WatchGuard Network Security

Score8.8 out of 10

1,005 Reviews and Ratings

What is WatchGuard Network Security?

WatchGuard Network Security is a network security and firewall software. WatchGuard includes secure Wi-Fi, multi-factor authentication, and network intelligence products and services designed for SMB’s.

Categories & Use Cases

Media

Screenshot of WatchGuard Cloud Customizable Dashboard

Screenshot of User Authentication Summary

Screenshot of Endpoint Protection Summary

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Screenshot of WatchGuard Cloud Customizable Dashboard

Policy-based Controls
Firewall policy controls enable administrators to create firewall policies controlling what data is allowed to traverse the firewall
Category average: 8.6
VPN
VPN's implement encryption and anonymize IP addresses
Category average: 8.9
Active Directory and LDAP
Integration with Active Directory and LDAP directories
Category average: 8.5

Proxy Server
A proxy server changes your IP address and masks the origin of your network traffic
Category average: 7.9
Visualization Tools
Visualization tools present administrators with data on applications traversing the network, who is using them, and the potential security impact.
Category average: 7.6
Reporting and Logging
Custom and summary reports, and log files enabling analysis of security incidents, application usage and traffic patterns
Category average: 7.4

Most Frequent Users

Top 3 industries using WatchGuard Network Security.

Based on HG Insights installation data

View all Reviews

#1 most frequent

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

25.8%

477 installations of 1,850

“The cloud interface now has most of the features available in the server, so it's much more usable, as well as combining the management of their additional security products.”
— Professional Services Solutions Architect, SkyTide Group (Small Businesses)

#2 most frequent

Manufacturing

9.5%

175 installations of 1,850

#3 most frequent

Information

9.4%

174 installations of 1,850

Pros

Robust VPN capabilities for secure remote access and site-to-site connections.
Streamlined firewall configuration and policy management.
Comprehensive security services, including sandboxing, anti-malware, and IPS/IDS.

Cons

User interface described as clunky, dated, or confusing.
Inconsistencies and complexities between cloud and local management methods.
Limited integration capabilities with SIEM, XDR, and other security stacks.

GILIAN HASS

IT Analyst in Information Technology at Hidro Jet Equipamentos Hidráulicos LTDA (201-500 employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use WatchGuard in our company for edge firewall and security of our IT infrastructure. WatchGuard in our organization solves the issue of network security against attacks and external threats, and internal access control management to also prevent access to unwanted destinations, improper downloads, spam, etc. We use the solution in 2 units of the company and we interconnect the 2 with the WatchGuard VPN solution and it works perfectly. Watchguard possui uma interface prática para gerenciamento e configurações de políticas de segurança. Seu módulo de controle de aplicativos é muito funcional e de fácil gerenciamento, possibilitando recursos como: controle de banda para um aplicativo específico, apenas acesso e não transferencia, para determinados tipos de aplicativos, muito prático.

Pros

Control of web access of devices within the network.
Automatic address blocking after successive external attack attempts.
VPN feature between WatchGuard devices very transparent and stable.
Simple and very functional Policy Manager management console.
Simple and reliable spamBlocker feature, really holding back suspicious emails.
App control for managing which applications are accessed is very functional.

Cons

The mobile security part could be part of the package, without being purchased separately.
WatchGuard Mobile VPN client could have a smartphone version as well, not just Windows/Mac.
Management Server feature could be more affordable to manage devices seamlessly.

Return on Investment

Greater security of our IT infrastructure, allowing business continuity.
WatchGuard Mobile VPN that allows anytime access and remote work.
Internal content control, allowing you to limit access to work content only.

Alternatives Considered

pfSense and Sophos Firewall

Other Software Used

Watchguard Endpoint Security, Veeam Data Platform, Panda Patch Management

Jesús Espinosa

Tecnico in Professional Services at adv informatica (1-10 employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

WatchGuard perfectly handles enterprise-grade network defense for corporate networks. It is a top-notch tool. Its implementation is not complex at all. I recommend it to any company looking to take a step forward in security. My experience with the product over the years has been excellent, and the brand's support has always met my expectations.

Pros

protection
Segmentation
implementation

Cons

SSO implementation

Return on Investment

Greater control and security: companies place more trust in our solutions because they see that our other operations run with robust security—something they appreciate, and which enhances our prestige.

Nathan Parrish

Professional Services Solutions Architect in Information Technology at SkyTide Group (11-50 employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We've partnered with WatchGuard for many years. Our focus has been on the Firebox edge security appliances primarily, but we've also used the MFA and subscription services. WatchGuard Network Security has provided an excellent product for protecting network infrastructure and client resources. It's very cost competitive with other vendors and the support is great. Even as more workloads move to cloud services, we still find interface and payment systems in the local environments that need protecting.

Pros

WatchGuard Network Security streamlines the creation of policy objects, allowing them to be used in multiple security policies without recreating them or having to manually create global objects.
WatchGuard Network Security also provides a clear and simplified configuration interface rather than requiring a complex CLI.
There are a couple of options for centralized management, both in the cloud and on a private server, which allows for ease of visibility into multiple devices. Features are consistently being added to the cloud offering as well.

Cons

Some of the logic in the security policies of the Auth-Point Identity management doesn't follow the same as the appliances. It's not as clear as it could be when creating conditional access policies.
The Endpoint security offerings are still lacking some integration and feel like they need to be more mature before we'd consider deploying them.
I can understand the reasoning behind offering wireless network hardware, but it seems unnecessary and isn't as robust as other vendor hardware.

Return on Investment

Watchguard has been a great partner to work with. They provide exceptional value compared to other vendors as the pricing is more reasonable allowing for better margins.
Watchguard support has always been timely and thorough. As a partner, we have direct access to both technical and customer support. When something is critical, they've always provided immediate action including advanced RMA services.
We also have access to product trials to demonstrate use cases to clients and significant discounts on NFR SKUs for our own use. This allows us to be very familiar with these products and increases our deployment capability.

Alternatives Considered

Cisco ASA 5500-X with FirePOWER Services, Cisco Meraki MX and Juniper SRX

Other Software Used

Microsoft 365, ConnectWise RMM, IT Glue

Daniele Capuano View profile

CEO (Chief Executive Officer) in Professional Services at MADLAB di Capuano Daniele (1-10 employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use WatchGuard products because they are comprehensive and give me a lot of confidence in the company's security. I use WatchGuard Network Security to ensure that operators who need to access company resources from outside have controlled, appropriately filtered access. In my opinion, the two-factor authentication and user management mode that AuthPoint provides are strong points of WatchGuard Network Security.

Pros

2MFA
Traffic filtering.
Cloud management.

Cons

Endpoint security.
Inventory and license allocation.

Return on Investment

Good margins with significant profit growth
Excellent response to the growing demand for smart working
Buona marginalità con significativa crescita dei profitti
Ottima risposta alla crescente richiesta del lavoro in smart

Other Software Used

ESET PROTECT, QNAP NAS

Dave Huttner

IT Consultant in Information Technology at Destination Transport (51-200 employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use WG firewalls and wireless access points. These help provide advanced security for my clients, great wifi coverage and VPN connections with MFA.

Pros

Firewall protection with its subscription services.
VPN access for remote clients with MFA linked to MS 365
wireless access

Cons

I'm honestly very impressed how things currently work.
Sometimes there are a few layers to go through to get at what you are looking for, but that is often needed due to complexity
I do not like working with the cloud managed firewalls. It seems very different than the locally managed.

Return on Investment

Most of my clients are small business with 2-10 users. They do not see the value of spending $1K+ on a firewall when they can get a consumer grade firewall for $300 and use it for 5+ years. This is my hardest sell for my small business
If I do get the client to see the value of WG products, I do have my reseller (Verus) to help me with setup and backup if I'm out. I would not purchase a WG product if I didn't have my reseller for help.

Alternatives Considered

SonicWall E10000 Series

Other Software Used

Microsoft 365, ConnectBooster, a Kaseya company, ESET PROTECT

WatchGuard Network Security

What is WatchGuard Network Security?

Categories & Use Cases

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