{"id":15410,"date":"2020-04-28T14:17:09","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T19:17:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.firewalls.com\/blog\/?p=15410"},"modified":"2025-12-02T15:58:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T20:58:24","slug":"watchguard-t-firewalls-vs-m-firewalls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.firewalls.com\/blog\/watchguard-t-firewalls-vs-m-firewalls\/","title":{"rendered":"Exploring the Difference Between WatchGuard T-Series & WatchGuard M-Series Firewalls"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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What’s the difference between WatchGuard T Series firewalls & M Series firewalls?<\/h3>

WatchGuard’s next generation Firebox firewalls<\/a> are great for small businesses and mid-sized organizations alike, with a range of options to fit offices of any size. Whether you’re looking for unified threat protection and easy management, or just additional protections for an existing network, the WatchGuard T Series<\/a> and WatchGuard M Series<\/a> firewall families offer versatility and scalability at an affordable price point. It can be a challenge to compare WatchGuard firewalls, especially if you’re not sure of the differences between WatchGuard’s T Series and M Series.<\/p>

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WatchGuard T vs M Series form factors & connectivity<\/h3>

If you’re looking for big security in a small package, WatchGuard T Series firewalls<\/a> are compact security dynamos with tons of features to keep even the most hands-on network administrator happy. In terms of form factor, T Series firewalls are desktop models made to be small enough to sit next to your favorite coffee mug.<\/p>

WatchGuard M Series firewalls<\/a> are larger appliances, made to fit into a standard 19″ server rack. These firebox appliances are 1RU (or rack unit) high, so they don’t take up a lot of space when properly mounted. WatchGuard T Series firewalls can also be made to fit into a 19″ rack by using a compatible rackmount kit<\/a> if you so desire.<\/p>

WatchGuard T Series firewalls like the Firebox T15<\/a>, Firebox T35<\/a>, & Firebox T55<\/a> can also be purchased as wireless appliances, meaning wireless connectivity, fewer wires, and simpler installation in otherwise tricky environments where wired options would prove subpar. The M Series firewalls are not able to offer wireless access. There is just too much performance and advanced security going on to stream over the air!<\/p>

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WatchGuard T vs M Series sizing, throughput, & VPN<\/h3>

While physical size of the firewall may be important, more crucial to your decision as a buyer is the ability to correctly “size” a firewall’s security capabilities for your network needs. Firewalls.com considers any device including laptops, mobiles, printers, IoT, and all other connected entities on your network as “users” when discussing recommended user counts.<\/p>

WatchGuard T Series firewalls are made for small businesses. The Firebox T15<\/a> at the smaller end of the scale is able to easily secure one to 10 users, while the higher-end Firebox T70<\/a> is a good fit for up to 50. Similarly, the WatchGuard M Series can range from around 50 to 100 users for the more modest Firebox M270<\/a> while the gargantuan Firebox M5600<\/a> will comfortably secure well over 2,500 users.<\/p>

With many companies now working remotely<\/a>, the ability for your firewall to secure remotely connected employees is also critical. For most companies, that means setting up VPN tunnels<\/a> between remote employees’ home offices and the company network. Different firewalls have different capabilities when it comes to the number of VPN tunnels they can support, so be sure to talk to an expert if you’re looking to get employees working from home on a WatchGuard firewall.<\/p>

These differences in user count recommendations boil down to how much throughput power the appliances can handle, how many concurrent connections the device can support at once, and what levels of advanced security services, remote connectivity, and encryption your network requires. Also keep in mind that bigger firewalls often mean more interfaces and ports to access. All of this information can be found in detail inside a product datasheet<\/a>. And take a closer look at the T35 and T55 firewalls with our feature review video<\/a>.<\/p>

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WatchGuard T Series at a Glance<\/h3>