Setting up a tangible firewall for my residence's internet connection
Setting up a tangible firewall for my residence's internet connection
I hadn’t realized a real physical firewall existed until I came across this discussion. The title sparked an image of a fiery barrier.
These are business-oriented products—most have evolved over time, but the consumer space still lacks robust firewall solutions. Most enterprises use specialized firewalls, either hardware devices or virtual appliances hosted in a virtual machine.
This refers to a particular dedicated computer acting as the internet gateway. All data must pass through it. Updated on January 15, 2020 by Bombastinator Derp
They generally describe them as soft or hard. Are you managing the firewall with software or using physical hardware? In this scenario he needs a dedicated, standalone hardware firewall. For everyday use, you usually have a router that combines functions like modem, router, and firewall, or a gateway device that also acts as a network switch. Don't forget wifi or USB ports for connecting storage devices.
You know it, pfSense can handle all the tasks a dedicated hardware device can, but you need to set up the software yourself instead of relying on a ready-made, expensive solution.
It seems the issue comes from limited understanding of why I chose that path. Essentially, I just want my friend to join our game server from home without using TeamViewer. I might have to search for tutorials on PF-Sense.
pfSense will certainly need more setup, but it's important to note that even a business firewall isn't just plug-and-play. While you could simplify things with basic routing, achieving most of the advantages would require going deeper into configuration, creating ACLs, and managing additional rules.
I’m confident about configuring them myself because I work for an MSP and often set up watchguards. I wasn’t sure if buying something used on eBay would work with the mobile SSL VPN feature they offer—though I appreciate that. Still, I’m open to trying pfSense since it’s free and that’s a big plus.
You'd need to reach out to Watchguard to confirm details—whether licenses are device-based or account-based matters. If linked to the device, ensure you bring the old license along. In the worst scenario, you might have to purchase a new one directly from them and inquire about costs.
Finished by purchasing a small screen at the thrift shop, gave my friend permission to use it without supervision, thanks to the team viewer. Total spent: $14