TechRadar Verdict
Firewallas new Gold Pro is one of the best firewalls money can buy.
The only downside is the hefty price.
Firewallas new Gold Pro is one of thebest firewallsmoney can buy.
It vastly improves over the previous generation of firewalls, providing twice as much processing power and memory.
The hardware is really half the story of this user-friendlyfirewall.
Firewalla is keen on adding new ideas in every software release, with recent features such as Wi-Fi tests.
All products carry a one-year limited warranty and unlimited software updates.
Four rubber feet prevent the Gold Pro from moving if too much force is applied to Ethernet cables.
The unit becomes warm after a while, but the small internal fan makes no noticeable noise.
Two recessed buttons on the right allow users to reset and enter recovery mode or reboot.
The front LEDs are for the RJ45, showing linkup speed and activity.
The status LED on the right comes alive during the boot process and remains off under regular operation.
Under the hood, Firewalla provides an Intel N97 quad-core x86 processor to do all the heavy lifting.
It is the only processor available onboard, and all data pipe traffic passes through it.
The board includes two 2.5Gb and two 10Gb Ethernet MACs from Intel to connect the CPU to the connection.
The unit is entirely RJ45-based, so upgrading to fiber is impossible without an SFP media converter.
Firewalla Gold Pro: In Use
The Gold Pro turns on with power applied to the box.
The software setup requires scanning a QR code at the bottom of the case into the Firewalla mobile app.
An Internet connection is needed on the WAN-dedicated port to complete the setup.
The Internet port can achieve speeds of up to 10Gbps, keeping the Gold Pro safe from obsolescence.
The Gold Pro can either work as a standalone firewall or as a router behind a firewall.
VLANs have been included for extra security, allowing different networks to reside on the same physical connection.
Firewallas mobile utility is polished and avoids intimidating the user with too many technical details.
The first panel shows the firewall’s health status and warnings about potential threats.
The list of add-ons, in addition to the threat list, is updated periodically.
Although not recommended, the Gold Pro’s software can be customized by the end user through Docker containers.
Commercial applications such as unRaid for NAS or home automation can be installed remotely through SSH.
Firewalla Gold Pro: The competition
A good firewall requires constant updates from a service provider.
Firewallas propositions are more than just good firewalls with regular updates.
They are, in fact, internet appliances with features such asVPNandad blocker.
Many OEM PCs with two or more 2.5GbE connections require an OS like pfSense to work.
The mobile app is one of the best available and will make setting up the unit a breeze.
Services such as VPN and Adblocker make life easier at home or in the office.
With four Ethernet LAN ports, the hardware can route packets on four high-speed links at 2.5Gb and over.
Buy the Gold Pro if… you need 10G speed and a fuss-free mobile app.
Dont buy if… you are on a tight budget or if saving power is essential.
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