WatchGuard Firebox Reviews

Name: WatchGuard Firebox
Brand: WatchGuard
Rating: 4 (85 reviews)

Vendor: WatchGuard

4.2 out of 5

85 reviews
95% willing to recommend

772 followers

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What is WatchGuard Firebox?

WatchGuard Firebox is a versatile security solution primarily used for security purposes such as firewalling, VPN, and protecting networks from outside and inside threats. It is also used for routing, multi-factor authentication, vulnerability management, and segregating industrial networks from corporate networks.

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WatchGuard Firebox is the #4 ranked solution in top Unified Threat Management (UTM) solutions and #11 ranked solution in best firewalls. PeerSpot users give WatchGuard Firebox an average rating of 8.4 out of 10. WatchGuard Firebox is most commonly compared to Fortinet FortiGate: WatchGuard Firebox vs Fortinet FortiGate. WatchGuard Firebox is popular among the small business segment, accounting for 42% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 19% of all views.

Helped 813,161 peers since 2012

Featured reviews

CarlosArdila

Project Manager, Information Technology at Telelago

The initial setup is straightforward. You can deploy it on-premises or using the cloud. If you configure the device to connect to the cloud, you can deploy the Firebox based on templates. You can add a template for a specific client and deploy it for a particular use case. For example, if you're setting it up for a restaurant or a cafe, you can have templates tailored for those businesses. This significantly reduces deployment time, especially if you have several customers of the same type of business. One person is enough for the solution's deployment, but it will run in less than an hour. A network security engineer meets with clients to gather configuration requirements. He prepares a configuration template before the implementation. When he arrives at the site, he turns on the device, applies the template, tests everything, and then migrates the settings from the existing router or firewall to the Firebox.

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IrfanPanhwar

Country Head at LS Systems Philippines

The distribution and channel strategy, particularly in regions like Pakistan and Afghanistan, may hinder their visibility and adoption. Due to their lack of investment in marketing, channel development, and certifications, WatchGuard faces challenges in gaining visibility and market share, especially in regions like Pakistan. Unlike competitors such as Cisco and Fortinet, who offer extensive training and certifications for their partners, WatchGuard's limited focus in this area hinders their ability to attract technical talent and expand their customer base. To address this issue and improve its presence in the market, WatchGuard could consider offering free or low-cost certification programs to educate potential partners and customers on their technology. By empowering individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge, WatchGuard can create a network of brand ambassadors who can advocate for their solutions and drive adoption.

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Reviewer843600

Director of Information Technology at a recreational facilities/services company with 201-500 employees

If they could make the traffic monitoring easier that would be great. I don't use it that frequently, but I would like to see some improvements in the ease of use of that component, so it makes more sense. I know it's a technical component so there's going to be some difficulty trying to make that easier. Also, if they could provide more examples in their documentation, that would help. Sometimes they will say, "Hey, go in and set this up," and it would be so much easier to do it if they put in a couple of examples and showed me. Imagine instructions on how to change a tire and the steps you go through. Give me some pictures or some examples of how you change the tire. Where do you put the jack so it doesn't tear up the fender on your car? I'm a person who loves looking at examples cause I can look at things and see how they applied them and then learn from them. Even if they put in some snapshots and said, "Here's how this should look after you put this information in," that would help. It would be confirmation that this is accurate and this is going to work. Finally, when we did the split tunneling, as it turned out, that was an all-or-nothing, global setting. As soon as I did that it impacted everybody. What I was hoping to do was to set that up so that I could do a pilot group and, once it was working, I could turn it on for everybody. We needed to get it going and it was all-or-nothing. We did that on a weekend and it ate up my weekend time.

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Valuable Features

WatchGuard Firebox's most valuable features include ease of use, VPN functionality, superior management and reporting, layered security, intuitive user interface, Gateway AntiVirus, traffic management, intrusion prevention, IP-based routing, live logging, web filtering, reliable performance with no throughput issues, application control, NAT-ing, DNSWatch, two-factor authentication, scalable deployment, flexible configuration, and competitive pricing. Users appreciate its stability, security capabilities, and straightforward setup for policies and devices.

"Some of the most valuable features of the Firebox include web blocking, application control, protection against brute force attacks, load balancing, SD-WAN, and VPN support. These features help us manage and secure our network efficiently."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is its ease of use."
"WatchGuard Firebox offers a satisfying VM and hardware"

Room for Improvement

WatchGuard Firebox users feel improvements are needed in pricing, usability, reporting, and management features. They express concerns about complex setups, inadequate integrations, and high renewal fees. They seek better documentation, more user-friendly interfaces, and more granular monitoring. Enhanced support and training resources are also desired. Integration with other services and better threat analysis are important areas where enhancements are requested. There's a demand for better mobile security and API functionalities.

"One area for improvement is the limitation in the product portfolio compared to competitors like Fortinet, which offers a broader portfolio including Authentication, VPNs, FortiMail, Sandbox, and Email Security."
"The product can improve in terms of layout to provide easier access and viewing to users, especially for the reports."
"It's very difficult to find a reseller of WatchGuard Firebox to purchase a license"

ROI

Users find considerable value in WatchGuard Firebox's network traffic control and employee monitoring capabilities. The firewall is cost-effective and powerful, providing peace of mind without significant breaches. Time savings are notable, with less troubleshooting and reduced malware removal. Remote access and WiFi integration result in cost and time savings. The device's reliability, easy management, and high end-user satisfaction highlight its worth. Enhanced productivity and reduced unnecessary bandwidth usage are observed with its implementation.

Pricing

WatchGuard Firebox pricing is competitive, with most users renewing three-year licenses at $3,000-$4,000. Discounts are available for multi-year renewals. Additional costs may arise from a-la-carte security features like LiveSecurity, web blocker, and intrusion prevention, typically costing around $800 yearly. Some users find it comparable to Cisco and slightly higher than SonicWall, citing its dependability and included VPN tunnels as value points. Licensing costs are reasonable, with various subscription levels and minimal hidden fees.

"I think the tool is quite competitive compared to the other brands."
"It's an affordable tool"
"I would rate the pricing at seven out of ten. As for the licensing costs, we typically have yearly licenses for our clients, but there are no additional costs beyond the standard licensing fees."

Popular Use Cases

WatchGuard Firebox is predominantly used as a firewall for securing networks, managing VPNs, and providing internet gateway protection. It serves various industries, connecting multiple sites, supporting remote access, and safeguarding data centers. Many organizations rely on it for network security, intrusion prevention, and firewalling, often deploying it both locally and in cloud environments. Users appreciate its role in protecting against external and internal threats while offering flexibility in configurations.

Service and Support

WatchGuard Firebox customer service is praised for being excellent, helpful, and responsive. Users appreciate knowledgeable staff, quick resolutions, and effective remote sessions. Some customers found WatchGuard Firebox's tech support slow or lacking in certain areas like VoIP. The online knowledge base and forum are also highlighted as valuable resources. Training from dealers is recommended for new customers. Overall, interactions are described as professional, prompt, and satisfactory.

Deployment

Initial setup of WatchGuard Firebox is straightforward, with most users reporting it as easy to deploy, often taking under an hour to complete. Configuration steps are well-documented and supported by wizards, making the process manageable even for those with less experience. Many found the configuration tasks to be simple, with minimal maintenance required afterwards. Users appreciated the ability to preconfigure and test devices in-house before deploying them to remote locations.

Scalability

Many users find WatchGuard Firebox to be fairly scalable with some hardware limitations. It accommodates different environments but may require upgrades for significant network growth. Users with various network sizes, from small setups to extensive corporate networks, see reasonable scalability. Some report ease of adding new networks, while others mention needing larger models for higher performance demands. Many appreciate its unified configuration interface and intuitive management tools, enhancing expansion capabilities.

Stability

Users consistently describe WatchGuard Firebox as very stable, reliable, and solid. Reports highlight minimal downtime, rare crashes, and long-term performance satisfaction. Some users have used it for years without issues, while others rate its stability highly, often scoring it nine or ten out of ten. Few have experienced occasional hardware failures, promptly resolved by replacement. Regularly, they report no need for frequent reboots and consistent uptime, underscoring its dependability.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

Download our WatchGuard Firebox Buyer's Guide for additional reliable information.

Review data by company size

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

19%

Comms Service Provider

Government

Educational Organization

Retailer

Hospitality Company

Manufacturing Company

Insurance Company

Financial Services Firm

University

Construction Company

Media Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Healthcare Company

Non Profit

Wholesaler/Distributor

Legal Firm

Outsourcing Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Performing Arts

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Consumer Goods Company

Transportation Company

Compare WatchGuard Firebox with alternative products

Learn more about WatchGuard Firebox

The product is praised for scalability, stability, user-friendliness, reasonable pricing, and good technical support. Some users use it for web filtering and hosting web pages, while others – for remote access connections and mobile VPNs. Firebox offers great protection, good performance, and flexibility without licensing limitations.

WatchGuard Firebox Features

WatchGuard Firebox has many valuable key features, including:

Policy management
Strong security
High performance
Network configuration for multiple clients
Built-in SD-WAN
Application control
Threat detection and response
Network discovery
Intuitive interface

WatchGuard Firebox Benefits

Some of the benefits of using WatchGuard Firebox include:

IT administrators can create and implement policies for content filtering, VPNs, and network inspections.
The solution is easy to set up, manage, and maintain.

Reviews from Real Users

Below are some reviews and helpful feedback written by WatchGuard Firebox users.

PeerSpot user Kelly C., IT Manager at a hospitality company, mentions, “One of the most valuable features is the Gateway AntiVirus. We scan all traffic as it's coming through. We also use spamBlocker to scrub spam. We use content filtering, which is critical in any corporate environment to make sure that people don't surf things they're not supposed to. WatchGuard has a very easy VPN and branch office VPN setup, so we use those pretty extensively too.It's very easy to use. In terms of performance, WatchGuard has always worked well for us. Regarding the reporting, I was in the Dimension server earlier today. It's very powerful. I like it. And the management features are easy to use. I like the fact that I can open up the System Manager client or I can just do it through the web if I'm making a quick change.”

A Director of Information Technology at a retailer says, “Among the most valuable features is the ease of use — love the interface — of both the web interface and of the WatchGuard System Manager. It's a stable platform. The devices are pretty rock-solid.”

Jason M., IT Director at a healthcare company, explains, “The policy monitoring and allowing different traffic flows are the most useful features for us; regulating which traffic comes in and out. In terms of the throughput and performance, we don't have a problem or any bottleneck there. We downgraded the size of our appliance because we're a small facility, and what we had before was actually too big. The one we are now going with seems to be doing a great job.” He also adds, “The management feature is pretty nice.”

Steve R., President and Owner at Peak Communication Systems, Inc., comments, "It saves us time in the respect that we now have the template built for it so we can get in and get it done. We've had much less problems supporting Voice over IP technologies from different companies. Because our client base has grown over the years, we're probably saving 20 to 30 man-hours a month now that we've got this on a good stable level."