These are the ports in the kitchen. The green one is a phone socket for AT&T Uverise modem. Does anyone have any idea what the other two might be? Thanks. https://preview.redd.it/wg0d6k2hli3c1.png?width=4032&format=png&auto=webp&s=af02fbadbe917dc2cb402c52da2abc26cacdfce5
zyzhu2000 11mo ago • 100%
Thanks, everyone. My motivation was to turn the many little computers with tiny or slow disks into servers by adding some centralized storage. But it looks like NAS today is not a good solution for this -- at least not yet. I appreciate all the insights.
I am thinking of running multiple database/messages servers such as postgres, redis, mongo, influxdb on old computers and use a centralized NAS to store the data. One advantage is that I don't need to worry about getting appropriate local storage for the computers that host these services. For example, I could run postgres on an old desktop with spinning disks or even a raspberry pi. But I am still concerned about the I/O speed and reliability. I wonder if anyone has experience doing it like this. Can you share the pros and cons? I really appreciate it.
I currently have Google Wifi. My background is CS but I haven't done a lot of networking in practice. My home will need two APs to cover, but I am reluctant to lay ethernet wires, and so mesh will be required. My objectives are: 1. To segregate IoT devices (with VLANs) 2. To have a more secure firewall 3. To do better parental control # Option 1 - Modem: AT&T (in bridge mode) - Router/firewall: [Sophos XG Home Edition](https://www.sophos.com/en-us/free-tools/sophos-xg-firewall-home-edition) on [Protectli hardware](https://protectli.com/vault-2-port/), serving as the router/DHCP/DNS server - [DLink DSG 1100](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08MV9315K/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&th=1) managed switch - Two [TP-Link Omada EAP225 access ports](https://www.amazon.com/TP-Link-EAP225-V3-Wireless-Supports/dp/B0781YXFBT?th=1) to form a mesh ## Pros - Sophos XG Home is a real "next-gen" firewall, with its filtering data and anti-virus constantly updated. It is backed by a company whose business is firewalls. - Mostly standard network equipment; so good extensibility ## Cons - Prone to accidents: While I am comfortable with the settings, I don't have real experience using it. So what if I misconfigure something or fail to apply a firmware update? - Worried about the longevity of the Protectli box. My Google Wifi has been on 24x7 for five years with zero issues. I expect the Protecli box to be dead in 2-3 years. - The TP-Link Omada needs to run a dedicated management server for its mesh to function. That is one more box somewhere. # Option 2 Similar to option 1, but use [Firewalla](https://firewalla.com/) Gold or Purple instead of Sophos XG as firewall/router/DHCP/DNS server. ## Pros - The firewalla box is managed by the company - Some of the firewalla functions are pretty neat and useful ## Cons - Firewalla may be less capable than Sophos in terms of filtering, anti-virus, and IPS/IDS (??) - Firewalla is a bit more proprietary and so I would expect fewer future possibilities # Option 3 - Just connect all the IoT devices to Google Wifi's guest network ## Pros - In both option 1 and 2, I am not sure security is better than Google Wifi, because Google has both the incentive and the resources to keep its systems secure. - Simplicity ## Cons - Not flexible. I can't create more zones. For example, it is actually useful to create a zone for home office and a zone for kids. Do people have opinions or experiences with either option? What would you choose?