WatchGuard Firebox Reviews

Very user-friendly. Tons of features.

Comments: Excellent. I have used firewalls and network devices in the past that had horrible web interfaces (or none at all), or didn't offer everything that seemed to be necessary in network and internet filtering and tracking. The Firebox is--for lack of a better word--very enjoyable to use.

Pros:

Our WatchGuard Firebox has been up and running for years. It has an extremely user-friendly web-based interface, and has plenty of optional "addons" that can be purchased to give you as much or as little control and safety over your network and internet usage as you need.

Cons:

Some steps (like for example, opening up a port to the outside world to go to a specific device on your network) can sometimes feel overly complicated. Maybe it's all necessary, but sometimes there are a LOT of steps that have to be done just to accomplish what seems like a simple goal or task.

Watchguard the best

Comments: I am satisfied with Watchguard products, they are of excellent quality and last over time... customers are satisfied and have a fair price for the market.

Pros:

The ease in managing the configuration of the various features and the quality of the work that the firewall does. Even in complex realities, you can always manage everything with great ease

Cons:

The distribution part. There should be more distribution partners and be more structured in the territory.

Powerful but overwhelming

Comments: I have multiple years of experience with Fireboxes across many different I have several years of experience with fireboxes in various environments.environments.

Pros:

Fireboxes are full-featured firewalls that can protect businesses small, large, and anywhere in between.

Cons:

The interface is difficult to use, whether using the GUI or the management software.

Review from a reseller.

Comments: Overall, since all my customers use Watchgaurd firewalls (minus the one customer who doesn't want to spend money on firewall renewals) I'm very happy with Watchgaurd.

Pros:

I've been using Watchguards for years and I still love the fact that you can upgrade from one to the next with such ease.

Cons:

The cost. They are great, but it's hard to sell them to customers because of the price. Also, the response from tech support has slowed a little bit over the last few years. When you create a case online, sometimes it's been over 24-48 hours before I get the first call back.

Easy to deploy, reliable and secure

Comments: We install and maintain Watchguard firebox appliances and they proved to provide our customers with the security requirements they demand.

Pros:

Easy to setup, both from the web management and from the management tools. Using and maintaining the firewall is straighforward. The facility to have backup copies of th config is very good for when it comes to satisfy company change management procedures.

Cons:

Renewals especially for higher end products are costly.

Worth recommending

Comments: One of Firebox’s standout features is its intuitive, cloud-based management platform, which simplifies configuration, monitoring, and reporting. The real-time visibility into network activity and detailed reports make it easier to spot and respond to potential threats. While Firebox delivers strong security capabilities, it can be overkill for smaller organizations with simpler needs. Additionally, some advanced features require a subscription, which can increase the total cost of ownership. Overall, WatchGuard Firebox is a reliable choice for organizations seeking a high-performance, scalable firewall solution with strong security and ease of management.

Pros:

Strong Security Features, User-Friendly Interface, Scalability, Flexible Deployment Options, Comprehensive Reporting, Integrated Security Services, Regular Updates and Enhancements

Cons:

Rare updates, no Wireguard VPN which is currently one of the fastest.

Firebox is affordable option for enterprise protection.

Comments: The Watchguard Firebox series of routers have captured ease-of-use and affordability in their corner of the enterprise market. Not only do I use a firebox for my home network, but I manage more than a dozen for home and business customers.

Pros:

The Firebox has web-based and application management features. There is highly-granular control of settings. It has multiple levels of support packages. They also work right of the box for a new network set-up.

Cons:

The Firebox is a little expensive for home users. While they work right out of the box, advanced configurations can be a little daunting for those with minimal network skills.

Good for value

Comments: In general it does the job. We do not have any big complains. Price to value ratio is high.

Pros:

It is all in one and has nice and easy interface. I would give 5 stars but there are a couple of minor flows. the best value would be 4.5 stars.

Cons:

You need separate applications to manage the firewalls.

Enjoy Watchguard

Comments: Very enjoyable, been dealing with them for almost 25+ years now.

Pros:

Durability and reliability of the product in a production environment

Cons:

Not really a least as long as they don't force the cloud product and allow for stand alone operations.

Firebox is the Best Firewall!!

Comments: Watchguard has been one of our best resources for sale in the industry.
They go above and beyond improving their products for the industry and have one of the best support staffs we have had the privilege of working with.

Pros:

The ease of use and programming on these devices.

Cons:

hmm nothing really, if I had to say something it would be that it couldn't install itself lol

Watchguard has been a great partner!

Comments: Their support has always been great. When we find an issue they're always helpful, even in diagnosing the issue as not being firewall related.

Pros:

Easy to manage, subscription services are fantastic, purchasing is easy and above all we trust them to be secure!

Cons:

Some stuff is not as easy to find depending on what interface you use. I like the desktop app, but some prefer the web gui. I wish the dimensions command server was a little less pricey.

Firebox for everyone!

Comments: good, I have been using them since 1999, and Im still not bee driven completely insane by the stress of IT!

Pros:

Red Color is the best feature!

Cons:

Red Color is the worst feature!

WatchGuard firewall, highly recommended

Comments: Affordable price, it is good enough for small business.

Pros:

Simple and easy to use Fast boot up time Simple licensing structure for subscription features

Cons:

lack of feature or limitation comparing with others, e.g. multi VRF, multi system (context), support of NAT and SSL decryption even in bridge mode ...

WatchGuard Firewall review

Comments: Overall my experience has been good with WatchGuard, I feel they have blocked significant threats and kept my company safe.

Pros:

I like using the features included and with the subscription. I use the office VPN to connect my sites together.

Cons:

At times it can be cumbersome to get support from WatchGuard and they are slow to respond

Firewall for Systemadministrators

Pros:

Its Ease of Use. Its simple to understand, very intuitive, and very easy to explain

Cons:

not being able to edit the Protocol of a policy after its been created

Firebox features & reliability

Comments: EXCELLENT! Once I understood how to set up the boxes, it was easy to maintain the Corporate network. I set up the Firewalls with minimum effort, and added more later to refine the security for the company. I've set up others, and while they are easier, the Fireboxes have all the features you would ever need to protect your environment.

Pros:

The ease of which I can set it up, the VPN reliability, Speed that it works at. It saved us through the Pandemic. We have been using Watchguard products since 2009, and rely on them 100%. They're simply outstanding for what they are.

Cons:

The manual is about 2000 pages and took me about a month to absorb, but once I finished, I know much more than I ever knew about security, and setting up Corporate tunnels and VPN's.

Security and Flexibility Combined

Comments: Overall, WatchGuard Firebox provides a robust security solution. The product effectively protects networks from external threats and continuously improves with regular feature updates. Especially the threat detection and prevention systems are highly effective. While the setup process can be a bit challenging, the security and flexibility it offers more than make up for this minor drawback.

Pros:

What I liked most about WatchGuard Firebox is its advanced security features and user-friendly interface. It offers a wide range of tools and flexible configuration options to enhance network security. Additionally, the regular updates and the prompt response of the support team enhance the product's reliability.

Cons:

The least I liked is that the initial setup can be a bit complex. New users might need some technical support. Also, the updates can occasionally slow down the system for a short period.

Using WatchGuard firewalls for business environments.

Pros:

Using WatchGuard firewalls for business environments just makes sense. The features and function they deliver for the cost is excellent.

Cons:

I can't say anything bad about WatchGuard. I have used them at home and in business for years.

WatchGuard Firebox review from mid size business

Pros:

These are very reliable units. Support is pretty good and can be reached over the phone (as long as you have a paid support agreement).

Cons:

Complicated to configure. Yearly required services are pricey.

Watchguard Leads the Way

Comments: I have used a variety of WatchGuard Firebox products including: T-10; T-20; T-35; and the T-45 over the past 10 years.

Pros:

Cost Customer and Tech Support Security Features Provides a hardware defense against unauthorized intrusions

Cons:

Setup can be tough for the first-time user. It's important to work with tech support to achieve a successful setup the first time.

Watchguard Firebox a very robust and cost-effective firewall.

Pros:

Price and very straight forward licensing system. Basically, you have three types of licenses: Support, Basic, and Total Security. Nonetheless, you have the option of a-la-carte for some funcionalities.

Cons:

The lower end models get a huge impact on performance if you decide to use a lot of the features. So, the Total Security license on those models is a waste of money.

Feature rich with great customer support

Comments: Very happy with the features they provide along with their amazin gcustomer support

Pros:

The feature rich suite of total secruity suite

Cons:

Cannot easily move an interface from a 1gb port to a 10gb port.

Watchguard firebox M270

Comments: I have been using Watchguard for over 15 years with 8 active firewall devices of differing models , I have never had a failure and only once did the system stop working because of an update to the software. The is problem was very quickly resolved by watchguard support and i was back up within a few hours. Great customer service.

Pros:

The WatchGuard firebox is stable, the support is fantastic and the system is incredibly flexible to adapt to even the most complex environment.

Cons:

There are still a few areas where watchguard could improve, an example would be when using the dhcp server for a given vlan and you needed to release the ip address, there is no easy way to perform this talk on a watchguard device. Also where the world is using cloud services, the end user should not havew to follow microsoft and its list of ip's in use and manually update them on the firebox. This should be automated for me as long as i maintain a security and support license.

WatchGuard User for over 25 years

Pros:

Initially the cost vs. Cisco. There were not many firewall vendors at the time

Cons:

Everything has flaws. Sometimes tech support not easy, although often excellent.

Easy use and deployment

Comments: I've been using and administering Watchguard devices for over 15 years now. I've used and administered others, SonicWall, Cisco, and more, but I will never recommend any of the others over Watchguard. In the 15 years, and something like 40+ individual devices I've administered, we've only had four with physical issues in all that time. Two of them were past end of life when they died. Wish I could say the same for the off-the-shelf routers our end users have.

Pros:

Once you have a configuration for a device, you can deploy it to multiple devices, even of different models. With Watchguard System Manager software, you can edit a device configuration offline, without affecting the running firewall. You can even deploy it to a completely different model for testing before applying it to the final production device. This is my favorite feature of Watchguard! My second favorite feature is that you don't *have* to control the device from the web (Watchguard Cloud), but you *can* if you want to. I absolutely *hate* systems that make you use their cloud service for deployment. You know who I'm talking about.

Cons:

It has a little bit of a learning curve compared to some others, though not as much as some of the bigger name brand systems.