My current internet setup is like this (which is common for most people).
fiber line from ISP <-> ISP fiber modem <-> Personal wifi router <-> switch
This is working fine with no issues. But I need to power two devices. I want to reduce this to a single device.
fiber line from ISP <-> Modem+Firewall PC <-> Switch <-> AP1,AP2...
From my initial research, what I need is an SFP module which can be attached to a PC which supports SFP. OPNsense should be able to handle most SFP modules.
What is the community’s take on this? Is this worth the effort? Can I find a mini-PC which supports SFP? Will it be cost effective?
I eventually want to learn OPNsense, play with VLANs, per-device monitoring, adblocking right at the firewall itself. I will purchase a PC for the firewall for sure. So was thinking would it be better if adding an SFP to it would future proof it. But power is a concern.
You can certainly do all that learning with or without directly connecting the fiber to your firewall pc. For a mini pc you will likely need to get a USB to SFP adapter. If you want to go that route I suggest searching for compatible hardware recommendations and get a USB to SFP that has worked well for others.
Personally I would stick with the ISP modem. In any case, happy learning!