Although the two are closely related, routers and firewalls are very different devices.
- Router: Exchanges data between networks or gateways.
- Firewall: Blocks traffic from secure networks.
Simply put, routers connect networks and move data efficiently, while firewalls protect networks by controlling and securing the flow of data.
For home networks, most people already have a router with a built-in firewall. Under normal circumstances, they don’t need to get an additional firewall to protect their network.
On the other hand, businesses typically have multiple routers and benefit from having a discrete firewall device or application. Thoughtful deployment of both elements is an important part. Securing business networks.
Key Differences Between Routers and Firewalls
A quick breakdown of the key differences between routers and firewalls is:
Network role: Routers and firewalls serve different purposes in a network. A router connects networks and ensures that data travels between them efficiently, such as a VoIP router for voice traffic. A firewall, on the other hand, is like a security checkpoint, inspecting and filtering data to block potential threats.
Traffic Management: Routers focus on directing traffic based on IP addresses, determining the best path for data to reach its destination. Firewalls control traffic by applying security rules, deciding what data is allowed to pass or blocked based on factors such as source, destination, and content.
Default behavior: By default, routers allow all data to be transmitted unless specific restrictions are added. Firewalls take the opposite approach: they block most traffic unless explicitly permitted, prioritizing security over openness.
Placement: Routers are usually placed at the edge of a network to connect it to the Internet or other networks. Firewalls can be placed at the edge. or internally to control access between segments by adding additional layers of protection within the network.
Customization and Control: Firewalls are designed for granular control, allowing you to enforce security policies based on specific applications, users or behaviors. Routers, while configurable, prioritize speed and efficiency over detailed filtering.
Why Router vs. Firewall Doesn’t Matter on a Home Network
Most routers have a built-in firewall that provides basic protection for homes and very small offices. Usually it is a Stateful firewall Able to inspect traffic flow and perform basic parameter security.
Because the router already has a firewall installed, the average home network does not need a separate or additional firewall. In these simple networks, a handful of devices connect to a single router, and an integrated firewall is sufficient to protect the network from unwanted traffic and prevent unauthorized users from accessing the network.
On top of that, modern devices have their own built-in firewalls. Windows Defender and Android Firewall are two common examples.
From the moment your ISP turns on the Internet at your home, every device connected to the router is already protected from the public Internet by multiple firewalls.
If you’re doing something unusual at home—like running a business with sensitive information or hosting a game server—it’s important to set up more advanced software or hardware firewall protection.
People with many IoT (Internet of Things) devices on a home network may also consider additional firewall protection as a method. Reduce the IoT attack surface..
But outside of edge cases, you don’t really need to compare router vs. firewall – you probably already have both.
Why Router vs. Firewall Matters to Businesses
Many devices are constantly logging in and out on business networks, using cloud applications and potentially connected to offices in other locations via a wide area network (WAN).
Unlike simple home networks, business networks have multiple routers (and a host of other elements) that connect physical and virtual resources to users. Routers play a key role in this. Establishing an effective network security architectureand while they may have built-in firewall functionality, businesses often have hardware and/or software firewalls.
Organizations need to protect their connected devices from virus and malware threats, but also from sophisticated security concerns that would never affect a home network.
Business-grade firewalls offer granular control over traffic, which means managers can manage access separately for different users and applications. This is important when you have network-protected resources that you need to make available to the public, remote workers, or third parties.
This access control is central to the business. Firewall Security Policywhich can be viewed and controlled by the network manager. Many businesses also deal with payment information coming in and out of their network, either for customer purchases or employee salaries, so their systems must be HIPAA and PCI-DSS compliant – which isn’t always possible with consumer-grade firewall tech.
Businesses also have other considerations, such as whether their routers or firewalls should be placed at the edge of the network. Edge routers are typically used to give access to remote workers so they can connect to the corporate network. In fact, the terms “edge routers” and “firewalls” are often used interchangeably to describe a network security device that protects a LAN from a “point” between networks.
Can router and firewall be on the same device?
Some software-defined networks and routers are equipped with pre-installed software firewalls. Some businesses prefer this because of the simplicity of integrating the two. It doesn’t make much sense to have multiple devices that need to be configured and managed separately, especially when each one comes with its own potential drawbacks.
Still, for some businesses, the extra labor to keep the equipment separate is worth it. For example, when a router needs to route traffic to desired destinations, it will have more resources than it would if it were simultaneously doubling as a network firewall.
Likewise, if your network starts to experience hiccups, a single router-firewall device may not know how to share limited network resources more efficiently. Depending on unique network conditions, this can lead to dropped VoIP calls, laggy video conferences, or even security risks.
Finally, having a dedicated firewall allows you to be more specific about what you want that firewall to do—and how you want it to do it. Most businesses use both. Stateless and stateful firewalls And requires advanced configuration on firewall rules.