Summary:
ClarkConnect: Two thumbs up for people with newer hardware. Instructions are recommended. Print server installed by default!
IPCop: Terrific as a firewall, has limited plugin availability. IPCop is easy as pie to install. No instructions needed.
m0n0wall: Did not finish testing.
SmoothWall: Terrific WebGUI and mySmoothWall integration is bar none the killer app for a firewall appliance. Many modifications are available. No instructions needed.
pfSense: Has nearly as many features as ClarkConnect, without the problem of WebGUI latency. Instructions probably needed the first time around.
Conclusion:
SmoothWall Express 3.0 is the winner of this round up. I’ve already switched to SmoothWall myself. If you are running IPCop or m0n0wall, this is a good performer on low-end hardware. ClarkConnect wins an honorable mention, and I reccomend this distribution if you have newer hardware.