Mini PCs
Nano-N1241
Nano-N1241: Intel Alder Lake N100 (4 cores, up to 3.4GHz) with 4x 2.5G LAN.
Configuration quoted on requestView →
AI network isolation
N1241 — a firewall built for self-hosted AI
Local models and AI agents make outbound calls and expose services. The N1241 gives them their own network: four 2.5G Intel LAN ports for VLAN zones, egress filtering, and application-aware inspection with OPNsense and Zenarmor.
4× 2.5G LANZenarmor DPIVLAN
Why this platform
4× 2.5G Intel LAN
One physical port per zone — AI hosts, agents, users, management — so isolation is real wires, not just switch config.
Egress control
Deny-by-default outbound with an allowlist contains what the AI stack can reach, and logs what it tries.
Application-aware DPI
Zenarmor on OPNsense shows which app and destination every flow belongs to — the answer every security review needs.
Silent, N100-class
Alder Lake N100 with AES-NI keeps DPI and VPN at LAN speed, fanless, next to the hosts it protects.
Key specifications
- Processor
- Intel Alder Lake N100 (4-core)
- Memory
- 1× DDR4 3200, up to 16GB
- Network
- 4× 2.5G LAN (Intel)
- Storage
- M.2 2280 + M.2 SATA
- Wireless
- M.2 slots (Wi-Fi / 4G / 5G)
- Cooling
- Fanless
Validated software
- OPNsense
- Zenarmor
- pfSense
- Suricata IDS/IPS
- Proxmox VE
Software compatibility is validated for the exact model and release before quotation.
Where it fits
Self-hosted inference
Isolate Ollama / LM Studio hosts with inbound only on the API port, outbound denied.
Tool-using agents
Give agents a zone with allowlisted egress and full logging.
Hybrid AI estates
Segment mixed local-model and cloud-API workloads with DPI visibility.
Frequently asked questions
Why does self-hosted AI need a dedicated firewall?
AI runtimes expose HTTP APIs and make outbound calls by design; on a flat network everything can reach them and they can reach anything. VLAN isolation and egress filtering contain that — the backstop when application guardrails fail.
What is Zenarmor?
An application-aware inspection plugin for OPNsense. It classifies traffic by application and destination and enforces policy — the free tier suits home/lab use, commercial tiers add depth.
Is the N100 powerful enough for DPI?
For small-team LAN speeds with AES-NI, yes. For office-wide IDS/IPS at high throughput, size up to a six-port or rackmount platform.
Related hardware
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Nano-N1121
Nano-N1121: Intel Celeron J6412 (4 cores, 2.0GHz up to 2.6GHz) with 3x 2.5G LAN.
Configuration quoted on requestView →
Firewall Appliances
Nano-N3161
Nano-N3161: Intel i3-1215U / i5-1235U / i7-1255U (Alder Lake, up to 4.4GHz) with 6x 2.5G LAN (1-4 option PoE).
Configuration quoted on requestView →
Ready to specify the N1241?
Send the configuration, quantity, application, and timing. Technical sales confirms compatibility, lead time, and pricing.