Network security may have improved in the past couple of years, what with the advancements in certain protocols and software specifically made for it. But there are still attacks on firewalls every now, and then that reveals the weakness of the system. Remember the Wannacry ransomware attacks?
In order to protect yourself, your home’s connection, and especially your network security, your Internet provider’s default router won’t cut it anymore. You’d need to upgrade your hardware firewall in order to stave off future attacks. It will make the difficult job of protecting your online activities easier, so you can browse longer and faster.
Palo Alto Firewall PA-200
With a PAN-OS under the hood, the PA-200 can classify all kinds of traffic for easier checking and browsing. It provides standard control over users and a wide interactivity of controls, among others. Power consumption is relatively low with this hardware, so you won’t have to worry about an increase in your monthly electric bills.
One of the more powerful features of the PA-200 is it can classify applications depending on port and encryption, as well as the invasive technique used for masking. The firewall appliance works well all the time, classifying present and used apps consistently. Versatile for any platform, regardless of mobile or desktop, it’s the best hardware firewall for home, bar none.
Bitdefender BOX 2
Quite possibly the top hardware firewall in the market today in terms of breadth and versatility of use, Bitdefender BOX 2 is a major upgrade from the first iteration, with better support for dual Gigabit ethernet. Wi-Fi support is top-notch, and the advanced machine learning algorithms will protect your activity and devices from malware attacks.
Parental controls are present and effective in BOX 2 so if you’re a parent looking to monitor your children’s web activity, this is the firewall for you. There’s also an accompanying app where you can view the overview of connected devices, the maximum speed of downloads and uploads, and initiate bandwidth controls.
Cujo Smart Internet Security Firewall
The Cujo firewall doesn’t just look unique; it’s also a powerful piece of firewall that securely connects all your devices to your Wi-Fi router. Your data is secured with its algorithm as well as connections are protected from malware, phishing, etc. It also protects from unwanted data breaches in the form of remote access.
It’s the perfect hardware firewall to install for any house, supporting a maximum of 1 Gbps of Internet. You can download an accompanying app to monitor your devices as well as see the live status of filtered apps. You need to set it up as a firewall though in order to protect the devices by downloading the app and installing it.
Firewalla
Arguably the best hardware firewall that you can set-up and install yourself, Firewalla boasts of a firewall’s standard features and more. It can protect connected devices from remote access attacks, plus it can scan connections for phishing attacks as well. Malware security is pretty decent, and it has a dedicated VPN server for a more secure internet browsing.
Firewalla has a unique intrusion prevention system where you can protect all of your wired and wireless connections. It also can protect previously connected devices from attacks when connected to public Wi-Fi. Parental controls are top of the line with this hardware as well – you can cut off access anytime you want, or when something is amiss on your child’s browsing history.
Zyxel Next Generation VPN Firewall
With an array of features that are missing from other subpar hardware firewalls, Zyxel’s VPN Firewall takes security into the next level with a high-performance Gigabit internet port, with up to 90 Mbps encrypted VPN throughput. It offers internet security both locally and remotely, plus an automatic VPN connection on connected devices.
While meant as a business solution, the Zyxel Next Generation VPN Firewall is so easy to install that anyone can do it at home! Classified as a UTM firewall, this means you get security protection at the application level so that you won’t need to worry about sifting through your applications.
Takeaway
Getting a hardware firewall should be a necessity in this modern world. It’s a win-win situation, and you get extra protection from hackers who won’t discriminate when it comes to getting classified information.
