The main use cases for the WatchGuard Firebox are to protect our customers' network, VPN connection or IPsec, or SSL VPN, as by default, it's a protection of the network and the users, and servers.

WatchGuard Firebox technical support is very easy for us to contact, and we also have presales engineers such as Jeremy Schramm, who is French and provides excellent technical help; he visits our office one day a month to assist us in trying some solutions.I utilize AI within the WatchGuard Firebox, as we use the interconnection with threat syncs, and AI is implemented; we try to sell our customers XDR or IDR, so there is AI in the product.I have a good impression of the efficiency for threat detection provided by the WatchGuard Firebox, as we have cybersecurity teams and sell security about the product, so we think it is a good product to protect our clients.

I would like to see the WatchGuard Firebox improved because I work with an experimental presales engineer directly, and we have some presentations regarding the SASE project under the XDR solution, so we know the good projects now.The WatchGuard Firebox has certain features, but the challenge is that we have some clients who don't have a network or are only mobile users, which leads us to think the future is in SASE products, not in the WatchGuard Firebox.The mobile coverage should be included with the WatchGuard Firebox, but in some cases, there is no WatchGuard Firebox because the client has no network or all users are in different locations.

I have been working with the WatchGuard Firebox for probably 10 or 11 years, as we are IT resellers and sell all customers these firewalls, so it's the product by default, and all customers we have have by default, Stormshield WatchGuard Firebox.

I find the WatchGuard Firebox stable with no problems; it's performing well.

I find the WatchGuard Firebox scalable, as it's easy to change configurations from this product to another one, although it's always complicated to buy another product and there are no upgrade solutions at a lower price.

WatchGuard Firebox technical support is very easy for us to contact, and we also have presales engineers such as Jeremy Schramm, who is French and provides excellent technical help; he visits our office one day a month to assist us in trying some solutions.On a scale of one to 10, I would rate the technical support of the WatchGuard Firebox a 10.I would recommend the WatchGuard Firebox to other businesses, as it is very easy to communicate with them for support and the presales engineers, who are very easy to work with.

Positive

The only problem we have with the WatchGuard Firebox is about the price or the options that are very expensive for customers, as other firewalls such as FortiGate offer free MFA authentication, so the main trouble is the price of the product.

I find that we have no trouble with the WatchGuard Firebox, as it is very simple to install because we have certified engineer installation, so it's very easy for us.

I have faced challenges with the WatchGuard Firebox regarding price since we work with customers who use the Stormshield product, which is less expensive and French-made, while some products from the USA have left a bad impression, and some customers ask us to find another French or European product.

The main differences between WatchGuard Firebox and other solutions such as FortiGate or Sophos are that I find the product heartbeat in the Sophos product very good; however, in WatchGuard Firebox, there is a similar set of products as firewalls, showing no major difference.

My advice for users looking to start working with the WatchGuard Firebox is that the easiest solution is to realize a POC to test the product, so we can watch and review reports with customers. On a scale of one to 10, I would overall rate the WatchGuard Firebox as a solution a nine.

We have all kinds of customers, including schools, colleges, institutes, and organizations. We do not work in a specific area, and we have a wide range of customers in various sectors.

The Firebox offers valuable features such as network security, URL filtering, UTM features, intrusion prevention and detection, and authentication. It also supports VPN, IPsec, and point-to-point communication. I did not encounter any problems after configuring threat detection and protection, intrusion prevention systems, and intrusion detection systems.

The only problem I have with Firebox is the grouping issue. When implementing a rule using a group of IPs, it is not possible to do that directly. I have to manually add all the IPs, and this is where I think WatchGuard should improve.

I have been using this solution since 2016.

The support system is similar to EPDR and EPP. They will register my case and either call me back, email me, or send me an article or key bulletin if things are sorted out. 

Otherwise, they will take a remote session to resolve the issue. They have a centralized portal where I can get support for EPP and EPDR.

Neutral

Setting up Firebox is not an easy task for everyone. To set up Firebox, one should have at least professional knowledge. Not everyone can do a Firebox setup because it is executed based on protocols. 

One cannot simply pick up Firebox and go through a basic configuration. For Firebox setup, having knowledge equivalent to Cisco CCNA associate level plus professional level is essential. 

Additionally, understanding basic routing and switching is necessary. Having knowledge of IPs and professional skills is crucial. Unlike Sophos, which is easy with a 'next' approach, configuring Firebox requires deep knowledge about protocols and how they work.

My only issue with Firebox is the grouping issue. I recommend Firebox since this device will not let anyone down. If someone drives a Volkswagen, they may find it challenging to switch to another car. It is the same with WatchGuard; once someone adopts this device, they will likely not buy another.  

I rate the overall solution a nine out of ten.

The primary use case of the Firebox mainly revolves around bandwidth management, unnecessary web blocking, application control, and protection against brute force attacks. It is also implemented for load balancing, SD-WAN, and branch-to-branch connectivity from one location to another. We also use it for securing access through VPN and enforcing network security policies.

The WatchGuard Firebox has helped in securing our network by implementing a strong firewall with various features like VPN support, gateway antivirus, and application control. It has aided in preventing brute force attacks and managing our bandwidth effectively.

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.

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. WatchGuard's focus on UTM solutions may not meet the needs of all enterprise customers.

We have been using the WatchGuard Firebox for approximately five years.

The stability of the WatchGuard Firebox can vary depending on the customer network environment. The performance and latency may differ from customer to customer and infrastructure to infrastructure.

The scalability of the Firebox depends on the specific model and the number of concurrent users it can support. Different models offer different VPN capacities and can be tailored to fit the needs of various sizes of organizations.

Customer service and support are not explicitly mentioned in terms of rating, but overall feedback seems positive.

Positive

I have previously used various solutions including CyberRooms, Sophos, Fortinet, SonicWall, and other competitors. We largely switched to WatchGuard to integrate their UTM solutions and later their acquired endpoint security portfolios.

The initial setup of the WatchGuard Firebox is straightforward and time-saving. It is designed to be user-friendly even for those with basic IT knowledge, making it easy to deploy and manage.

Implementation can be done by internal IT teams. WatchGuard also provides support for implementation, ensuring that the configurations are appropriately pushed as per the model and requirements.

WatchGuard offers cost-effective solutions, especially beneficial for economically-constrained customers. Pricing and discounts are deal-dependent and vary based on customer requirements.

We evaluated multiple products, including Fortinet, SonicWall, Sophos, CyberRooms, and various others in the market.

To maintain the efficacy of the Firebox, it is crucial to renew the subscription to get security updates and additional support features. Ensuring the subscription is up-to-date is necessary for ongoing product support.

On-premises

I use the solution in my company mainly for security management and also for VPN.

The most valuable feature of the solution is its ease of use. For budgetary purposes, it meets our requirements.

For most of the part, the tool's interface is quite simple. The product can improve in terms of layout to provide easier access and viewing to users, especially for the reports.

One of the things that I think is missing in the tool is the area of managing IPv4 traffic via the IPv6 tunnel. If a few features were added to the tool, it would be great for migrating our network from IPv4 to IPv6.

I have been using WatchGuard Firebox for three years.

Considering we have even used the tool in our company for the past three years, we don't see much problem with the devices, except with what we call the updating and patching processes, which require some downplay and everything. I think we are quite satisfied with the tool's performance in our company.

I do believe the solution provides devices with a profile for a much higher requirement, but it all depends on the number of users and everything. Currently, my company is not that big, but we are supported by good vendors. I do believe the tool is scalable in terms of the devices because the product does provide a much higher model, but we don't need it because we are quite a small company.

In my company, we have only around 200 users, so we don't have many staff members.

My company contacted the solution's technical support regarding the services, especially when we had some new requirements in terms of configurations and settings or when there were new protocol rules and policies and policies that needed to be implemented. I rate the support an eight out of ten.

Positive

Previously, we used Sangfor, which is a brand from China, for our firewall and internet access management, but we switched to WatchGuard Firebox three years ago. One of the biggest reasons to use WatchGuard Firebox was related to the area of expertise. Our team or staff had experienced some lack of knowledge in Sangfor. After my company figured out which product was easy to learn and after making some comparisons, we decided to go for WatchGuard Firebox.

Compared to Sangfor, I think one of the advantages of WatchGuard Fire is the VPN solution, which includes a certain number of licenses in the package. There is no requirement to purchase more VPN licenses. The con is that Firebox is a part of the existing solution provided by WatchGuard.

When it comes to the product's initial setup phase, our vendors support us, so they handle the setup process. We don't have many issues or problems during procurement or setting up all the configurations for WatchGuard Firebox.

The solution is deployed on the hybrid cloud model.

Last time, we got the tool ready within three days. After we provided all the information that the vendors required regarding the setup and configuration settings that we needed, they set it up within three days. A third party also provides the tool's maintenance services.

From the budgetary perspective, I believe the proposed price for WatchGuard Firebox was certainly much better than the other model that had been promoted to us before because the concerned department in our company procured the tool. I don't have any specific information on it.

I am not sure about the tool's price as the commercial part is under a different department. I think the tool is quite competitive compared to the other brands.

The tool's most effective for managing threats revolves around the area of the reporting services it offers, which is cloud-based reporting, so we can get a lot of information from the services.

I don't have much experience with other models, so I can't speak about WatchGuard Firebox's security. The good thing is that because it is easier to handle, and the company that supports us provides us with a lot of information, it is easier for us to operate the product.

WatchGuard Firebox VPN features significantly enhance operations, making it easier during COVID-19, when many people work from home. There are very good features, I recall, whereby you can access office resources without requiring employees to come to the office. The tool did help us a lot during COVID-19.

Our company has a data leakage prevention solution for our email. It is quite intuitive, but it's not WatchGuard Firebox.

Whether I would recommend the product or not is something that depends since I work in a small company where the income is not too much. Other companies of similar sizes might find some similarities with our organization, so I can recommend WatchGuard Firebox to such users or businesses. Bigger or corporate users who have much more requirement settings or a large number of users should look for a different brand that can support the large numbers.

I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.

Hybrid Cloud

The solution controls who can connect to the Internet and who cannot and which protocols and services are allowed to pass through. It manages VPNs, including back-office VPNs. It also provides web-blocking features for users who want to restrict access to certain types of content.

Compared to competitors in the same segments, WatchGuard Firebox is an excellent firewall to implement.

WatchGuard Firebox offers DNS protection along with geofencing features. Additionally, the SSL VPN combined with multifactor authentication is excellent and a standout feature. 

The product is expensive. The pricing could be improved.

WatchGuard Firebox offers various models, each designed to meet different needs. While it's true that the models share many features, consolidating the lineup into fewer models could be beneficial. For example, they could have distinct models for small, medium, and large enterprises, each capable of scaling according to the number of users or throughput requirements. This approach would streamline their offerings, making it easier for customers to choose the right Firebox for their needs.

I have been using WatchGuard Firebox for 25 years.

The solution is very stable. I rate the solution’s stability a ten out of ten.

The solution’s scalability is good. 20 customers are using this solution.

I rate the solution’s scalability an eight out of ten.

WatchGuard support is highly effective. They maintain an excellent support and help desk service.

Positive

Once, I had to connect with a Cisco device on the remote side, which also went smoothly. It was between a customer and a third-party firm conducting business with my customer. They needed to establish a connection to their Cisco Firewall, and the implementation process was as smooth as setting up the back-end VPN.

The initial setup is straightforward. A simple installation for a small business takes about four to six hours. One IT guy is enough for the deployment.

I rate the product’s pricing an eight out of ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive.

The solution is transparent and easy to set up and maintain. 

WatchGuard Firebox has always been very effective for many customers who use Firebox to connect their remote sites. Additionally, many customers log in to a Firebox using the WatchGuard Mobile VPN with multi-factor authentication. This setup has proven to be very stable, high quality, and easy to configure.

Customers find WatchGuard Firebox to be an expensive solution, but some of them recognize its necessity. However, some customers initially fail to see the need for a firewall. Yet, when it comes time for renewal, after a year or three, they begin to understand its importance, often aided by a chart explaining its benefits. Just like a car requiring periodic servicing, a firewall also necessitates attention.

I recommend WatchGuard Firebox to others because it's a very good product. Firstly, it boasts numerous nice features. It's straightforward to implement, maintain, and understand. One particularly appealing feature is the real-time traffic monitoring.

Overall, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.

On-premises