Best Firewall for home In 2024
When it comes to our data, we all want to be protected, don’t we? The last thing we want is our passwords leaked, a potential hack, or viruses infiltrating our computers taking our information with them. Despite taking all the precautions, never opening unfamiliar emails, and creating complex passwords, hacks and viruses can happen to the most technically savvy people. That’s where the best firewall for your home can come in!
It can be scary thinking of potential data breaches and how they can affect you and your livelihood but thankfully firewalls for home are no longer a virtual layer – you can buy hardwire firewalls that will protect your home or small business. But choosing the right one can be tricky. We know all too well how hard it can be, so our best firewall for home round-up is here to help you get the right device for you.
Products at a Glance
How we picked the best home firewall
Here at PC Guide, we take firewalls seriously. After all, we know how devastating hacks and viruses can be. It’s why we made sure that the products we are recommending today meet or exceed our ridiculously high standards; how else will you trust us if we recommend poorly performing firewalls?
To select our firewalls today, we looked at their protection levels, remote coverage, security infrastructure, control, and device monitoring to ensure that you were using the internet safely. We also considered the price, control you had, and customer reviews to ensure that the firewalls were loved and the best on the market.
You can rest easy knowing that you are in safe hands today and can purchase any of these firewalls with ease. After all, these days, it’s not just burglar alarms that keep your home safe; it’s firewalls too!
Product Reviews
- Reasonably priced - suitable for most budgets
- Sturdy construction - sure to withstand years of use
- Remote management - easy to do via the web or an app for total control!
- Range of features - excellent firewall to keep you and your data protected
- Lots of features that standard users might not need or use
Kicking off our list today is the Ubiquiti Unifi Security Gateway firewall. The affordable hardware firewall and router supports Gigabit Ethernet speeds are perfect for home or business use.
The gateway device sits between the internet and local WiFi router, and its job is to route all traffic before it reaches the router. Here it can eliminate any prohibited or potentially threatening users, sites, or viruses, to ensure you remain safe. All devices connected to the device are protected and monitored thanks to advanced management and security features.
Like all firewalls, remote management and monitoring features are available through the Unifi Controller, also known as the Graphical User Interface (GUI). Alongside this, there are heaps of other features that allow you to create a safe space for your computer at home.
You can adjust the firewall settings, enable deep packet inspection, enable QoS features, Intrusion Detection, create VLANs, and so much more! There are even features that allow you to manage other Unifi products that you have at home, such as WiFi access points and switches.
If you already own UniFi devices or are planning to add them to your collection, then this USG firewall is an excellent choice for you. It won’t cost you too much, customers love it, and the range of features can keep you busy for days.
We would say that there are probably a few too many features that you wouldn’t necessarily use for a standard home user, but for the low price point, it can’t hurt to have them there, can it?
- Affordable - suitable for a range of budgets
- RouterOS software - provides powerful firewall systems.
- Easy setup- will be up and running in no time!
- Customizable - fantastic options to tailor the router to your needs
- Some of the advanced settings can be difficult to set up for first-time users.
At an affordable price, the Mikrotik hEX RB750Gr3 is packed with powerful features usually reserved for high-end devices only. It’s the perfect addition to business environments, as well as your home network. If you run a small business from home, you are sure to find plenty of uses for it.
The router features RouterOS that supports advanced routing configurations such as NAT, VPN, bridging, and port forwarding. It also supports Layer-7 application detection and protecting, firewall filtering rules, and other useful configurations, making it a diverse addition to any home. These powerful firewall systems will keep you and other devices on the network safe and protected at all times.
Its compact design makes it perfect for homes of any size and can be tucked away with ease, exactly what you need if you don’t like clutter. Despite the small size, it is still a powerful firewall. The firewall comes with 4 Gigabit LAN ports and a Gigabit WAN port, making it the ideal choice for home or business.
While the ports support Gigabit speeds, the device itself can reach speeds of 470Mbps, perfect for those with internet speeds up to 500 Mbps! Customers enjoyed the router and found it allowed them to reach the desired speeds without buffering or slow loading times. They also enjoyed the fantastic visibility and customization of this, allowing you to tailor the system to your needs.
While the range of features and customization is fantastic, first-time users might struggle and find it takes a while to set up. Thankfully there is a wealth of tutorials online that you can follow; just be mindful beforehand that these can take a while.
If you want an affordable router that offers you an insane level of customization, then look no further than the Mikrotik hEX RB750Gr3 router today.
- Customizable - allows you to tailor the firewall to your needs
- Reliable - isn’t going to let you down or break after a few uses!
- Silent operation - perfect for those after a quiet office space
- Diverse - supports a range of firewall projects
- Expensive
For those with more money to spend, the Protectli Vault is an excellent option to consider. The appliance features an Intel Quad-Core processor with 4GB RAM and an impressive 32GB of SSD storage that will ensure open-source firewall software runs with ease.
You get 4 gigabit Ethernet ports, a LAN, and a WAN port for connecting the device to a network, perfect for all your needs. There is a range of features that makes this the ideal device for experienced users and hobbyists. The open-source software firewall distributions can require some knowledge to install. It can be a bit tricky for beginners, so we recommend avoiding this unless you are an experienced user.
There’s a range of open-source software that you can install on this device, such as dd-wrt, FreeBSD, ClearOS, CentOS, OpenVPN, pfsense, and more, offering you fantastic customizing opportunities. You can tailor the device to your needs and create a security system that caters to your needs.
The device is incredibly reliable, too; the slow performance won’t ever let you down. It’s referred to by the company as The Vault, as it’s a small form factor PC built for hardware firewall and router use. You get 32GB of storage and 4GB of RAM, although most customers upgrade the RAM to 8GB for faster speeds. You don’t need to do this, though; you will still get a fast and reliable firewall.
What customers loved about this device was how quiet it ran. A fan-less construction features no moving or mechanical parts that allow it to run virtually silently, even under pressure. It’s perfect for those that enjoy a quiet workspace.
While it’s an expensive choice for experienced users after a customizable and reliable router, the Protectli is the one for you.
- Affordable - suitable for a range of budgets
- Wide range of security features - keeps you protected no matter what
- Lifetime warranty - provides peace of mind should something go wrong
- Remote access and control - keeps you in the loop when you need it most
- Beginners might struggle with the setup
Another affordable option and one we think you will love is TP-Link Multi-WAN Wired VPN Router. The router has space for 4 gigabit WAN ports and will keep you and your network protected at all times.
The router is integrated with Omada SDN software, allowing you to integrate network devices, gateways, access points, and switches. You can even choose your preferred method and customize it to suit your needs. After all, who wants a firewall that isn’t working in their best interest? There’s a range of modes that you can choose from, allowing you to have complete control.
There is also remote cloud access and management, as we see on other firewalls, allowing you to control and manage who is using your network and limit their access to specific applications if needed. You can control all of this from an app on your phone or single interface, offering a streamlined and centralized approach.
You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to safety features too. You can add advanced firewall policies, DoS defense, IP/MAC/URL filtering, speed tests, and security functions that protect your network. There is also a highly secure VPN that keeps you safe while you surf the web. There are so many features you can tailor the router to your needs perfectly.
For even more peace of mind, TP-Link’s router also comes with a lifetime warranty. You never need to worry when using it as you are protected should anything happen. There is also 24/7 technical support available, for free, so you are never in the dark or struggling.
While customers loved the router, some did note that it could be challenging to set up, especially for first-time users. Thankfully there are plenty of tutorials that you can follow online, but we would suggest allowing plenty of time to set up your new router.
After an affordable router that comes packed with safety and customizable features? Then look no further than TP-Link’s router!
Things to consider
Not too sure what you need from your firewall? Let us show you some essential factors to consider when making your purchase.
Protection and Prevention
Perhaps one of the most vital features of your firewall is how well it will protect you and disable any potential threats to your computer or devices. You want a firewall that will track and control all the applications and information on your network, both entering and exiting.
These can then limit traffic entering your computer and risks to your network by only allowing approved applications to be used, almost like the ad blocker you might have on your internet browser. Look for a firewall that will enable you to scan these applications, ensuring there are no potential threats. Firewalls that conduct regular scans in the background are worth exploring.
Device Monitoring
Device monitoring is a handy feature you won’t want to be without. It allows you to find a device by their username, not just the IP address. Device monitoring will enable you to identify how many devices each network user accesses through the infrastructure and keep a close eye on it.
It’s a fantastic feature for those with multiple devices in their home or running a small business from their homes; now you are in charge and can see everything.
Throughput
A firewall throughput applies to hardware firewalls and usually offers a range of firewall throughputs to choose from. Entry-level to midrange hardware firewalls will have a throughput of roughly 500Mbps.
As the number of network users goes up, you will need a firewall to handle the demand. You will want to look at those with up to 1Gbps throughput to support multiple users and keep you all safe without compromising on speed.
It’s best to consider how many network users there will be before purchasing your hardware to avoid any disappointment down the line.
Remote Coverage
Remote coverage is another feature you should keep in mind when shopping for your new firewall. You want to monitor and control traffic that is coming in and going out to maintain the highest level of security at all times.
You will also want to see remote users connected to infrastructure and have a degree of control over their activity and access. Remote coverage can also protect your devices when you are away from home and is definitely worth researching before purchasing your firewall.
Streamlined Infrastructure?
Ideally, you want all your security to be in one place: your firewall. There’s no point running multiple applications to keep your home safe when there is one function that will do it all.
Look for firewalls with antivirus protection, spam filtering, application filtering, and deep packet inspection built-in to avoid missing out on protection or needing to spend more money on extra security. Find the one that does it all.
Where’s The Control?
Some firewalls will allow you to have some control over network users. You will be able to provide and prevent access on certain applications and even limit their use to functions on an application.
These allow you much better control and visibility over your network as a whole and can be useful for those with children or others at home accessing the network and internet. They can also be advantageous for those running small businesses from their home and need to keep applications private for data protection purposes.
It’s worth considering these factors and whether you will need them when purchasing your firewall for your home.
How Much?
As with anything, the price is always a factor worth considering. Firewalls can range in price depending on their size and protection capacity; after all, some of these included today would be suitable for businesses.
It’s worth setting a budget while searching and sticking to this as best as possible. Consider how often you will use your firewall and how much you are prepared to pay for it to help set your budget.
Remember, you don’t need to spend a fortune to have an excellent firewall for your home; there is one to suit every budget.
Is It Worth Having A Firewall At Home?
Firewalls are responsible for blocking any malicious or suspected unsafe internet traffic to your computer.
In most cases, you will not need to purchase an additional firewall because most routers have firewalls built-in. In addition to this Windows and macOS also have their own added firewalls adding extra protection.
In the scenario where your computer perhaps has a dated operating system or you may have an old router, buying an additional firewall would make sense. This is because having dated devices can make your computer vulnerable to cyber-attacks.
It is important to note, however, that firewalls will not protect you from everything. Hackers have found ways to bypass this layer of security in methods that you would have already encountered, such as through phishing emails and deceptive website links.
Are firewalls 100% secure?
Unfortunately, firewalls cannot completely protect you from hackers.
Even if you do have a firewall, this does not prevent malicious people from gaining access to your computer. Mainly due to the fact that they can still trick users into entering dangerous websites for example through phishing emails.
Some sophisticated hackers can even gain access by using techniques called IP spoofing and port redirection.
Our Verdict
And just like that, we have reached the end of our journey today. As you can see, there are some fantastic options on the market when it comes to your new firewall for home. Whether you are looking to boost your protection or track the number of devices on your network, there is sure to be a firewall to suit your needs.
All the firewalls included today would make fantastic additions to your home and are sure to keep you safe and free from viruses. Be sure to pay attention to the areas we pointed out earlier to find the perfect firewall for you and your needs!