Meraki Go Router Firewall Plus Is The Smart And Easy Way To Secure A Network

Consumer Tech Meraki Go Router Firewall Plus Is The Smart And Easy Way To Secure A Network Mark Sparrow Senior Contributor Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Technology journalist specializing in audio, computing and photography Following New! Follow this author to stay notified about their latest stories. Got it! Sep 8, 2022, 02:59am EDT | New! Click on the conversation bubble to join the conversation Got it! Share to Facebook Share to Twitter Share to Linkedin Despite its powerful features, the design of the Meraki Go firewall router is stylishly slim and can .

. . [+] fit in anywhere.

Meraki Go If you run a business, you’ll know it’s vital to protect your network and its valuable data. And if your customers have access to your network, you have a duty of care to protect them from data breaches or attacks on their smartphones or laptops. A consumer-level router won’t cut it unless you know what you’re doing and can navigate your way around the built-in web interface to access the advanced settings.

So, what’s the answer? Get an enterprise-grade router and mesh system from one of the big providers like Cisco. Good luck if you’re a small business and have the budget to spare. You must be doing very well.

However, you can get a high-level and business-grade router with all the security features you need, but at a price much closer to a consumer-grade model. The Meraki Go GX50 Router Firewall Plus is a beast of a router for the money. It’s made by Cisco and offers an effective firewall and high-level router in one handy and affordable unit.

The best thing about this unit is that it can be managed from the cloud and is plug-and-play and ready to go in minutes. It can be easily set up to block websites, prioritize bandwidth and set usage limits across your network. Even better, everything can be checked and changed using the excellent Meraki Go smartphone app, which simplifies the whole setup and managing of the network.

Setting up the Meraki Go GX50 is as simple as scanning a QR code with your smartphone. Meraki Go In addition, the Meraki Go GX50 Router Firewall Plus can support a client VPN and provides four Gigabit Ethernet ports plus a WAN port for connecting to the Internet. Furthermore, the firewall can handle a throughput of 500+Mbps, which makes it ideal for fast fiber connections, such as a small or medium business might have.

MORE FOR YOU Google Issues Warning For 2 Billion Chrome Users Forget The MacBook Pro, Apple Has Bigger Plans Google Discounts Pixel 6, Nest & Pixel Buds In Limited-Time Sale Event The advantage of having a router and a firewall managed in the cloud is the simplicity of the whole thing. And unlike an enterprise system, the Meraki Go products include technical support and updates in the purchase price, so you don’t have to keep paying out a subscription each year to protect your network. If you want enhanced protection beyond what most businesses might need, you can also subscribe to the Meraki Go security subscription for one, three or five years.

The Meraki Go GX50 Router Firewall Plus design is modern and sleek. The device is fashionably slim and comes with an excellent wall-mounting bracket so the router can be put up out of the way where it’s safe. The maximum number of devices it can handle is 50, which should be sufficient for most small businesses.

In addition, there’s a USB port for attached storage so that anyone on the network can access data. An 18W power adapter powers the router itself. The new Meraki Go GX50 is a slim and stylish unit but has a lot of powerful features inside.

Meraki Go In addition to the router and firewall plus, the Meraki Go GX50 can work with the Meraki Go mesh system, so you can set up wireless networking for your business and add further nodes as your business grows. The cloud management aspect of the Meraki Go range is the feature I like. You can set it up to ensure that, say, the business side of your network gets priority over the guest network that your customers may access.

It’s easy to limit how much data can be uploaded or downloaded. At the same time, certain websites can be blocked to ensure users aren’t accessing gambling sites or other Internet content that are inappropriate for a business setting. Better still, you can set the system up to notify you when there are problems.

It’s a bit like having your own IT department. At the rear of the Meraki Go are four Gigabit Ethernet ports and a WAN port for connection to the . .

. [+] internet. There’s also a USB port for attached storage.

Meraki Go Verdict: I like Meraki Go networking products because they are backed up by Cisco and look stylish. Setting up the GX50 is easy and the network can be expanded as a business grows. There’s as much or as little control as you need and everything works.

Plug it in and forget it. You’ve got more important things to do than messing around with routers and security settings. It’s well worth a visit to the Meraki Go website to see what the brand has to offer and there’s even a configurator that will help you choose the kit you need to suit the physical size and nature of your business.

There’s technical support available if you have a problem and you can manage the system even if you’re away on vacation or traveling for business. The Meraki Go GX50 isn’t the cheapest firewall router on the market, but security isn’t worth cutting corners on. Price & Availability: The Meraki Go GX50 Router Firewall Plus is available now and costs $354 / £304 / €353.

More info: www. meraki-go. com Tech Specs: Firewall throughput: 500+ Mbps.

Client VPN throughput: 300 Mbps. VPN Tunnels: 50. Recommended clients: 50.

Interfaces: WAN Interface: 1x 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45) LAN interfaces: 4x 10/100/1000 BASE-T Ethernet (RJ45) Network and security services: Stateful firewall, Port forwarding, DHCP services, DNS-based security powered by Cisco Umbrella (additional subscription required), Client VPN Kensington lock hard point: Yes Power: 18W DC Power Supply Included Power load: 5W idle / 14W max. Dimensions: 1. 1 x 5.

1 x 9. 4 in / 27 x 130 x 239 mm. Warranty: 1-year hardware.

Weight: 1. 74 lb / 0. 79 kg.

Follow me on LinkedIn . Mark Sparrow Editorial Standards Print Reprints & Permissions.