EasyNAC vs PacketFence

EasyNAC provides network visibility and Zero Trust access control for devices on wired and wireless networks. Typical deployments discover and profile devices without agents. Out-of-band ARP enforcement can restrict unauthorized devices, while inline enforcement is available for remote-access VPN protection. EasyNAC can receive syslog events or email alerts from security systems and restrict an affected device. Listed integrations include Active Directory, Entra ID, Defender, Intune, CrowdStrike Falcon, SentinelOne, and Sophos Central. Organizations can offer BYOD self-registration and guest registration through a captive portal with configurable policies. Hardware and virtual appliances are available, and virtual appliances can run on-premises or in the cloud. Enforcer Sensors extend visibility to remote sites on Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi systems. Appliance capacities range from 300 to 10,000 devices depending on configuration. Licensing counts unique MAC addresses seen in five minutes; perpetual and subscription options exist, with agents purchased separately. Linux, Windows, and self-hosted deployments are listed. Pricing is available on request.

PacketFence is an enterprise network access control platform for organizations managing wired, wireless, and VPN access. It can enforce policy through SNMP or RADIUS, inline Layer 2 or Layer 3 deployment, VLAN assignment, and quarantine isolation. Authentication options include 802.1X/EAP, directory services, external RADIUS, OAuth2 social login, SAML 2.0, and PKI certificates. Guest workflows include self-registration, sponsored access, email or SMS confirmation, and CSV imports. Self-service provisioning can configure 802.1X profiles for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and ChromeOS. The platform checks antivirus, operating system patch level, and security-agent presence, and can quarantine devices that fail policy. Administrators get a web interface, command-line tools, REST API, customizable captive portals, and Perl extension points. The self-hosted Community Edition is GPL v2+ with unlimited devices and full source code. Its listed minimum requirements include Debian 12.x or RHEL 8.x, four CPU cores, 16 GB RAM, 200 GB disk, and a network interface. Paid plans include Starter at $5,000 /year for up to 250 registered devices.