Requirements and images
Hardware and virtual machine requirements
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Architecture | 64-bit x86 (x86_64) |
| Firmware | UEFI. The image does not boot on legacy BIOS |
| Memory | 4 GB recommended. Smaller systems can run the basic firewall, but features such as the intrusion prevention system, application control and the metrics database need memory |
| Disk | 16 GB or more. 32 GB is a comfortable start; add more if you want to keep logs and backups locally |
| Network | At least two network interfaces, one for the WAN and one for the LAN |
| CPU | Two cores or more. More cores help when inspecting traffic at higher speeds |
The disk image
The unit is distributed as a compressed raw disk image:
nexwall-<version>-x86-64-generic-squashfs-combined-efi.img.gz
Next to it you find a sha256sums file. Always verify the download before using it:
sha256sum -c sha256sums
Key facts about the image:
- It is a complete disk, with partitions for the boot loader, the system and your data. It is not an installer and it is not an ISO. You write it to a disk, or attach it to a virtual machine as a disk.
- It boots with UEFI only. In virtual machines, choose UEFI firmware and turn Secure Boot off, because the image is not signed for it.
- The system runs from a read-only base with your configuration layered on top. This is what allows a factory reset to return to the installed state.
- If you give the disk more space than the image needs, the data partition uses the extra space.
Versions and channels
Images follow the pattern YY.M.P, optionally with a release candidate suffix such as 26.0.0-rc1. Updates are
published on channels; the default channel is stable. See System for how updates are
checked, scheduled and installed.
Before you install
- Decide the address plan of your LAN. The default LAN is
192.168.1.0/24; if that clashes with an existing network, you can change it after the first login. - Collect what your provider gave you for the WAN: DHCP, or an address, a gateway and DNS servers, or PPPoE credentials.
- Have a computer and a cable ready to connect to the LAN interface.
Continue with Install on a virtual machine or hardware.