Pick the best home firewall

When choosing a firewall device for a home network, most users can’t decide between Bitdefender Box and Firewalla Red.

Both have their own advantages and drawbacks, and in today’s guide, we’re going to compare both Firewall and Bitdefender Box and help you choose the best device for your needs.

Firewalla vs Bitdefender Box, what’s the best home firewall?

What is Bitdefender Box?

Bitdefender Box is a hardware firewall for your home that protects all your network devices from online threats including malware, phishing attacks, and identity theft.

Using the dedicated mobile app, you can configure the firewall and monitor your network remotely. Thanks to parental control feature, you can monitor your children’s online behavior or block certain content or websites.

If need be, you can also limit their Internet access so they won’t spend too much time online. For extra security, there’s even a VPN included, so you can browse the web privately in your home network.

Bitdefender Box

Protect your home network against all online threats with Bitdefender Box.

What is Firewalla?

Firewalla is a compact hardware firewall for your home that will protect your network against cyberattacks and provide you advanced network insights.

The device will constantly monitor your network for security vulnerabilities and any abnormal behavior in the network. Firewalla works as an IPS, IDS, and firewall thus ensuring your online safety.

With the dedicated app and parental controls feature, you can easily block harmful content or specific activities on any device. If needed, you can also limit Internet access completely for any device.

Firewalla can also work as a VPN server, and protect your entire network. You can also use Firewalla VPN even outside of your home, which is a major plus.

Last but not least is the built-in Adblock feature, so you won’t ever encounter any ads on your home network devices.

How to setup Bitdefender Box?

1. Open the dedicated Bitdefender Central app, tap on More and choose Set up Bitdefender Box.
2. Tap on Start Setup and connect the Bitdefender Box to the power outlet.
3. When the light on the device starts spinning, tap Next on your phone.
4. Disconnect your ISP modem from the power outlet.
5. Connect to the Bitdefender Box Wi-Fi network on your phone.
6. Enter the password that is printed on the device.
7. Connect your router to the power outlet and tap on Next.
8. Use the Ethernet cable and connect it to a port that has a circle icon with two arrows on Bitdefender Box.
9. Connect the other end of the cable to your modem. Now tap Next.
10. When Bitdefender Box connects to the Internet, tap on Finalize Setup.
11. When the front light stops spinning your device is ready to use.

Depending on the type of router that you use, you’ll need to choose the appropriate option in the app and follow the instructions on the screen. Once you’re done, you need to disconnect your router.

Setting up Bitdefender Box is simple since the dedicated app will guide you through the setup process.

The setup process does get a bit complicated if you’re using a personal Wi-Fi router since you have to configure it to work in AP or Bridge Mode.

How to setup Firewalla?

1. Connect Firewalla to the power source and to your router.
2. Wait for about 5 minutes for Firewalla to boot and update.
3. Start the Firewalla app on your phone and tap the + icon.
   
4. Scan the QR code on the box and tap on Continue.
   
5. Firewalla will now automatically set up everything. This can take few minutes, so be patient.
   
6. And that’s it, Firewalla is paired and ready to use.

Pairing up Firewalla is incredibly simple, and since it’s not designed to replace your router, the pairing process is straightforward and simple, and you don’t have to disconnect any network hardware.

Is Bitdefender Box worth it?

Bitdefender Box offers great features, and it’s relatively simple to set up. The product is subscription-based, and although the first year is free, you’ll need to renew your license to continue using it.

However, the license also includes Bitdefender Total Security software that you can install on unlimited number of computers and mobile devices.

Is Firewalla worth the money?

Firewalla doesn’t come with any monthly fees, and it’s incredibly simple to set up, so it’s definitely worth your time and money.

There are several versions of Firewalla available, and the most affordable one, Firewalla Red, is limited to 100Mb bandwidth.

If you need higher Internet speed up to 500Mbps, region blocking, site-to-site VPN, and Web access, you can always get the Firewalla Blue model.

For advanced users, there’s Firewalla Gold that can replace your router while offering speeds up to 1Gbps, multi-WAN, and other advanced features.

Firewalla or Bitdefender Box, what is the better choice for you?

Firewalla:

Firewalla is more affordable, easier to use and to set up, plus it offers an ad-blocking feature which is always welcome. It doesn’t have any fees or subscriptions which is a major plus.

However, only the high-end model can work as a router replacement, so if you don’t want to replace your router, Firewalla would be our pick.

Bitdefender Box:

Bitdefender Box has been present for a while, and while it can work as a router replacement, it comes with a yearly fee, and this isn’t something that many users are looking for.

However, that fee includes an antivirus solution for an unlimited number of devices, which can be a plus.

If we had to pick one, we’d go for Firewalla because it’s simpler to use, and it offers almost the same features without any additional fees, and it’s easier to set up and manage.

What’s the hardware firewall of choice for your network? Let us know in the comments below.