

Well ya, you need at least two NICs to properly setup a firewall. Additionally, since NICs are the most crucial piece of hardware for routers and firewalls, it’ll only be as good as the hardware it runs on. Older NICs lead to regular crashes and/or slow network speeds. So swapping the original NIC out and adding another is VERY typical when repurposing old PCs as a router. The most common options for NICs I’ve seen are the Intel I350-T2 and I350-T4. Ironically, they cost about as much as a decent router, but going this route actually puts you in control of your home network!


Cape.co alters a user’s IMSI daily, which helps to cover the IMEI. It’s a telco started by one of the old heads at CalyxOS and their main focus is “defense in depth.” But after the $30 initial month promo, it’s $99/month. However, the layers of protection they provide to obfuscate their customers maybe worth it, depending on your threat model. Here’s a fantastic interview they did with TheHatedOne: https://inv.nadeko.net/watch?v=ZsHZSbNu3CE