[talk] opnsense box for home: APU2 or something else?

[Jim Thompson]

> On Dec 19, 2017, at 4:54 PM, George Rosamond <george at ceetonetechnology.com> wrote:
> 
> N.J. Thomas:
>> Looking to pull the trigger on an OPNSense box for home. Cheap and low
>> power are probably my two main requirements. 
>> 
>> Currently eyeing the APU2, which looks to be about $190. If anyone's got
>> any other suggestions, I would love to hear it.
>> 
> 
> Not to jump into the vendor game, but $190 is high.
> 
> http://pcengines.ch/newshop.php?c=4

Vendor game?  I’ll jump.  ;-)

I agree with George that $190 is high.  APU2C4: $128. case1Du $9.60 + PS $4.40 + 16GB m-sata $17.80 is all of $160 before shipping.

Yes, you can do it for less with a 2GB board, SD card, etc.

That said, to be a ‘vendor' someone has to pay to ship the incoming goods, assemble them, load software, and pay for “invisibles” normally known as carrying costs.

When it’s done, here isn’t much left to be a “vendor” at $190 when the list price of the parts (above) is $160.

Yes, PC Engines gives some discount if you’re buying volume, but it’s not as much (or rather no longer as much) as you might think, and you’re already at a bit less than 19% ‘mark-up’ to pay for 
all the indirect costs.

In direct answer to Mr. Thomas:

A lot of the pfSense community are buying/building Qotom now. Sources for same are all over both the pfSense and OPNsense forums.  Qotom.net if you can’t find them otherwise.

Anyway, someday (maybe soon), I’ll finish the port of pfSense to the espresso.bin.  Much less expensive and low-power than the APU.

Jim