Tag: firewalls

Chip Shortages & Firewalls: What You Need To Know

Why Is There A Shortage Of Firewall Inventory & Other Network Security Products

Since 2020, we’ve seen the global supply chain get disrupted, which in turn created shortages of products in most sectors. Although network security products have been readily available, we are now seeing shortages in firewall inventory and other network security products as well. The primary reason for the shortage in firewall inventory is because of their internal electrical components. Firewalls – like other electronic devices – require electronic chips to function. Currently there is a backlog of orders and supply is tight for electronic chips. In turn, that limits the manufacturing of all electrical products including firewalls.

The Electronic Chip Shortage Explained

Electronic chip production has long played a major role in day-to-day life, as these chips make so many everyday items tick. These chips are used in phones, alarm clocks, cars, computers, and TVs to name just a few essentials. Fast forward to 2020, and manufacturing delays show how these electronic chips may have been taken for granted. By now, it is clear how important these products are to daily life and how hard things can sometimes be without them.

Electronic chip factories, mostly located in Taiwan, were not immune to the global effects of the pandemic, which led to downtime in production. Since most manufacturing – like the rest of the world – came to a halt for awhile, these factories also had their supply of raw goods limited as well. One could simply say that the shortage of electronic chips is due to the downtime of factories and their inability to receive raw materials needed for production.

When Will Electronic Chip Production Improve

With electronic chip demand being as high as it is and continuous delays in production, the world is in the midst of a widespread supply shortage. In turn, products – like firewalls – that require these chips have slowed down in production because they simply won’t work without them. Until backorders catch up and a steady supply of electronic chips returns, manufacturers will likely continue to experience inventory issues with firewalls and other network security products.

The condition will simply improve with time and continuous production. At the moment, there is still a massive backlog of orders with the ever increasing weight of growing demand for electronic goods. If factories stay open and chip prioritization continues, this issue should solve itself moving forward. As far a timeline for when this will end, the future is murky. But conditions do look better ahead than in the rear view mirror.

Who Has Firewalls In-Stock & How To Check Their Inventory

It’s important for buyers to know that not everyone who sells firewalls or network security products has the same access to inventory or variety of products. Here at Firewalls.com, we are top tier partners with all of the manufacturers we sell, which gives us better access than most. With that being said, there are still products that may simply be unavailable. We suggest reaching out to our team of certified experts and telling them about your needs.  Rest assured, we’ll work with you to find the right solution. Give us a call at 317-225-4117 or browse our inventory at Firewalls.com.

Palo Alto PA-3220 Firewall Overview

PA-3220 Overview

The Palo Alto PA-3220 is a powerful mid-range firewall engineered to perform in the strictest of business environments. To begin, Palo Alto is known as one of the leaders in the network security industry, and their firewalls have garnered the respect of many IT professionals. In this article, we’ll be taking a look at the PA-3220 and providing key information about its security features, specs, form factor, and price.

Key Security and Connectivity
Features

Machine Learning-Powered Firewall

Deep within the core of the PA-3220 is machine learning technology. This technology leverages a cloud-based machine learning process that delivers instant signatures and instructions back to the firewall. On top of that, there is behavior analysis to identify IoT devices and even make policy recommendations.

Full 7 Layer Inspection

The PA-3220 categorizes all applications on every port ALL THE TIME! This security feature uses the application and not the port as the framework for all safe enablement policy decisions.

Unique Packet Processing with Single Pass Architecture

Efficiency and performance is a strength for the Palo Alto PA-3220. In a single pass, networking, policy lookup, application & decoding, and signature matching is done. What this means to the network and firewall is that this greatly reduces the amount of processing time and other functions needed for a speedy network environment.

PA-3220 Specs

  • Recommended Users: 200-300
  • Max Sessions: 1,000,000
  • New Sessions Per Second: 57,000
  • Firewall Throughput: 4.5 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 2.2 Gbps
  • VPN Throughput: 2.8 Gbps
  • Storage Capacity: 240 GB SD
  • Max BTU/hr: 819
  • Weight: 29 lbs

Palo Alto PA-3220 Front Panel

Palo Alto PA-3220 Firewall

The front panel on the PA-3220 comes with a variety of different ports. Below is a list of hardware capabilities;

  • 12 – 1 G ports
  • 4 – 1 G SFP ports
  • 4 – 1 G/10G SFP/SFP+ ports
  • 1 – Out of band management port
  • 2 – 10/100/1000 high availability ports
  • 1 – 10G SFP+ high availability port
  • 1 – RJ-45 console port
  • 1 – Micro USB port

View Datasheet

PA-3220 Price

The Palo Alto PA-3220 is priced at $18,900 MSRP as an appliance only. But of course, you’ll also need a security services subscription or subscriptions to maximize its performance – Shop PA-3220 security services.

PA-3220 Hardware Guide

Navigating your way around the PA-3220 may be difficult for some. To make it easier we’ve included a link to the hardware guide on PaloAlto.com for reference.

SonicWall NSa 3700 – Advanced Networking for the Advanced Threat Era

SonicWall NSa 3700 – Advanced Networking for the Advanced Threat Era

SonicWall NSa 3700 firewalls are designed to secure mid-sized businesses, distributed enterprises, and large branch office locations while delivering performance superior to even recent generation firewalls. Featuring SonicWall’s SonicOS 7.0 operating system and its slew of new management and control features, the NSa 3700 sets itself apart from its NSa firewall predecessors.

The SonicWall NSa 3700 is ready to tackle SD-WAN deployments, security layer clustering, high-speed remote access through site-to-site and DPI SSL VPN, and more. In addition, the SonicWall NSa 3700 enables admins to monitor and manage all network traffic through a simple dashboard interface that prioritizes displaying fast, intuitive information right up front.

With multi-gigabit threat prevention throughput and super fast encrypted traffic scanning, you won’t lose all the bandwidth and speed you pay out to your ISP each month. On top of that, the SonicWall NSa 3700 features physical upgrades as well: 24 Gigabit ports, 6 10-gig ports, and 4 SFP+ ports capable of working on a 5G network.

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

SonicWall NSa 3700 Spec Snapshot

SonicWall NSa 3700 At A Glance

SonicWall NSa 3700 Next Generation Firewall

Max Firewall Throughput: 5.5 Gbps

Threat Prevention Throughput: 3.5 Gbps

Application Inspection Throughput: 4.2 Gbps

Network Interface Ports: 24x1GbE, 6x10GbE, 4x5G SFP+, 2 USB SuperSpeed 3.0, 1 Console, 1 Management

DPI Maximum Connections: 750,000

Connections per Second: 22,500

VLAN Interfaces: 256

Site-to-Site VPN Tunnels: 3000

Hardware-Only MSRP: $4095

View the SonicWall NSa 3700 Datasheet

Shop the SonicWall NSa 3700

Check out our latest video on the SonicWall NSa 3700:

What’s New in SonicOS 7.0?

SonicWall’s Gen 7 firewalls feature a brand new operating system that simplifies network security management while focusing on the most pressing threats facing small businesses. TLS 1.3 decryption aims at hunting down and snuffing out elusive encrypted threats. This increased visibility is right at your fingertips. The SonicOS Capture Threat Assessment Report provides summarized insights into traffic, applications, and a variety of advanced threats, ensuring you know exactly what’s lurking on your network.

The learning curve for SonicOS 7.0 is extremely user-friendly, with auto-provision VPNs and the SonicExpress app that make zero-touch deployment a reality. In the era of remote work, the ability to quickly and easily deploy a high-performance, high-security appliance without needing a technician at each site is crucial.

Check out our article SonicOS 7.0: 7.0 Reasons Why This SonicWall OS Rocks to learn more.

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

TotalSecure Advanced Edition & Essential Edition

So many new advanced features and services arrived with the SonicOS 7.0 appliances that SonicWall had to make brand new licensing bundles to house them all. With the NSa 3700, you have two bundle options. The more basic bundle, called the TotalSecure Essential Edition Bundle, includes these SonicWall security services:

  • Gateway Anti-Virus, Intrusion Prevention, Application Control
  • Content Filtering Service
  • 24×7 Support
  • Network Visibility
  • Basic DNS Security
  • Anti-Spam
  • Capture ATP (Multi-Engine) Sandboxing
  • RTDMI Technology

The TotalSecure Advanced Edition includes everything in the Essentials Edition, with the added bonus of SonicWall Network Security Manager (NSM) Essentials. NSM features:

  • Cloud Management
  • 7 Days Cloud-based Reporting

Optionally, services can be purchased a la carte as well.

Looking for More Firewall Solutions from SonicWall?

Shop SonicWall NSa firewalls if you’re looking for enterprise-grade protection at SMB prices.

Future-proof your setup with secure, scalable SonicWall Network Switches.

Or browse all of our SonicWall products to find the perfect solution for your unique network needs.

 

Top 3 Wireless Firewalls for 2021 – Which Wireless Firewall is Right for You?

Top 3 Wireless Firewalls for 2021

Wireless firewalls simplify deployments for small businesses. Small offices are sometimes, well, small. Sometimes that power outlet is just a few feet too far to reach your desk. Or the Internet line from your ISP is juuust out of reach of your rack. Looking to shed the cords and cables for a hassle-free network security deployment? Wireless firewalls allow greater flexibility, mobility, and can even save on Total Cost of Ownership.

For the best wireless firewall to simplify your network security setup, Firewalls.com recommends:

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

What’s the difference between a wired & wireless firewall?

Wired firewalls pass data between the public Internet and other wired devices on your network through a physical ethernet cable connection. Wireless firewalls operate over a radio frequency that allows wireless devices to communicate with one another and the Internet without being hard-wired into a switch, firewall, or router.

While the wired setup has its advantages, it can be frustrating or sometimes impossible to deploy a firewall in an exact desired location as you are at the mercy of cord length and outlet placement. Plus, once a device is plugged into wired infrastructure, that machine needs to stay in that spot or risk coming unplugged.

A wireless firewall on the other hand, can be deployed in just about any location and users on the wireless network can move their machines wherever they like—assuming they stay in wireless signal range! Wireless firewalls also cut down on clutter and excessive equipment by reducing the number of cables, power supplies, and network switches needed to keep your network infrastructure powered and connected.

Fortinet FortiWifi FWF-40F Wireless Firewalls

The Fortinet FortiWifi FWF-40F wireless firewall can pump a serious amount of data over the airwaves! With a Threat Protection Throughput of up to 600 Mbps, most small offices will boast more than enough performance and security for their purposes.

This wireless firewall secures your network against advanced cyber threats with a SOC4 (system-on-a-chip) internal security processor that enables SD-WAN, accelerates performance, and integrates into the Fortinet Security Fabric.

The Fortinet Secure Fabric consolidates security tasks with automated tools and strategies such as:

  • Security-driven networking that unifies user experience across the network
  • Zero trust access which protects remote workers and users both on- and off-network.
  • Automated security operations driven by AI to prevent, detect, isolate, and respond to incidents automatically
  • Dynamic cloud security to guard cloud infrastructure and secure cloud applications

Wireless Support: 3×3 MU-MIMO 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wave 2 with 3 External Antenna (or antennas, or antennae)

Fortinet Wireless Firewalls 40F

 

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

SonicWall TZ270 Wireless-AC Firewalls

The TZ270 wireless firewall is a new addition to the SonicWall firewall family, released in the last quarter of 2020. Wireless networking tag teams with Zero-Touch Deployment to make installing this firewall on a small business network a snap. With the new features of SonicOS 7.0 powering it, the TZ270 wireless firewall integrates firewalling, switching, and wireless capability with a single-pane-of-glass management dashboard to put superb visibility and control of your wireless network right at your fingertips.

Wireless Support: 2×2 802.11ac Wave 2 with 2 External Antennas

SonicWall TZ270 Wireless Firewall

Meraki MX64W Wireless Firewalls

The Meraki MX series of wireless firewalls are 100% cloud managed with SD-WAN capabilities, application-based firewalling, and auto-provision VPN, among many more advanced features. Plus, Meraki firewalls piggyback on the Cisco SNORT engine to deliver real-time signatures for up-to-the-minute threat intelligence generated from millions of security sensors around the world.

In addition to simplifying deployments in physical space, Meraki further simplifies network security with seamless firmware updates and an intuitive browser-based management.

Wireless Support: Dual-band 802.11n/ac Wave 2, 2×2 MU-MIMO with 2 spatial streams & 2 External Antenna

Cisco Meraki MX64W Wireless Firewall

Barracuda CloudGen Firewall – A Walk in the Clouds

What is a Barracuda CloudGen Firewall?

Barracuda CloudGen Firewalls offer physical, virtual, and cloud-based options to secure networks wherever users are. That means they protect today’s cloud-connected users and their networks beyond the traditional perimeter.

So that’s the simple answer. But what makes CloudGen appliances stand out from the next generation firewall crowd? How about we go over what these firewalls have to offer when it comes to securing networks large and small.

Barracuda F18 Firewall

Barracuda CloudGen Firewall Specs

Focusing on the physical, F-series firewalls come sized for just about any business need. Even the smallest of these, the F12, supports a substantial number of concurrent sessions. Starting at 80,000 for that model, the concurrent session count grows into the millions as you reach high-end devices.

Another important thing to note: F-series firewalls feature the same comprehensive security features you’ll count on to stay protected no matter the model. What features you may ask? Here are just a few:

  • Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS)
  • Application control
  • Dynamic routing
  • Application-based provider selection
  • SSL interception to read encrypted traffic
  • SD-WAN for simple, affordable, secure branch connectivity
  • Web filtering
  • Client-to-site and site-to-site VPN to connect your remote workforce

On top of all that, if you’re worried about your firewall supporting resource-intensive tasks, don’t fret. Tasks like sandboxing and more are offloaded seamlessly to the cloud. And with all of these features, getting your protection up and running is a snap too, with zero-touch deployment. We should mention too, that cloud-based and virtual models generally come standard with these very same features.

Barracuda Firewall Models

The Barracuda CloudGen family includes F-series hardware, VF-series virtual, and AWS, Azure, & Google cloud-based firewalls. Options span user counts of 5 to several thousand to protect networks of any size, anywhere. For example, the F-Series starts with the F12 and tops out at the F1000. On top of that, virtual varieties go from VF10 (for 10 IPs) to VF8000 (for an unlimited number). Finally, when navigating cloud-based firewalls, you start at Level 2 and work up to Level 8. And even more finally, choose the PAYG cloud firewall for a time-based, pay as you go model.

Barracuda CloudGen Firewall Price

Barracuda CloudGen firewalls offer a wide variety of security and networking features for competitive prices. For instance, the small business or branch office F12 retails for about $750. As we often say, you’ll want more than just the firewall to optimize your security. In addition to the many above-noted included features, Barracuda offers security services subscriptions on a monthly basis.

These feature options like advanced threat protection, advanced remote access, malware protection and more. In addition to the competitive prices of these services, their monthly nature gives you greater flexibility to make changes based on your evolving needs. All in all, Barracuda CloudGen firewalls have a lot to offer in today’s perimeter-less network environment.

 

New WatchGuard T20, T40, & T80 Firewalls

New WatchGuard Firewalls: Firebox T20, T40, & T80

The WatchGuard T20, along with its counterparts the WatchGuard T40 and WatchGuard T80, are the latest Firebox T-Series appliances. Launched in June 2020, these new WatchGuard firewalls sport faster speeds and increased security. This is big security in a small appliance.

The WatchGuard T20 or T40 can be used as a standalone firewall for small offices, or act as a VPN gateway to provide secure remote access to employees working from home. Some improvements include:

  • Increased throughput speeds
  • More Gig Ports
  • Built with SD-WAN in mind
  • More connections than ever
  • Greater capacity for VPN tunnels

Get an in-depth look at the new Firebox T-Series firewalls with our latest feature review video, then read on for more!

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

 

WatchGuard T20 Spec Snapshot

WatchGuard T20 Firewall

WatchGuard T20 Firewall

Max Firewall Throughput: 1.7 Gbps

VPN Throughput: 485 Mbps

Network Interface Ports: 5 x 1GbE, 1 USB, 1 Serial

Maximum Connections: 95,000

Authenticated User Limit: 200

Branch Office VPNs: 10

 

WatchGuard T40 Spec Snapshot

WatchGuard T40 Firewall

WatchGuard T40 Firewall

Max Firewall Throughput: 3.4 Gbps

VPN Throughput: 880 Mbps

Network Interface Ports: 5 x 1GbE, 2 USB, 1 Serial

Maximum Connections: 200,000

Authenticated User Limit: 500

Branch Office VPNs: 30

 

WatchGuard T80 Spec Snapshot

WatchGuard T80 Firewall

WatchGuard T80 Firewall

Max Firewall Throughput: 4.7 Gbps

VPN Throughput: 1.4 Gbps

Network Interface Ports: 8 x 1GbE, 1 USB, 1 Serial

Maximum Connections: 200,000

Authenticated User Limit: 500

Branch Office VPNs: 60

 

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

Save Money on WatchGuard T20, T40, & T80 Firewalls

WatchGuard makes it easy to save money if you’re ready to upgrade. WatchGuard T40 piqued your interest? WatchGuard’s trade up program lets you earn up to 25% when you upgrade. Just send in your old, aging Firebox and you’ll save big while gaining access to tools and services only available on the newest generation:

  • SD-WAN with zero touch deployment
  • WatchGuard Cloud for management & reporting
  • IntelligentAV to stop unknown threats with AI
  • ThreatSync security data
  • DNSWatch, Network Discovery, & more

Best affordable firewall for small businesses

Affordable firewalls that won’t leave you dreaming of bigger budgets

Affordable firewalls are a necessity for small businesses. Especially if they need strong network security in place fast. However, finding an affordable firewall can be tough. Not sure sure how to find SMB firewalls that give real bang for the buck?

Find the best affordable firewall you can rely on for years to come with a few options Firewalls.com recommends:

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

What sets an affordable firewall apart from a cheap firewall?

Firstly, what do we mean by an affordable firewall? We mean a next generation firewall that reliably delivers high-speed performance and advanced security at a cost-efficient “pound for pound” level. Many third party authorities such as NSS Labs and Gartner measure and quantify high quality, affordable firewalls. This is often done with metrics like “Total Cost of Ownership” and “Price per Protected Mbps.”

Firewall vendors are constantly racing to extend enterprise-grade, multi-gig firewalls to smaller and smaller user bases. The Next Generation Firewall (NGFW) era has grown fully ripe. Now savvy SMBs can get even newer next-er generations of NGFWs. If they know where to look.

Fortinet 40F – Affordable firewall with jaw-dropping stats

The FortiGate 40F launched in 2020 as part of Fortinet’s new F-Series firewalls. The tiny titan FortiGate 40F can reach speeds of up to 5 Gigabits per second. That’s twice as fast as the FG-50E which costs over $50 more! And don’t forget its purpose-built processor for top-notch Secure SD-WAN capabilities.

Secure SD-WAN with FortiGate 40F

The tech specs for the FG-40F are insane for such an affordable firewall.


 

SonicWall TZ 350 – Affordable firewall built to stop ransomware

SonicWall launched the TZ series as NGFWs for SMBs. Now the next gen of NGFWs are sprouting up with new additions like the SonicWall SOHO 250 and SonicWall TZ 350. The SonicWall TZ350 is faster and supports more SSL VPN licenses than the TZ300.

With SonicWall Capture Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) enabled, you get a super fast cloud-based sandbox that uses AI and behavior-based scans. First, identify potential threats. Then isolate them in quarantine. Finally, detonate them before they can touch your network. This squashes the threat of ransomware right in your inbox.


Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

Sophos XG 106 – Affordable firewall with added on-board memory

The Sophos XG 106 is a major revision of the XG 105. The XG 106 includes upgraded onboard memory RAM. XG firewalls use an integrated Solid State Drive (SSD).

XG 106

Sophos XG firewalls are affordable, but still satisfy the cravings of network admins looking for advanced features, increased visibility & control, and synchronized real-time security.


 

WatchGuard T35 – Affordable firewall made to grow with you

WatchGuard T-Series Firebox appliances are built with scalability in mind. That means if your small business doesn’t stay a small business, you can easily expand your network security setup without having to rip and replace from the ground up.

T35

The term “future-proof” is often used to describe the T-Series. WatchGuard makes it easy to upgrade existing services and add emerging tech to your current setup.

 

SonicWall NSa Firewalls: How to choose & buy an NSa firewall

What is a SonicWall NSa firewall?

SonicWall NSa firewalls are next-gen appliances built to provide unified, advanced threat protection and centralized network management to mid-sized businesses. In short, if your network supports between 100 and 2,500 users, an NSa firewall may be right for you.


 

To begin, we’ll compare features of NSa and TZ firewalls. After that we’ll explore NSa firewall tech specs and how to boost your SonicWall firewall with smart security services like AGSS.

What’s the difference between SonicWall NSa firewalls & TZ firewalls?

SonicWall NSa and TZ firewalls share a lot in common. For example, both support cloud-based sandbox capabilities with SonicWall Capture ATP as well as many of SonicWall’s patented security features like Re-assembly Free Deep Packet Inspection (RFDPI) and Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI).

NSa Series is best suited for:

  • Large branch offices & distributed enterprises
  • Data centers & corporate HQs
  • Hotels, convention centers, & dorms
  • Doctors’ & dentists’ offices

TZ Series is better suited for

  • Retail spots & restaurants
  • Small offices & home offices
  • Law firms, satellite offices, and outposts

In other words, the NSa series may be a bit too large for smaller businesses. We recommend checking out SonicWall TZ entry-level firewalls instead. After that, expand your know-how with our SonicWall TZ firewall article spotlighting the SonicWall SOHO 250 and SonicWall TZ350.

Comparing NSa firewall prices & tech specs

The best way to compare NSa firewalls is by visiting our SonicWall Firewall Comparison page or a SonicWall NSa datasheet. Similarly, you can compare critical stats at-a-glance with this snapshot of NSa firewalls by price and performance.

SonicWall NSa 2650

nsa 2650 from sonicwall next gen firewall

  • Appliance Only MSRP: $2,495.00
  • Max Throughput: 3.0 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 1.5 Gbps
  • Built-In Storage (SSD): 16 GB
  • Max SSL VPN Licenses350


 

SonicWall NSa 3650

NSa 3650

  • Appliance Only MSRP: $3,995.00
  • Max Throughput: 3.75 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 1.75 Gbps
  • Built-In Storage (SSD): 32 GB
  • Max SSL VPN Licenses500


 

SonicWall NSa 4650

NSa 4650

  • Appliance Only MSRP$6,495.00
  • Max Throughput: 6.0 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 2.5 Gbps
  • Built-In Storage (SSD): 32 GB
  • Max SSL VPN Licenses: 1,000


 

SonicWall NSa 5650

NSa 5650

  • Appliance Only MSRP: $10,995.00
  • Max Throughput: 6.25 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 3.4 Gbps
  • Built-In Storage (SSD): 64 GB
  • Max SSL VPN Licenses: 6,000


 

SonicWall NSa 6650

NSa 6650

  • Appliance Only MSRP: $23,595.00
  • Max Throughput: 12.0 Gbps
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 5.5 Gbps
  • Built-In Storage (SSD): 64 GB
  • Max SSL VPN Licenses: 6,000


 

TotalSecure Advanced for SonicWall NSa firewalls

NSa firewalls include all the basic security features needed to secure your SMB. But bad guys go way beyond the basics. Therefore, small businesses should not rely on a bare-bones deployment. On the contrary, even small businesses should license advanced security services for SonicWall firewalls to empower admins. As a result, they’ll be able to stop more threats and better control network traffic.

  • Stop zero day threats like malware cocktails with behavior-based threat scanning
  • Rely on 24×7 support from SonicWall experts to keep you up & running around the clock
  • Detonate ransomware payloads in a secure, virtual environment with cloud-based sandboxing
  • Clean up inboxes from unwanted spam, email-borne threats, & elusive phishing schemes

Learn more about SonicWall AGSS to secure your small business against malware, ransomware, and zero day exploits.

 

Sophos XG 86 & XG 106 function as secure VPN appliances

Sophos XG 86 & XG 106 firewalls stand in as secure VPN appliances

Sophos XG 86 and Sophos XG 106 appliances are powerful next generation firewalls many small businesses use to as their primary cyber threat defense. However, these mighty little devices are far more versatile than admins give them credit for! Did you know the XG 86 and XG 106 can both stand in as dedicated VPN platforms to secure temporary remote work spikes? So you won’t need a Sophos RED (remote ethernet device) or other comparable VPN appliance.

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

 

Sophos XG 86 firewall

A Sophos XG 86 firewall costs about the same as a Sophos RED and similar competing remote access devices. Yet it can perform even better than SMA devices if a split-tunnel deployment is required. This substitution is possible because Sophos XG firewalls come with a basic set of security features and services. They include the ability to deploy Sophos site-to-site VPN tunnels. Since this feature is part of the XG firewall base license, that also means no recurring fees or renewals are necessary.

Remote access security ensured

With your remote workers accessing company applications and resources through a firewall-facilitated VPN tunnel, you ensure the onboard and advanced Sophos security features they enjoy at the office protect users working from home as well. Those include Network Protection, Synchronized Security, and the Sophos Heartbeat. Bundle your Sophos XG 86 firewall with an EnterpriseProtect Plus package that includes advanced Web Protection to get a solution ideal for split-tunnel VPN deployments.

Ease management & deployment of remote access users

Another great benefit of using your Sophos XG 86 or XG 106 firewall as a stand-in for a secure remote access device is ease of management. Manage all your site-to-site tunnels and connected users intuitively through the Sophos XG Firewall single-pane-of-glass management dashboard. Simplify remote work chaos by monitoring and managing traffic with the same tools you would in the home office.

Sophos XG 86 vs Sophos RED

  • Remote workers returning? XG 86 can shift back to a security role
  • XG 86 offers more flexible secure access options like SSL & IPSec VPN
  • Centrally manage XG 86 VPN deployments with Sophos Central
  • Protect traffic routed through split tunnel setups that Sophos RED does not secure

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

 

Sophos RED 15 secure access device

How to use an XG Firewall for secure remote access

Using an XG 86 or XG 106 (for even more power and user support) in place of a RED or similar secure access device is simple. A Sophos XG firewall will act as a server that waits for incoming connection requests. This is quick and easy to configure with a few clicks to turn on “RED Status.” You can see full detailed instructions for this VPN setup in the Sophos Knowledge Base.

 

TZ Firewall – Entry level firewalls for small businesses

Which TZ firewall is right for your small business?

SonicWall TZ firewalls have been securing small business networks for over a decade, and these next generation firewalls continue to evolve even to this day, with highly acclaimed new entries like the SonicWall TZ350. So what makes the SonicWall TZ firewall such a mainstay on network security shortlists?

New SonicWALL TZ Firewalls

Entry-level firewalls with out of this world features

Advances in throughput and processing allow SonicWall TZ firewalls to pull off some slick tricks. For example, the new SonicWall SOHO 250 (classified as a TZ firewall) extends the capability to use Capture ATP cloud-based sandboxing even in a home office setting. Imagine having that level of advanced, enterprise-grade protection on your home network! The kids have a sandbox in the backyard, and you’ve got one guarding your family photos.

TZ Firewalls scan for zero day and other unknown cyber threats with behavior-based scanning that pairs machine learning with an ever-expanding archive of global threat intelligence. Fileless malware and memory exploits are put to rest by SonicWall TZ firewalls using Real Time Deep Memory Inspection (RTDMI), which can detect threats in fractions of a nanosecond. To stop ransomware and encrypted threats, TZ firewalls scan the entirety of all inbound and outbound traffic across multiple security processors with Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection (RFDPI).

Real Time Deep Memory Inspection

  • Included in SonicWall Capture Cloud
  • Spot threats before they demonstrate malicious behavior
  • Hackers cannot hide behind custom encryption
  • Detects threats in less than 100 nanoseconds
  • Learn more about RTDMI

Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection

  • Included with every SonicWall TZ firewall
  • Scan inbound & outbound data with very low latency
  • High-speed traffic analysis with no buffering or proxying
  • Stop evasion techniques that most engines miss
  • Learn more about RFDPI

SonicWall sizing guides make it easy to compare TZ firewalls

Deciding which TZ firewall is right for your small business network can take some serious consideration. Maybe your small office would benefit from the power-over-ethernet features of the SonicWall TZ300-POE or TZ600-POE models. Most TZ firewalls also support wireless networking such as the SonicWall TZ350 Wireless-AC or TZ400 Wireless-AC. Which TZ firewall you choose ultimately comes down to your unique needs as a small business.

Tips for finding the right firewall fast

  • Use the firewall sizing guide on our Homepage
  • Filter by other options & features in the sidebar
  • Compare options on the TZ firewall comparison page
  • Live chat with our certified experts for better pricing

Firewalls.com offers a SonicWall TZ firewall comparison page where you can easily navigate TZ firewall specs and highlight rows to compare entry level firewalls. If you’re looking for something a little bigger, we also offer SonicWall comparison pages for mid-sized NSa firewalls and enterprise NSa firewalls.

If you want to go straight to the source, check out our network security datasheets page where you’ll find all the latest datasheets and spec sheets for SonicWall, Sophos, Fortinet, WatchGuard, Barracuda, Cisco Meraki, and Ruckus Wireless.

TZ firewall experts on your schedule

Deciding which firewall your small business will rely on as a primary method of protecting both company and customer data is a big, big step. Plus, these are super complicated appliances that should never be chosen on a whim!

Live Chat with experts on the SonicWall TZ Firewall Series

Firewalls.com employs a team of experts that has been both trained and certified by the manufacturer partners we represent. That means when you click on the Live Chat button, you’re connecting with a real person who lives and breathes TZ firewalls full time. Chat or call 317-754-7914 to get special pricing, expert recommendations, and all of your TZ firewall questions answered fast.


 

What is a firewall? Why does my business need a firewall?

What is a firewall & why do I need a firewall?

What is a firewall exactly? Here at Firewalls.com, we believe that firewalls are not only your primary line of defense against advanced threats but also the heart of your larger network security environment. Firewalls keep users safe as they use the Internet, send or receive emails, and access company files. Firewalls scan all incoming and outgoing traffic on your network, choosing to either permit or block any data packet they read.

By configuring your firewall with a set of common sense security rules and policies, you can safeguard your confidential data against hackers. By analyzing traffic at your network’s entry points, firewalls are able to keep potential threats out while letting employees and business applications communicate safely across the open web.

What is a firewall? SonicWall TZ350 secure small business networks

 

How do firewalls work?

Firewalls work by monitoring inbound and outbound traffic on your network. When a data packet requests access to your network, your firewall inspects the packet head to determine whether the request is valid or potentially dangerous. Next generation firewalls such as SonicWall TZ and SonicWall NSa firewalls go a step farther with Deep Packet Inspection, cracking open the entire data packet to inspect its contents before reaching a security determination.

Traditional firewalls relied on signature-based scanning to look out for threats. That meant that each packet’s contents were checked against a database of millions upon millions of known threat signatures. However, more advanced firewalls and endpoint protection platforms, such as Sophos XG, rely on machine learning and AI to make behavior-based verdicts. Super smart security engines actually think and learn inside your firewall, using global threat data to constantly improve their understanding of what a threat looks like, how it behaves, and how to stop it.

Firewall configuration

Why do businesses need to configure their firewall and how hard is a configuration? While some deployments can be fairly simple, most businesses should have a custom configuration for their primary firewall, tailored to suit the unique needs of their network. The firewall setup wizard just doesn’t cut it. Firewalls.com recommends that you entrust a certified firewall expert with the configuration of your firewall to ensure your attack surfaces are minimized, your firewall is stealthy, and no pesky bottlenecks are jamming up your Internet speeds.

A quality firewall configuration service should include a one-on-one discussion with your organization to determine how your network is used and what unique factors may present risks to your data. Phone-based deployment and post-deployment support are a must. You can simplify installation and minimize downtime by ensuring you have a knowledgeable support engineer on the line to walk you through every step. Want to see the steps involved in a configuration?


 

How many different types of firewalls are there?

Firewalls come in all shapes and specifications, so finding the right one for your network can be a challenge. While datasheets and firewall comparisons are easy to find, it can still be tough to wrap your head around what types of firewalls you can choose from. We’ll break down a few different ways firewalls are classified to help you better understand the appliance landscape.

WatchGuard manufacturers all kinds of different firewall appliances

Form Factors

  • Desktop Firewalls – Small, but powerful. Desktop firewalls are made with SMBs in mind & fit next to your favorite coffee mug
  • Rackmount Firewalls – Able to be mounted in any standard 19″ server rack with a rackmount kit
  • Virtual Firewalls – No appliance? No problem. Virtual firewalls live in the cloud & secure networks with no on-prem footprint

Firewall Sizing

  • Small Business Firewalls – Fit for home offices or SMBs up to 100 users, small business firewalls make advanced security affordable
  • Mid-Sized Firewalls – For businesses that need a bit more room for users & bandwidth, like SonicWall NSa series
  • Enterprise Firewalls – 2,500 users or more? Enterprise firewalls are security powerhouses with unmatched performance

Firewall Generations

  • Stateful Inspection Firewalls – Simple, signature-based analysis of inbound & outbound traffic
  • UTM Firewalls – Holistic appliances combining basic firewalling with multiple other security services & functions
  • Next Generation Firewalls – The latest generation of firewalls integrating entire networks in real time with machine learning


 

Firewalls. Defined.

Curious for more information about firewalls, network security, or cyber threats? The Firewalls.com Knowledge Hub is crammed full of resources to learn how firewalls work and understand what kinds of firewalls there are. Check out our firewall podcast or subscribe to our YouTube channel for firewall reviews, firewall comparisons, tutorials, and more.
 

Comparing Cisco Meraki MX64 & Cisco Meraki MX67

Comparing the Cisco Meraki MX64 & Cisco Meraki MX67 Firewalls

The Cisco Meraki MX64 and Cisco Meraki MX67 firewalls are both geared towards small businesses looking for affordable, efficient security. Part of the Meraki MX Firewall series, these models share a lot in common at first glance. But that may make it tricky for SMBs and network administrators to decipher which of these next generation firewalls is best suited to their unique network demands.

Both SD-WAN-ready appliances are ideal for SMBs seeking an all-in-one UTM solution backed by a globally recognized brand they can trust. But which one works for you? Compare the Cisco Meraki MX64 and Cisco Meraki MX67 below with side-by-side tech spec comparisons, feature spotlights, and more.  

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

Cisco Meraki MX64 Tech Spec Snapshot

Cisco Meraki MX64 Firewall.

Ideal For: Entry-level firewall for small businesses

What Sets It Apart: Highly-efficient UTM & SD-WAN solution at a low price point

Max Recommended Users: 50

Max VPN Throughput: 100 Mbps

Advanced Security Throughput: 200 Mbps


 

Cisco Meraki MX67 Spec Snapshot

Cisco Meraki MX64 Firewall.

Ideal For: Remote locations & areas requiring high availability

What Sets It Apart: Built-in modems simplify cellular uplink backups for remote locations 

Max Recommended Users: 50

Max VPN Throughput: 450 Mbps

Advanced Security Throughput: 300 Mbps


Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

What comes with a Cisco Meraki MX64 & MX67 firewall?

Ready to level up your security with Cisco Meraki? Tag on an Enterprise or Advanced Security license to unlock advanced security features, bolstering your network’s defenses against encrypted malware, ransomware, & zero day threats. These licenses come in 1-, 3-, 5-, 7-, or even 10-year terms and include 24×7 support from Cisco Meraki specialists, as well as the following security features:

Included with a Cisco Meraki Enterprise License

  • Stateful Layer 7 firewall
  • Site-to-site VPN
  • Client VPN
  • Dynamic host configuration protocol
  • Branch routing
  • Intelligent path control
  • App visibility & control

Included with a Cisco Meraki Advanced Security License

  • All of the features listed above, plus
  • URL content filtering
  • Google SafeSearch enforcement
  • Youtube EDU enforcement
  • Intrusion prevention
  • Advanced malware protection (AMP) with Threat Grid support
  • Geo-IP firewall rules


Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

More firewall review videos

Still shopping for the right firewall for your business network? Check out our firewall review videos to compare your options. You can learn more about:

4 questions SMBs should ask about SonicWall VPN

Small business owners rushing to get their hands on a SonicWall VPN for their remote workers have a lot of questions. We have a lot of answers. Below are the four questions that business owners and network administrators should be able to answer before they buy a SonicWall VPN solution and get their employees working from home.

1. SSL VPN or Global VPN Client?

If you’re shopping for a SonicWall VPN, your first question is probably: what kinds of SonicWall VPN solutions are there? SonicWall offers both SSL VPN and Global VPN Clients. You can take a closer look on our SonicWall VPN comparison page, but here are a few key differences:

  • Global VPN Clients are best used in Windows-only environments
  • SSL VPN is better suited to mixed-use environments where employees use many device types
  • Global VPN Clients can be a bit harder and more costly to install, especially for smaller businesses
  • SSL VPN is delivered in a client that won’t eat up a lot of resources
  • Price-wise, both SonicWall VPN options are about the same
  • Global VPN Clients use IPSec to connect hosts to entire private networks
  • SSL VPNs connect users to specific services & apps inside secure networks

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

2. How many SonicWall VPNs does my firewall support?

Did you know that all SonicWall TZ and NSa firewalls include at least one SSL VPN or Global VPN license? However, each firewall model has a maximum capacity of clients that it can connect to and protect. After this threshold, service becomes spotty, slow, and unsecure!

In most cases, a firewall can support more Global VPN licenses than it can SSL VPN licenses. However, small business owners may lean towards SSL VPN because TZ firewalls actually support far more SSL VPNs than they do IPSec clients.

  • SonicWall SOHO 250 – supports 5 Global VPN Clients & 25 SSL VPN licenses
  • SonicWall TZ 300 – supports 10 Global VPN Clients & 50 SSL VPN licenses
  • SonicWall TZ 350 – supports 10 Global VPN Clients & 75 SSL VPN licenses
  • SonicWall TZ 400 –  supports 25 Global VPN Clients & 100 SSL VPN licenses
  • SonicWall TZ 500 – supports 25 Global VPN Clients & 150 SSL VPN licenses
  • SonicWall TZ 600 – supports 25 Global VPN Clients & 200 SSL VPN licenses

3. How do I increase performance for remote workers?

SSL VPN licenses require a lot of performance to process all of the secure data they transfer and inspect. Setting up a dedicated Secure Mobile Access appliance such as a SonicWall SMA 210 or SonicWall SMA 410 remote access appliance can greatly improve speed, uptime, and stability for your employees working from home, lessening the burden on your firewall.

The Firewalls.com Remote Worker Bundle combines Secure Mobile Access appliances, SonicWall VPN licensing, and our expert professional configuration services in a comprehensive package to get your workers setup at home fast. The bundle includes a SonicWall SMA 210 or 410 appliance with a 5 user license, expert setup assistance, and a free configuration to make the transition seamless.

4. How do I provide extra protection for remote workers?

Just because your employees are working from their couch doesn’t mean your security can slouch. The fact is, hackers always find a way to exploit the hottest news in the world to their benefit. Expect attackers to target home users with spearphishing, social engineering, encrypted malware, and more. Now is the time to ensure your mobile workers are locked down with advanced network security solutions like SonicWall’s Capture Advanced Threat Protection for SMA, extending the same great cloud-based multi-engine sandboxing protection to your secure access infrastructure that networks worldwide enjoy through a high-end firewall.

Blog Banner General Buy Now Red-High-Quality

Know Before You Go: 4 Things You Should Know Before You Shop for a Firewall

Getting Started

The plans have been drawn. The furniture has been ordered. The staff has been hired. That new office is coming together nicely. But you know there’s still a missing piece – a secure network to ensure your new office is connected. But where do you begin?

Don’t fret. We’ve put together a quick video outlining four things you should know about your desired network setup before you start your shop for a firewall – and other solutions like wireless access points, network switches, etc. You probably know this stuff already, but it helps to compile all this background information, so that you’ll know which devices are right for your particular network needs. Watch on for the info:

 

So whether you’re a small business owner taking that next big step or a branch manager tasked with getting things up and running at a new location – getting these information ducks in a row will help you focus on the right products for your network needs and ensure you don’t have to go back to the drawing board after hastily picking the wrong ones. Plan out your user numbers, raw connection speed, remote access needs, and desired wireless capabilities and you’ll be ready for the next step.

The Next Step

Now that you’ve gathered the needed information, it’s time to shop for your network solutions. Visit Firewalls.com and start with the Firewall tool at the top of the homepage. Plug in your user count, and you’ll be off and running. And what’s even easier? Talking to a network security expert who can walk you through your options and work with you to put together a bundle that addresses all your needs at once. Give one of our experts a call at 866-403-5305 or email sales@firewalls.com. If you’d still like to do a bit more research before you shop, check out our Navigating Network Security episode of Ping: A Firewalls.com Podcast (available wherever you listen) for more detailed tips on the process. And if you need help deciphering datasheets, read through our blog post on that very subject. Your secure SMB network will be up and running before you know it!

Reviewing Fortinet’s Desktop Secure SD-WAN device, the FortiGate 60F

FortiGate 60F – Secure SD-WAN in a Desktop

It was just a few short months ago that Fortinet introduced its new SoC4 SD-WAN ASIC processor, powering the first-of-its-kind Secure SD-WAN appliance, the FortiGate 100F. While the 100F is notable for its lightning-quick firewall performance and excellent connectivity, smaller organizations may not need a device to pack quite that much punch. Enter the Fortinet FortiGate 60F, which still offers quite a kick in providing Secure SD-WAN for small to mid-size business and branch office deployments. It boasts the same SD-WAN ASIC processor, purpose-built for security and SD-WAN in one device – and still excellent performance, at more than 15 times industry average throughput. But the FortiGate 60F does all this in a 1.9 pound, fanless desktop form factor, so you won’t need a rack mount setup to use it. Come along with us on a video feature review of the newest FortiGate to combine top-notch security and SD-WAN all-in-one. Introducing the Fortinet FortiGate 60F:

FortiGate 60F Spec Snapshot

Fortinet FortiGate 60F

Max Firewall Throughput: 10 Gbps

Threat Prevention Throughput: 700 Mbps

Network Interface Ports: 10 x 1GbE, 1 USB, 1 Console

Maximum Connections: 700,000

Maximum Connections (DPI SSL): 55,000

Maximum Supported Wireless Access Points: 30/10 (Total/Tunnel Mode)

Hardware-Only MSRP: $695

Shop the FORTIGate FG-60F

Need…More…Videos

If this video piqued your interest but you’d like to see a few other firewall models, you’re in luck! We’ve also done feature review videos for the FortiGate 100F and FortiGate 50E among Fortinet firewalls. And we haven’t forgotten other brands, with the Sophos XG 125 and new in 2019 XG 86 & 106, the SonicWall NSa 2650, the new in 2019 SOHO 250 & TZ 350, and the WatchGuard Firebox T35 and T55. Once you’ve binged the full review playlist, read through our firewall buyer’s guide series to go into even another layer of depth.

The Fortinet Buyer’s Guide

Speaking of our Buyer’s Guide series, we take a deeper dive into Fortinet’s firewall portfolio as well as the security services it offers in our Fortinet Buyer’s Guide.

 

Intelligence in the Threat Landscape

Arm yourself

The modern threat landscape has many pitfalls. The best way to set yourself up to successfully negotiate this hazardous terrain is with the proper armor. What is the right armor? Knowledge. Personal knowledge of the types of threats that exist. Organizational knowledge of how to behave online. And the knowledge of dedicated threat intelligence experts that goes into the security solutions offered by top network security providers. Companies like SonicWall, Fortinet, and Sophos have teams of security analysts keeping tabs on the threat landscape 24/7/365. They incorporate this knowledge with artificial intelligence and machine learning to offer the most comprehensive protection possible against the latest threats.

In our latest video, we take a closer look at the threat landscape, what you can do to arm yourself, and what these companies are doing to fortify that armor. Watch below:

Thirsty for more?

If you finished that video yearning for even more threat intelligence, read through the Firewalls.com Threat Dictionary to get an A to Z guide through the current landscape.

To complete your multimedia quest for threat knowledge, we also offer an audio option. Listen to Episode 5 of Ping: A Firewalls.com Podcast in which we talk cyber threats with two experts in the field, SonicWall’s Daniel Kremers and Fortinet’s Douglas Santos.

Don’t Give Me Them Digits: Cyber criminals target mobile phone numbers

You’ve got a chip in your credit card. Your social security card’s locked away in a safe. Now cyber criminals are turning their attention to another number: your mobile phone number. Next time that creep at the bar asks for your digits, you may have more to worry over than turning down a date.

Why criminals are targeting mobile phones

As security around financial data tightens, hackers have set their sights on mobile numbers, which tick many of the same boxes as your social security or credit card combos:

  • It’s unique to you
  • It’s one of the most common pieces of info stored in databases
  • It’s a crucial step in identifying yourself to financial authorities

Criminals are using this information to take over accounts using a patchwork of personally identifying information gleaned from multiple databases. In 2016, over 160,000 mobile accounts were usurped according to studies conducted by Javelin Strategy & Research–a record high for fraudsters.

And the kicker? Losing control of your phone number creates logistical nightmares when it comes time to prove ownership in the aftermath of an attack. Many companies request to verify account ownership either over VoiP or SMS and if you are no longer in control of the phone line, proving your identity becomes a challenge outside the norms of account recovery.

How to prevent a mobile phone takeover

  • Distribute your number judiciously
  • Use a secondary or virtual phone number for account signups
  • Do not reuse passwords over multiple accounts
  • Avoid using public WiFi when accessing sensitive information
  • Use two-factor authentication where possible
  • Take advantage of mobile security platforms like Sophos Central Mobile Security

Learn about more cyber threats

Hungry for more insight into Internet threats? Check out the Firewalls.com Threat Dictionary to learn about all of the latest network security threats.

Prefer to listen and learn? Check out Episode 5 of Ping: A Firewalls.com Podcast where we talk cyber threats with SonicWall’s Daniel Kremers and Fortinet’s Douglas Santos.