Appliances, pfSense, Hardware
Written by: Netgate
Date: June 20, 2024
As we move into the new year, the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, and small businesses are often the victim of nascent cyber threats. The reason is clear: there are no shortage of potential victims, and many small businesses simply don't have the resources or expertise to defend themselves effectively. At the same time, we know that about half of all small businesses that suffer a major data breach go under within a year. That sobering fact should incentivize far more small firms to pay serious attention to their cybersecurity. One of the first and most important steps is to ensure you have a properly configured firewall. Let's take a look at some of the top candidates for firewalls to protect your small business" in 2024.Introduction to Small Business Firewalls
There are many network security appliances at the higher end of the affordable spectrum, from the $549 range to $1,000 and above, that can safeguard a small business's network. Advanced, affordable network security appliances are our top recommendation for the average business, and in our experience, they can offer a level of protection superior to most other options available today.
Why is that? Performance. Vendors of network security appliances aren't shying away from the fact that top-shelf products in this class have a suite of features explicitly optimized for network traffic, as well as a pretty good price-to-performance ratio. But once you take a closer look, performance is where the products in this category separate themselves from more commonly used, consumer-grade alternatives.
Benefits of Small Business Firewalls
Small businesses can gain a variety of benefits from investing in a dependable firewall solution.
- Network Security: Firewalls are the first line of network security. They monitor network traffic and maintain the integrity of the network. Firewalls control network access and communication. They keep out the undesired and let through the desired. They stop at the network perimeter and prevent a lot of unauthorized stuff from getting in and some stuff we don't want from getting out.
- Data Protection: Firewalls filter and block bad traffic. Firewalls keep the bad guys out and keep our good stuff in. Firewalls protect sensitive company data from theft. They filter out and stop bad traffic. They let the good traffic through.
- Regulatory Compliance: Numerous sectors have particular rules and norms about the privacy and security of data. For small businesses, a solid firewall can help them adhere to those regulations.
- Productivity Enhancement: Malware infections and intrusions can really screw things up. Anything that stops the gunk from getting in also stops the gunk from screwing with your stuff. A good firewall is like a bouncer for your network.
Types of Small Business Firewalls
A small business has many types of firewalls to choose from for fulfilling its security needs. Although these firewalls perform the same basic task and share some features, they are quite different in their specifics. Here are the deployment methods and characteristics of three types of firewalls that a small business might consider:
- Hardware Firewalls: A dedicated physical device that sits between a network and the outside world, offering reliable, high-performing, and easily scalable security.
- Software Firewalls: A set of instructions running on a host device that tell the device when to allow or block traffic. These instructions may be hard-coded into the operating system or just a basic part of the operating system's overall functionality. Software firewalls may not deliver performance on par with hardware firewalls, but if they are used well, they can definitely help keep a small business's devices and files secure.
- Cloud Firewalls: A firewall service that is offered and managed through the cloud by a third-party that gives a small business an easily scalable around-the-clock security solution without having to manage any devices itself.
Firewall Technologies:
- Proxy Firewalls: Proxy firewalls are excellent for organizational security. They sit between the internal and external networks, acting as a go-between for all data traveling to and from the internet. Proxy firewalls perform deep packet inspection (DPI) on all traffic. That means they look at not only the packet headers but also the packet payload—the data itself—that's being delivered. Because proxy firewalls have such a high level of control and can do a good job of looking for and finding malicious traffic, they're often used in organizations where security is critically important.
- Stateful Inspection Firewalls: Firewalls that employ stateful inspection ensure that the state of active connections in a network is secure while monitoring incoming traffic for any kinds of threats. These firewalls work on layers 3 (Network) and 4 (Transport) of the OSI model. Astateful inspection firewall maintains a table of active connections and, based on this, permits or denies network traffic.
- Stateless Packet Filtering Firewalls: Layer 3 and Layer 4 of the OSI model are where stateless packet filtering firewalls and stateless firewalls function, respectively. They do not keep track of previous data packets, so they have no way of knowing the context of the current packet they are examining in real-time. Because of this, they are better at basic filtering tasks, which makes them less complicated and faster. On the flip side, they have less control over the current packet they are examining because of the basic rule set they operate on.
- Unified Threat Management (UTM) Firewalls: Firewalls that provide Unified Threat Management allow you to combine multiple security features into a single device. Such devices can cover the essential security functions that a small business needs: firewalling, intrusion prevention, antivirus, content filtering, and the like. UTM firewalls can also be used in the cloud. These systems offer a comprehensive security solution for small businesses and an integrated approach for an organization looking to simplify its security apparatus.
When small businesses know the kinds of firewalls that are available, and the types of protections they provide, they can make smart, informed decisions about how to securely protect their business. The bad guys are always trying to get in, and firewalls are the first line of defense in keeping them out. More than just understanding, though, is grasping the firewall advantages—why an organization should choose the category of firewall it does.
Popular Small Business Firewalls
Here are five popular options we think buyers often consider.
- Netgate 4200
- Cisco Firepower 1010
- SonicWall TZ270
- Watchguard Firebox T45
- Sophos XGS 87
Netgate 4200
Starting at $549
The Netgate 4200 is a highly versatile, state-of-the-art secure networking appliance. It is equipped with pfSense® Plus software, making it an official pfSense software router, firewall, and VPN. The appliance provides the following features:
- 9.28 Gbps of routing speed, 3.21 Gbps of firewall throughput, and up to 1.05 Gbps of IPsec VPN throughput (IMIX)
- Four unswitched 2.5 Gb Ethernet WAN/LAN ports.
- 4-core Intel® Atom® C1110 CPU
With pfSense Plus software, the 4200 offers a comprehensive set of features for routing, firewall, attack prevention, content filtering, VPN, user authentication, system security, configuration, monitoring, and reporting. It supports policy-based routing, multiple IP addresses per interface, multiple WAN connections with load balancing and failover, dynamic routing protocols, and optional high availability clustering. The firewall capabilities include extensive rule-based packet filtering, stateful filtering, and packet inspection, with support for layer 7 application detection and blocking. It also provides VPN support for site-to-site and remote access, user authentication with LDAP, and various security features like lockout after repeated attempts. Configuration is made easy with setup wizards and encrypted backups, while monitoring and reporting include customizable dashboards, local monitoring graphs, and network diagnostics.
pfSense Plus software is also available on the AWS and Azure cloud platforms.
Pros:
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Advanced firewall features
- Software and customer support included for the life of the appliance
- Quiet
Cons:
- Flexibility can be overwhelming for first-time users
Cisco Firepower 1010
Starting at $1,413
The Cisco Firepower 1010 is a next-generation firewall designed for small businesses and remote offices that require both context (security visibility) and scalability (hardware efficiency and performance).
Here’s a closer look at this next-gen firewall's key specifications:
- 8 x RJ-45 ports - 2 x PoE+ ports - 1 x 1000BASE-T port - 1 x Serial console port - 1 x USB port -
- Firewall throughput: 890 Mbps; IPsec VPN throughput: 400 Mbps
The Firepower 1010 is compact and can be mounted in a rack, facilitating easy deployment in small business and branch office environments. Its robust hardware and scalable performance make it a reliable option for organizations that need an "always-on" advanced security appliance.
The Cisco Firepower 1010 is a powerful network security appliance that forms part of the Cisco Firepower 1000 Series. It's an ideal choice for small businesses, as it concentrates a potent set of security features into a small, dedicated unit that's easy to manage. Convenience isn't a moot point here; removing the difficulty businesses often have in managing IT security is just what the IT doctor ordered. The 1010's security features are enhanced by a robust set of threat intelligence services that are based on the industry-leading Cisco Next-Generation Intrusion Prevention System (NGIPS). Cisco pairs the NGIPS with their intelligence platform, the Cisco Firepower Management Center Security Management Appliance, to produce even better results.
The list price of the Firepower 1010 is $1,413.55. Additional licensing and support costs may apply throughout the life of the product.
Pros:
- Strong feature set
- Cisco brand-name
Cons:
- Expensive, with additional software license costs
SonicWall TZ270
Starting at $865
The SonicWall TZ270 is a comprehensive security appliance tailored for small to medium-sized businesses. Appliance overview:
- 8x1GbE interfaces, 2 USB 3.0 ports, and a console port
- Firewall throughput of 2 Gbps and VPN throughput of 900 Mbps
For small and medium-sized businesses, the SonicWall TZ270 offers a suite of software that implements leading-edge security functions as a “next-gen firewall". Its most impressive feature is Advanced Threat Protection, which —through a combination of cloud-based and on-premises technologies—detects and blocks inbound cyber threats in real time. The appliance also provides Content Filtering Services — an Internet connection can be made to filter out various unwanted/prohibited content. That filtering improves the network's in-use productivity and its security posture. Additional features of the Sonicwall TZ270 include Intrusion Prevention Services and Application Control. All of these features are part of its proprietary Reassembly-Free Deep Packet Inspection (RFDPI) technology.
The list price of SonicWall TZ270 with 1 year of TotalSecure Advanced software is $865.00 on Amazon. Additional licensing and support costs may apply throughout the life of the product.
Pros:
- Strong feature set, especially firewall and threat protection
Cons:
- Expensive, with additional software license costs
WatchGuard Firebox T45
Starting at $906
The WatchGuard Firebox T45 is a compact yet powerful firewall solution. The hardware capabilities of this device are strong and varied, making it a notable selection among networking devices. A number of ports serve to satisfy a multitude of diverse network demands.
Key features:
- Five 1GbE RJ45 connectors, supporting 1000 Base-TX (10/100/1000Mbps), 2 USB 3.0 ports (Type-A), and 1 RJ45 Serial Port
- 2x2 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 dual-band radios
- 1.44 Gbps of firewall throughput and 460 Mbps of IPsec VPN throughput (IMIX)
The Firebox T45 exemplifies the next generation of network protection. Its robust framework encompasses a myriad of features designed to secure small business networks and ensure comprehensive, multilayered security. Two of those layers are seamless, stateful strong packet inspection that inspects all clear text and decrypted TLS traffic and a proxy firewall that adds yet another layer of protection. The proxy can manage and filter various protocol types by application and is also able to use various Application Proxies an organization deploys services for so that they can also filter and manage the various services in a safe and productive way. That productivity filters effectively and applies not just to inbound but also to outbound traffic. Businesses can even add on a Google SafeSearch filter to help ensure that their users who do an image or video search will be getting filtered queries back.
The list price of the WatchGuard Firebox T45 with a 1-yr Basic Security Suite is $906.98 on Amazon. Additional licensing and support costs may apply throughout the life of the product.
Pros:
- Strong feature set
Cons:
- Expensive, with additional software license costs
Sophos XGS 87
Starting at $713
The Sophos XGS 87 is a high-performance firewall appliance. The device offers:
- Firewall throughput of 3.85 Gbps, TLS inspection of 375 Mbps, and IPSec VPN throughput of 3 Gbps
- Five fixed Ethernet interfaces (4 x GE copper and 1 x SFP Fiber), management interfaces (1 x COM RJ45 and 1 x COM Micro-USB) and other I/O interfaces (1 x USB 2.0 front and 1 x USB 3.0 rear)
The Sophos XGS 87 Firewall delivers robust protection and high performance for prosumers. It deftly handles the complexities of encrypted web traffic through TLS 1.3 inspection and can perform a sufficient examination of encrypted data without sacrificing speed. Deep packet inspection (DPI) and threat detection technologies allow the XGS 87 to scan traffic for possible problems and also help it intelligently identify and then accelerate traffic for trusted business applications. Another key tool for this firewall is its integrated SD-WAN capability, which allows for clever link selection and an ability to smoothly transition between multiple WAN links. The XGS 87 is integrated with Sophos Central, the company's cloud management platform, which makes it easy to manage.
The list price of the XGS 87 with 1-year Standard Protection is $713.93 on Amazon. Additional licensing and support costs may apply throughout the life of the product.
Pros:
- Strong feature set, including a cloud management platform and zero-touch deployment
Cons:
- Expensive, with additional software license costs
Summary
Small businesses need firewall solutions that provide greater control over configuration specifics and more effectively match up to their internet connection speed. And, they want devices that are quiet, aesthetically pleasing, and don’t break the bank. A sizable array of solutions are available in the $549 to $1,000+ price range, and a given vendor may even have multiple price-point solutions in that band. The five network firewalls highlighted above offer readers a good cross section of popular options.
Each lives in the space between consumer-grade and heavier commercial-grade segments and makes them solid options for small businesses. Each has its respective pros and cons across the spectrum of security and VPN feature set, performance (the attribute that most importantly defines this market space), and price - both initial and annual recurring.
Check them out in detail to select the best solution for your needs, and you’ll be well on your way to creating a safe and high-performing small business network.
Looking for the best firewall for working from home? Check out our article 5 Popular Work-From-Home Network Firewalls for 2024.
Looking for the best firewall for prosumers? Check out our article5 Best Firewalls for Prosumers in 2024.
Small Business Firewall Q&A
Does my small business need a firewall?
For small businesses, a firewall is vital. It offers network security and, most significantly, protects sensitive data and resources from various kinds of cyber threats. It plays an essential role in managing and monitoring network traffic, preventing unauthorized access, and safeguarding against many online attacks, hackers, and data breaches. A well-set-up firewall is an integral part of any small business that has a sturdy cybersecurity strategy.
Which type of firewall is best for small businesses?
For small businesses, Unified Threat Management firewalls offer an all-in-one cybersecurity solution. UTM firewalls integrate several security features—such as anti-virus, anti-spyware, intrusion prevention, and web filtering—that work together to thwart cybercriminals. By placing UTM firewalls at the perimeter of their IT infrastructure, small businesses are able to reduce both management complexity and the total cost of maintaining multiple security solutions. A next-generation firewall (NGFW) is another good option for small businesses. NGFWs offer some enhanced features that UTM firewalls lack, especially in application control and advanced threat detection.
How much does a firewall cost for a small business?
A small business can expect to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars for a firewall. The basic cost is not too different from what a VPN would run, just under $300 to $400 per year for a service that covers around 50 devices (although a basic firewall function may be built into your high-end router). If a small business opts instead for a sophisticated, all-inclusive network security solution, then the annual price might run from $3,000 to $5,000 and up, with some vendors pricing their security services on a per-user, per-month basis.
What is the most effective firewall?
The effectiveness of a firewall greatly depends on its configuration and how well it aligns with the network for which it serves as a point of protection. Hardware firewalls, such as those made by Netgate and Fortinet, provide potent capabilities primarily useful to network environments found at the business level. On the other hand, software firewalls—often part of antivirus programs or operating systems—can and do protect quite adequately the point at which individual users can safely use the internet.
Which firewall is most secure?
A firewall's security level largely depends on how it's set up and the environment in which it runs. We tend to view hardware firewalls as the most secure. This is because they have the resources to run, cover the network sufficiently, and often are configured to be highly available. However, the most secure setup is the one that not only is properly configured but also is integrated into a multi-layer network security strategy.
