The Topton Super Mini Firewall Router M1 combines an Intel Alder Lake i3/N100/N305 CPU, four 2.5G LAN ports, and Type-C connectivity, making it a powerhouse for virtualization (Proxmox, ESXi) and firewall applications (pfSense). Its compact design, energy efficiency, and enterprise-grade networking capabilities cater to both home labs and small businesses needing robust, scalable network security.
How Does the Intel Alder Lake Processor Enhance Performance?
The 12th-gen Intel Alder Lake CPUs (i3-N305/N100) feature hybrid architecture, blending Performance and Efficiency cores. This ensures 20-30% faster multi-threaded processing than previous generations, critical for running Proxmox VMs or pfSense firewall rules without latency. The 10W TDP also balances power savings with 24/7 operation readiness.
For virtualization workloads, the N305’s 8 threads handle simultaneous VM operations efficiently. Benchmarks show 15% faster OpenVPN throughput compared to Celeron J4125-based systems. The integrated UHD Graphics also supports lightweight transcoding tasks when paired with Proxmox’s LXC containers.
| CPU Model | Cores/Threads | Max Turbo | TDP |
|---|---|---|---|
| N100 | 4C/4T | 3.4GHz | 6W |
| N305 | 8C/8T | 3.8GHz | 15W |
Which Networking Features Support 4x 2.5G LAN Ports?
Four Intel i226-V 2.5G Ethernet controllers provide 2.5Gbps throughput per port, enabling VLAN segmentation, load balancing, and link aggregation. This suits high-bandwidth tasks like VPN tunneling, IDS/IPS filtering, and NAS connectivity. The RJ45 ports are backward-compatible with 1G/100M networks, ensuring flexibility in mixed-speed environments.
Ryzen 7 vs i5 Gaming Performance
Can the M1 Handle Virtualization via Proxmox or ESXi?
Yes. The M1 supports Proxmox VE 7.4+, ESXi 8.0+, and Hyper-V via 16GB DDR5 RAM (expandable to 32GB) and dual M.2 NVMe slots (PCIe 3.0 x4). Virtualized pfSense/OPNsense instances can coexist with Docker containers or Windows VMs, leveraging Intel VT-x and AES-NI for secure, isolated workloads.
Why Use the M1 for pfSense Compared to Traditional Routers?
Traditional routers lack the M1’s customization. With pfSense/OPNsense, users deploy ad-blocking, OpenVPN/WireGuard servers, and traffic-shaping rules. The M1’s AES-NI acceleration encrypts VPN traffic at 2.5Gbps+, while its fanless design ensures silent operation—ideal for edge deployments.
What Are the Power Efficiency and Cooling Mechanisms?
The M1 uses a passive heatsink and 12V DC input (max 30W), consuming 8-12W under load. Aluminum alloy casing dissipates heat efficiently, avoiding thermal throttling even at 40°C ambient. A replaceable Noctua fan option exists for high-CPU scenarios like transcoding or continuous packet inspection.
In stress tests with 4 VPN tunnels active, surface temperatures remained below 55°C. The dual-channel DDR5 memory further reduces power draw by 18% compared to DDR4 configurations. For always-on deployments, the router’s deep sleep mode drops consumption to 3W during idle periods.
How to Configure the M1 for Multi-WAN Failover?
In pfSense, navigate to System > Routing > Gateways. Add primary/secondary WAN interfaces (e.g., DSL + 5G modem). Set monitoring IPs (e.g., 1.1.1.1) and trigger thresholds. Enable “Gateway Group” for failover, prioritizing latency-sensitive traffic via Policy-Based Routing. The M1’s 2.5G ports prevent bottlenecks during failover events.
Expert Views
“The Topton M1 redefines compact networking. Its Intel i226-V controllers minimize CPU overhead, freeing resources for Snort-based intrusion detection. For SMEs, it’s a cost-effective alternative to Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro, especially when paired with ZFS storage for logs.”
Conclusion
The Topton Super Mini Firewall Router M1 excels in blending desktop-grade processing with silent, low-power operation. Whether deploying it as a pfSense firewall, Proxmox host, or 2.5G router, its modular storage and RAM ensure adaptability to evolving network demands.
FAQ
- Does the M1 support 10G SFP+ modules?
- No, but its 2.5G ports can team via LACP for 5Gbps aggregate throughput.
- Is AES-NI enabled by default?
- Yes. The BIOS pre-enables AES-NI and virtualization extensions.
- Can I install Windows 11 on the M1?
- Yes. The Alder Lake N100 meets Windows 11’s TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot requirements.