Good discussion, everyone.

I think there's merit to *WRT & *Sense distributions.

Might I add a few other things to consider, if GUI isn't the concern.

If you want features & good stability/security:
VyOS (https://vyos.io/) -- it's fairly easy to build the image and have the latest LTS release. I have a license from the Volunteer WISP I help operate

If you want lightweight / more exposure to the system:

You could scratch that & just roll debian/ubuntu/suse/rhel and utilize the daemon itself, FRR (VyOS is just Debian with a python wrapper for FRR): https://frrouting.org/

With FRR, forget having a daemon "like the big vendors" , big vendors commit code to / use FRR.

Finally, there's nothing wrong with the good ol' OpenBSD deployments -- https://www.openbsd.org/faq/pf/example1.html .. lots of IX's running on them for decades. Probably the best security considering OpenBSD's commitment to it. OpenBGPD is a a shining star.

If you want just BGP, roll with BIRD or GoBGP:

https://bird.network.cz/?get_doc&f=bird.html&v=20

https://github.com/osrg/gobgp

If GUI is a concern, I'd say *WRT or OPNSense are the way to go today.

In summary, there are lots of great options; We're quite spoiled.

Personally, I'm VyOS all the way. The syntax is right at home for Operators who are familiar with JunOS & similar platforms.

Wish I could discuss this more at the next meeting, but I'll be at a book launch.

- Mark

On 2023-09-07 12:56, James Knott via talk wrote:
On 2023-09-07 12:48, Scott Allen wrote:
On Thu, 7 Sept 2023 at 12:21, James Knott via talk <talk@gtalug.org> wrote:
it supports routing protocols such as OSPF & BGP
https://www.linuxtechguy.com/2020/11/27/dynamic-routing-using-ospf-on-openwrt/
https://docs.daper.io/networking/bgp/openwrt/

I don't doubt OpenWRT can do those things, but can they do them as well as pfSense?  You even said you were considering pfSense because of all it's features.


---
Post to this mailing list talk@gtalug.org
Unsubscribe from this mailing list https://gtalug.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
-- 
Mark Prosser
// E: mark@zealnetworks.ca
// W: https://zealnetworks.ca