The Best Homelab Firewall: Hardware and Software to Keep Your Network Secure

Editor’s Note: Updated: May 29, 2025 — Added new recommendations, comparison table, and more.

Setting up a homelab is one of the best ways to gain hands-on experience with servers, networking, and virtualization — but securing that environment is just as important. Whether you’re testing cloud apps, running VMs, or exposing services to the internet, choosing the best homelab firewall ensures your setup stays protected against threats while giving you full control over traffic.

What is a home lab firewall?

A homelab is an environment in a person’s home designed to serve as a testing and learning space for IT professionals.
A homelab typically consists of multiple computer hardware components, such as servers, switches, routers, and firewalls, which are connected to simulate a real-world IT system or network.

IT professionals often use these labs as they provide a safe place to practice and experiment with technologies such as cloud computing, storage solutions, and security protocols without impacting production environments.

The purpose of home labs can range from practicing server administration (see best server for a homelab) tasks to configuring firewalls and virtualizing servers.

In this context, a firewall is a network security device that creates a barrier between an internal network (such as the home lab) and external networks like the Internet. Its purpose is to prevent unauthorized access while allowing authorized communication through its rule set.

Different types of firewalls offer varying levels of protection, so it’s essential to research your options before choosing one for your homelab.

What should you consider when choosing the best homelab firewall device?

Virtual vs Physical: Choosing the Right Firewall Setup for Your Homelab

There’s often debate around whether a virtualized or dedicated firewall setup is more secure. In reality, both can offer strong protection — it depends more on how well they’re configured and maintained than whether they’re software or hardware-based.

A virtual firewall is software running inside a virtual machine or on a mini-PC. It’s often easier to deploy, especially if you already use virtualization platforms like Proxmox. It’s flexible, cost-effective, and great for those who want to experiment or run multiple services from a single box.

On the other hand, a dedicated physical appliance is purpose-built for network protection. These devices often include hardware acceleration, dedicated NICs, and vendor-managed updates. They’re ideal for high-throughput environments or users who prefer separating infrastructure and security layers. While not inherently more secure, they can reduce the risk of resource contention or accidental misconfigurations in shared setups.

I prefer using a dedicated hardware device for firewall duties in my homelab. It gives me peace of mind knowing that security is isolated from the rest of my infrastructure, and I don’t have to worry about resource contention or accidental misconfigurations in a shared VM environment. That said, for many users, especially those just getting started, running a virtual firewall can be a perfectly solid and flexible option.

Where to Place Your Homelab Firewall

For optimal protection, place your firewall as close as possible to where your internet connection enters your home — typically between your modem and your main switch or router. This ensures that all incoming and outgoing traffic is inspected before reaching any internal devices, including servers, smart devices, or wireless access points.

Whether using a virtual firewall on a mini PC or a dedicated hardware appliance, placing it at the network edge allows it to act as the first line of defense, enforcing rules and filtering threats before they reach the rest of your lab.

Features and configuration

Many features and configurations must be considered when choosing the best homelab firewall device. Some of the most important are security protocols such as protocol filtering, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), and virus scanning capabilities.

Also, consider which type of firewalls best fits your needs: stateful packet inspection (SPI) firewalls are best for basic protection; application layer gateways. In addition, the user interface and how easy configuring and managing the firewall is.

Other things to consider include the number of physical WAN, DMZ and LAN ports and VLANs supported, DNS and DHCP services, and the ability to customize the firewall settings. Additionally, it would be best to consider factors such as ease of setup, logging capabilities, and access control.

Finally, the size and form factor of the firewall device should also be considered, as it should be able to fit and work effectively within your home network.

Management interface

When choosing a home firewall device, it is vital to consider the various management interfaces available. When choosing a home firewall device, there are two primary management interfaces: a graphical user interface (GUI) and a command-line interface (CLI).

A graphical user interface (GUI) is a more user-friendly and intuitive way to manage a home firewall device. It allows users to configure settings easily and view network usage and other metrics through a visual representation. It also makes it easy to create rules and set up policies.

A command-line interface (CLI) is less user-friendly and may require a greater understanding of the underlying technologies. It allows users to perform tasks quickly and efficiently but may require some manual management of the underlying settings and components.

CLI also allows for more granular control of the settings, making it a popular choice amongst experts and IT professionals.

Both the GUI and CLI offer different levels of control and management for a home firewall device. When choosing a home firewall device, it is important to consider the user experience and the level of control needed for your home network.

Subscription, Maintenance, and Support

Maintenance considerations for a home firewall device:

1. Ensure that your Firewall/UTM has an active subscription and is up-to-date. It will ensure that your firewall is current and live and can effectively isolate external threats.
2. Periodically renew your Firewall/UTM subscription. Firewall vendors like Palo Alto, Fortinet, and Sonicwall offer two types of products that require renewal – security and support services. Security services help protect your network against malicious attacks, and support services provide access to technical support, software updates, and feature enhancements.
3. You can raise an RMA (Return Merchandise Authorization) if you face any hardware issues. You can return the defective unit during the warranty period for a refund, replacement, or repair.
4. Read and understand the terms and conditions before renewing your Firewall/UTM subscription. By knowing what is and is not covered, you will be in a better position to make an informed decision.

Cost and budget

When choosing a home firewall device, cost and budget are important considerations. Usually, enterprise firewalls with advanced threat protection and high throughput are expensive. For a more affordable option, recycling firewalls from local universities, ads, and websites like eBay or Craigslist could be a good choice. 

On the other hand, buying a new firewall won’t cost you a fortune. Amazon has good firewalls for under $1000, which protects your homelab. Continue reading in the next section. 

The Best Firewalls for Your Homelab or Small Business: Hardware & Software Compared

Fortigate 40F or 60F

The FortiGate 40F or 60F is a top-tier choice for a homelab, combining hardware-level performance with enterprise-grade security, all in a compact, fanless form factor perfect for a home setup.

Compact Form Factor for Smart Deployments

Designed for home labs, small offices, or network-attached storage environments, the 40F series delivers fast and secure SD-WAN performance in a low-power, silent device. It’s ideal for setups involving smart devices, IoT networks, and multiple VLANs.

High-Performance Threat Protection

With a purpose-built system-on-a-chip (SOC), the FortiGate provides real-time intrusion prevention, deep packet inspection, and traffic filtering across your home network. This allows you to enforce firewall rules without slowing down VPN connections, NAS transfers, or virtual machines.

Built for Advanced Security Configuration

Fortinet’s Security-Driven Networking approach means this firewall integrates seamlessly with other devices, including managed switches, virtualized servers, and cloud applications. Whether you’re testing port forwarding, isolating services, or setting up separate VLANs, the FortiGate gives you granular control over your network configuration.

Continuous Risk Monitoring

Built-in security ratings and automated compliance checks provide ongoing visibility into device access, blocked internet traffic, and potential misconfigurations. A great fit if your homelab includes advanced features like VPNs, segmentation, or Linux-based servers

SonicWall TZ270 Network Security Appliance

The SonicWall TZ270 is a strong contender for homelab setups that need advanced features in a compact and efficient device. It supports up to 5 Gbps throughput, SSL/TLS decryption, and Real-Time Deep Memory Inspection to block unknown malware before it can access your home network.

With support for SD-WAN, cloud or on-premise management, and smart firewall rules, this device helps you monitor and control network traffic, secure connected devices, and isolate virtual environments using granular settings.

It’s a globally distributed threat intelligence network—powered by over 1 million sensors—that protects you with up-to-date insights. Ideal for homelab enthusiasts who want enterprise-grade protection without complex setup.

Full specs and licensing details are available on SonicWall’s website.

Zyxel USG Flex 200

The Zyxel USG Flex 200 is a flexible firewall solution for advanced home networks or small teams, supporting up to 75 users. It delivers 1.8 Gbps SPI throughput, 550 Mbps UTM performance, and includes dual Gigabit WAN, 4 LAN ports, and an SFP interface—great for connecting to managed switches or fiber.

Designed for secure remote access, it supports both IPSec and SSL VPNs, ideal for linking multiple home lab environments or branch offices. Powered by McAfee-backed security services and ICSA-certified, it offers continuous traffic filtering and threat protection.

Zyxel’s cloud-based console simplifies network configuration, and with a lifetime warranty, this device is a rock-solid option for anyone building out their own homelab with advanced features.

Firewalla Purple SE – Budget-Friendly Network Security for Homelabs

The Firewalla Purple SE is an excellent entry-level security device for homelab users who want effective protection without needing to configure every detail manually. Compact and app-managed, it’s ideal for those who want to monitor network traffic, block ads, or manage connected devices with ease.

With intrusion detection, VPN support, content filtering, and network segmentation capabilities, it offers impressive value for its size. It supports up to 500 Mbps throughput, making it a good fit for homelabs running modest smart device loads, basic virtualization, or small server setups.

There are no monthly fees, and the intuitive mobile app makes network configuration simple — a rare combination of ease of use and security.

Quick Specs:

• Intrusion detection & content filtering
• VPN server/client mode
• Up to 500 Mbps performance
• Mobile app for setup and monitoring
• No subscription required

For readers in the U.S., the Firewalla Purple SE is available directly via Amazon and often priced under $250 — making it a great budget-conscious choice for homelab enthusiasts.

See the feature for Gold Plus directly from Firewalla

pfSense – Open-Source Power for Your Virtual or Hardware Setup

pfSense is a popular open-source solution for anyone building a secure home lab network. It’s lightweight, flexible, and offers advanced features like VPN support, intrusion prevention, port forwarding, and web filtering, making it a favorite among homelab enthusiasts.

Whether you want to run pfSense on a dedicated mini PC or inside a virtual machine, its low hardware requirements and robust performance make it a cost-effective choice. The platform is based on FreeBSD (not Linux), and performs well even on systems with modest CPU cores and RAM.

The web-based configuration interface makes it easy to set up firewall rules, segment IoT networks, and control traffic across multiple VLANs. Ideal if you’re looking for full control over your network setup.

Download pfSense here

Recommended Mini PC for pfSense and Virtualized Setups

If you’re planning to run pfSense on dedicated hardware, a Protectli Vault or similar fanless mini PC is the ideal platform. These compact devices are designed for silent operation, low power consumption, and come with multiple network interfaces, which are essential for advanced network segmentation and VLAN setups.

✅ Top Pick: Protectli Vault VP2420

• Intel Quad-Core CPU (supports virtualization)
• 4x Intel Gigabit LAN ports
• Fanless design – perfect for 24/7 operation
• Compatible with pfSense, OPNsense, and other OS options
• Compact and solid metal housing

You can install pfSense directly on the device or run it as part of a virtualized lab using Proxmox or VirtualBox. This allows you to test different configurations, route traffic through separate VLANs, or simulate small office setups — all from your own homelab.

If Protectli isn’t available in your region, similar barebones mini-PCs from Qotom or Topton (often found on eBay or AliExpress) offer great alternatives — ensure they use Intel NICs for the best driver support.

Netgate 4200 – Official pfSense+ Device for High-Performance Labs

The Netgate 4200 is the latest official hardware appliance for pfSense Plus, offering enterprise-grade performance in a compact, silent form factor — ideal for advanced home lab setups or small office networks.

Powered by a 4-Core 2.1 GHz Intel Atom C1110 CPU, it delivers exceptional throughput, even with VPN, intrusion prevention, and traffic shaping enabled. Four 2.5 GbE interfaces support multi-WAN and VLAN configuration, making it great for complex network topologies or separating IoT devices from critical systems.

This unit is built to run pfSense Plus out of the box, with streamlined updates, optimized drivers, and long-term support from Netgate. Whether you’re using it as a dedicated security gateway, routing lab traffic, or enabling remote access to your services, the 4200 easily handles it.

Ideal use cases:

• High-speed home network segmentation
• Multi-office or lab VPN tunneling
• Advanced firewall rule configuration without CPU bottlenecks

Palo Alto PA-440 – Enterprise-Level Security for Advanced Labs

The Palo Alto Networks PA-440 is a next-generation security appliance designed for professionals running enterprise-grade labs or remote work environments. Built on the PAN-OS platform, it offers machine learning-powered threat detection, user-aware traffic control, and granular network visibility.

With eight physical ports, the PA-440 provides ample flexibility to connect other devices, such as managed switches, servers, or smart gear — perfect for segmenting traffic or simulating corporate-like setups in your homelab.

Its intelligent policies automatically classify traffic by application, user, and device type, no matter where access originates — enabling secure remote connections and dynamic rule enforcement across your network infrastructure.

This unit is ideal for advanced users who need:

• Compatibility with smart devices and virtual environments
• Remote access configuration across offices or lab sites
• Deep inspection of encrypted traffic
• Simulation of enterprise-grade security policies

UniFi Security Gateway Pro – Streamlined Network Management for UniFi Users

The UniFi Security Gateway Pro is a robust routing solution that integrates seamlessly into the UniFi ecosystem, making it ideal for users already running UniFi access points, managed switches, or controller-based setups.

Equipped with two combo SFP/RJ45 ports, it offers flexible fiber or copper connectivity, supporting up to 1 Gbps per port. Hardware-accelerated packet processing enables over 1 million packets per second, ensuring smooth data flow across your home network.

With four independent Ethernet ports, this device provides up to 4 Gbps total throughput, making it a great fit for lab environments with multiple VLANs, smart devices, and cloud-connected services. While it lacks built-in intrusion prevention, it excels in routing performance and centralized management via the UniFi Controller.

Ideal for:

• Homelab users already using UniFi gear
• Centralized network control with visual insights
• Simple yet powerful configuration options for segmentation and VPN

Compare the Best Homelab & Small Business Firewalls – Specs & Features

My thoughts and my favorite homelab or small business Firewall

Regarding the best homelab firewalls, I recommend the Fortigate 40F or 60F. It offers a comprehensive range of security measures to keep your network safe. The WebGUI makes it easy to configure the settings, and you can switch to the CLI through the same interface. Not only is this cost-effective, but it’s quick and convenient, too.

FortiGate offers subscription bundles for its firewalls to provide peace of mind and ensure your network is always secure. These bundles include many features, such as 24/7 support and real-time threat intelligence, advanced malware protection, application control, intrusion prevention, and web filtering services. With these subscriptions, you can stay ahead of the latest threats without worrying about manually managing the Firewall.

FAQ

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