Is a provider's home router sufficient for a company?

For a very small office with a few computers, perhaps temporarily, otherwise no. Provider routers lack proper segmentation, logging, VPN functionality, and often do not receive security updates. A dedicated firewall is required for a serious business environment.

What is the difference between a firewall and antivirus?

A firewall works at the network level and determines which traffic is allowed to cross the boundary. Antivirus (or EDR) works on the device and scans files and processes. Both solutions are necessary — they complement each other, not replace one another.

How often should a firewall be updated?

Security software updates as soon as possible, usually within a few days of release. Hardware is replaced when the manufacturer stops issuing updates — an outdated firewall without updates is a serious risk.

Does a firewall slow down the internet?

A correctly sized firewall does not represent a bottleneck. The problem arises when we try to enable all advanced features (IPS, encrypted traffic inspection) on an underpowered device — which is why choosing the right model is key.

Networks

Firewall

Angleški izraz: Firewall

Kratka definicija

A device or software that monitors and filters network traffic between different networks, protecting the internal environment from unauthorized access.

Kaj pomeni Firewall?

A firewall decides which network traffic is allowed to cross the boundary between two networks — most commonly between a company's internal network and the internet. It inspects traffic based on rules: who is allowed to connect to which service, on which port, and from which location.

Modern business firewalls are no longer just traffic filters. They include a VPN server for remote access, network segmentation (VLAN), intrusion prevention (IPS), content filtering, and often centralized logging.

In smaller companies, the role of a firewall is often taken by the provider's home router — which is usually insufficient for business use, as it lacks proper logging, segmentation, and updates.

Zakaj je to pomembno za podjetja?

Without a proper firewall, a company cannot reliably separate guests, cameras, IoT devices, and workstations. This means that one infected device can attack all others — which happens regularly in practice during ransomware attacks.

A firewall also enables two business-critical scenarios: secure remote access for employees (VPN) and control over who from the company accesses internet services. Without it, there is no serious discussion about GDPR or NIS2 compliance.

Kje se to pojavi v praksi?

Typical setup for a small company: a firewall at the boundary between the provider's modem and the internal network, with separate VLANs for the office, telephony, guest Wi-Fi, and cameras. Remote access for employees is handled via a VPN running on the same device.

In larger environments, we add two firewalls in a pair (high availability) for greater resilience, a separate DMZ for publicly accessible servers, and central logging to review who connected where and when.

Najpogostejše težave ali napake

The most common issue is a firewall with factory settings and default passwords. Secondly, there is outdated hardware that no longer receives security updates — which is more dangerous than having no firewall at all.

Another common mistake: rules are piled on top of each other over the years and no one knows what each rule is for anymore. As a result, the internal network is practically open, even though a firewall is formally running.

A third issue: a VPN that is password-only (without MFA) is in practice just one more password that can be stolen via phishing.

Kako pri tem pomaga VitalIT

At VitalIT, we first check the status of the existing firewall — software version, rules, logging, and segmentation. Only then do we suggest whether it makes sense to clean up and upgrade the existing device or replace it.

In practice, we often implement solutions based on pfSense or Netgate hardware, organized VLANs for individual company departments, and a VPN with MFA for remote access. We prepare the solution so that the internal IT team can understand and maintain it.

Omrežja in požarne pregrade pfSense / Netgate

Sorodni izrazi

VLAN

A logically separated network on the same physical equipment that allows different groups of devices to function separately as if they were on different cables.

VPN

An encrypted connection between a user and the business network that allows employees to work securely with internal resources from anywhere.

DNS

A system that converts human-readable names (e.g., vitalit.si) into IP addresses that computers understand.

Povezane storitve

Omrežja in požarne pregrade pfSense / Netgate

Pogosta vprašanja

Is a provider's home router sufficient for a company?: For a very small office with a few computers, perhaps temporarily, otherwise no. Provider routers lack proper segmentation, logging, VPN functionality, and often do not receive security updates. A dedicated firewall is required for a serious business environment.
What is the difference between a firewall and antivirus?: A firewall works at the network level and determines which traffic is allowed to cross the boundary. Antivirus (or EDR) works on the device and scans files and processes. Both solutions are necessary — they complement each other, not replace one another.
How often should a firewall be updated?: Security software updates as soon as possible, usually within a few days of release. Hardware is replaced when the manufacturer stops issuing updates — an outdated firewall without updates is a serious risk.
Does a firewall slow down the internet?: A correctly sized firewall does not represent a bottleneck. The problem arises when we try to enable all advanced features (IPS, encrypted traffic inspection) on an underpowered device — which is why choosing the right model is key.