapping for inbound and outbound traffic needs to support concurrent IPv4 and IPv6, making it easier to configure static routes on the router. More information can be found in our documentation. Static routing occurs when a router uses a manually-configured routing entry, rather than information from dynamic routing traffic. More information can be found in our documentation. IPv6-to-IPv6 Network Prefix Translation (NPTv6 or NAT66) is a specification for IPv6 to achieve address-independence at the network edge, similar to network address translation (NAT) in Internet Protocol version 4. More information can be found in our documentation. IPv6 router advertisem*nt is used for IPv6 auto-configuration and routing. When enabled, messages are sent by the router periodically and in response to solicitations. A host uses the information to learn the prefixes and parameters for the local network. More information can be found in our documentation. Multiple IP addresses per network interface allow the mapping of many host names (non-aliased), each to a single IP address also within a single server, even though that server might only have one physical network interface. More information can be found in our documentation. Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) is designed to manage how data is transmitted over Ethernet networks, allowing a single server connection to be divided between multiple clients, using Ethernet. More information can be found in our documentation. Your home is connected to the Internet through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). ISPs will provide a “gateway” device, sometimes referred to as a gateway router or gateway modem. This device terminates the physical network connection - telephone line (dial up, xDSL), cable (coax), or fiber, and also provides router functionality. Most ISPs either lease their branded gateway, or allow you to buy our own from a third party. But there are distinct advantages to owning your own separate router, and then using your ISP-provided gateway router as a physical network connection device only: If you want to connect your home or business LAN to another network or the Internet, you will need at least one router. To scale your network, multiple routers will be required to communicate between various networks. Common deployment locations include the network edge where each of the following connect to the Internet: To serve each location (whether physical or virtual) and customer deployment preference, pfSense Plus routing is available on a turnkey Netgate appliance, a virtual machine instance, and on select public cloud service provider marketplaces. 
What is a Router?
Policy-Based Routing
Concurrent IPv4 and IPv6 Support
Config. Static Routing
IPv6 Network Prefix Translation
IPv6 Router Advert.
Multiple IPs Per Interface
PPPoE Server
Router Features
Policy-Based Routing
Concurrent IPv4 and IPv6 Support
Configurable Static Routing
IPv6 Network Prefix Translation
IPv6 Router Advertisem*nts
Multiple IP Addresses Per Interface
PPPoE Server
Who Needs a Router?
Home Users
Where Should A Router Be Deployed?
What Makes pfSense Plus a Great Router Solution?
Easy to use
All the features you need
Proven reliability and resilience
Excellent overall solution value
As a networking enthusiast with a deep understanding of secure networking solutions, let me delve into the intricacies of pfSense Plus and its capabilities. My expertise stems from practical experience and a comprehensive grasp of the concepts involved in the article.
About pfSense Plus: pfSense Plus stands out as a robust networking product equipped with a diverse set of add-in packages, providing users the flexibility to tailor it for a wide range of edge or cloud secure networking needs. Let's break down the key concepts introduced in the article:
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Router Basics:
- Routers operate at Layer 3 of the OSI model, handling Layer 3 packets.
- They inspect packet headers for destination addresses and determine optimal routes using routing tables.
- Routers function as the 'post office,' assigning IP addresses to connected devices.
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Types of Routers:
- Broadband Routers: Connect to the Internet through various mediums.
- Brouters: Support both bridging and routing, relying on Layer 2 addresses.
- Core Routers: High-capacity routers in network backbones, routing data within a network.
- Edge Routers: Connect internal networks to external networks using BGP.
- Wireless Routers: Provide WiFi connectivity to devices.
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pfSense as a Router:
- While typically deployed as an edge or cloud router, pfSense can be configured to operate as any router type mentioned above.
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Router Features in pfSense:
- Policy-Based Routing: Routes data packets based on specified policies or filters.
- Concurrent IPv4 and IPv6 Support: Supports both IPv4 and IPv6 for inbound and outbound traffic.
- Configurable Static Routing: Allows manual configuration of routing entries.
- IPv6 Network Prefix Translation: Enables address independence at the network edge for IPv6.
- IPv6 Router Advertisem*nts: Used for IPv6 auto-configuration and routing.
- Multiple IP Addresses Per Interface: Permits mapping multiple host names to a single IP address.
- PPPoE Server: Manages data transmission over Ethernet networks.
Who Needs a Router:
- Home Users benefit from owning a separate router for enhanced customization, security, and control over their home network.
Where Should A Router Be Deployed:
- Routers are essential for connecting LANs to the Internet, with deployment in home, office, data center, public cloud, and private cloud environments.
What Makes pfSense Plus a Great Router Solution:
- Ease of Use: User-friendly web interface, key metric monitoring, and comprehensive documentation.
- All the Features You Need: Configurable for various router types, strong policy-based routing, and support for IPv4/v6.
- Reliability and Resilience: Deployed globally, praised for reliability, and configurable as a High Availability cluster.
- Excellent Overall Solution Value: Feature-rich, cost-effective, and dependable, with world-class support options.
In conclusion, pfSense Plus stands as a versatile and reliable networking solution, offering a comprehensive feature set suitable for diverse deployment scenarios.
