WatchGuard Unveils AI-Powered Firewalls for High-Speed Networks

Key points:

• WatchGuard is updating its Firebox Tabletop series of firewalls with new components and specifications to deal with modern and emerging threats, strengthening the security of small and medium-sized businesses.
• The new models target different deployment scenarios, including solo professionals, small businesses, and retail stores, addressing the unique security needs of each.
• WatchGuard’s approach advocates for hybrid deployments, combining physical appliances with cloud-native SASE solutions, providing a comprehensive security solution for businesses.

As a reporter covering the latest developments in network security, I’ve recently had the opportunity to speak with Ryan Poutre, director of product management, network security, at WatchGuard. According to Poutre, the small and medium business firewall market is evolving rapidly, with organizations looking for ways to balance cloud security services with on-premises appliance deployments. This is where tabletop firewall hardware comes in, providing a small form factor network security appliance that can protect IoT devices, medical equipment, and other network-attached resources.

WatchGuard is now updating its Firebox Tabletop series of firewalls with new components and specifications to deal with modern and emerging threats. The company is rolling out four new models, each designed to address specific use cases! The T115-W is an entry-level wireless model with Wi-Fi 7 and 4GB of RAM, while the T125 is a traditional top-selling model with faster UTM and data transfer. The T145 features a high-speed 10G network port and fanless operation, and the T185 is the most powerful model, offering 250% faster branch office VPN performance.

WatchGuard has made strategic processor choices across the lineup, with most models using MediaTek processors for their optimal balance of performance, reliability, and cost. The T185, however, uses an Intel processor, reflecting its role as the highest-performance model. All models have been designed with optimized heat distribution through new enclosures, enabling fanless operation on several models for improved reliability and reduced noise.

The wireless-capable models introduce Wi-Fi 7 support, which is a significant development in the field of network security. The T115-W’s inclusion of 4GB RAM is also noteworthy, as it reduces performance bottlenecks at higher bandwidths. This is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses that require fast and reliable network connectivity.

WatchGuard’s cloud management platform also integrates XDR capabilities, which uses AI models and machine learning for cross-product event correlation. This provides a layer of automation and correlation that is not possible with a firewall alone. For businesses that require compliance with regulations such as PCI DSS, NIST, and CIS, WatchGuard’s tabletop firewalls are an essential tool.

In terms of compliance requirements, tabletop firewalls are a business need for many small and medium-sized businesses. Compliance requirements cascade down to very small businesses through supply chain relationships, creating an unexpected driver for hardware deployments. Primary compliance frameworks include PCI DSS, NIST, and CIS cybersecurity frameworks, as well as FIPS certification requirements for government contractors.

WatchGuard’s approach directly addresses the ongoing hardware versus cloud security debate by advocating for hybrid deployments rather than wholesale migration to SASE architectures. The company offers both physical appliances and a cloud-native SASE solution called Fire Cloud. The tabletop refresh represents the first phase of a broader hardware modernization initiative, with updated rack-mount appliances planned for release later in 2025 and into 2026. As the threat landscape continues to evolve, WatchGuard’s commitment to hybrid deployments and comprehensive security solutions is more important than ever. With its updated Firebox Tabletop series, WatchGuard is providing small and medium-sized businesses with the tools they need to stay ahead of emerging threats and maintain a secure network environment. This is a significant development in the world of network security, and one that is likely to have a major impact on the way businesses approach security in the future.

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