Firewalls can also operate at layer 4 (the transport layer).They inspect data packets to filter traffic based on IP address or network port. Packet filtering firewalls operate at layer 3 (the network layer).Traditional firewalls and web filters operate at different layers of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) model. A web filter blocks access to specific types of web content and a firewall prevents your network from exposing internal services and computers to external threats. Try using a web filter today What’s the difference between a firewall and a web filter?įundamentally web filters and firewalls serve different purposes. When you want to block traffic that has been identified as being potentially malicious When you want to easily configure internet access permissions for several endpoints When you want to prevent unauthorized traffic within your network When you want to block websites based on their URL When you want to control inbound (ingress) and outbound (egress) traffic separately. When you want to block internet access based on users, devices, or workgroups. For the greatest security, a multi-layered approach that includes both solutions is ideal. That said, a web filter is not a direct replacement for a firewall. With a web filter all you need to do is add the URL of the website to the blocked or allowed list.
Firewalls often require a high degree of technical proficiency and tedious IP lookups to block websites. Firewalls Are Finicky: A dedicated web filter makes blocking employees from accessing unproductive websites simple and efficient.Traditional firewalls operate at the network level, applying internet restriction for everyone equally without the option to customize filtering policies. They Lack Granularity: A dedicated web filter lets you customize internet restriction based on users, computers, and workgroups.Without a web filtering agent installed on the device your employees or students can still access blocked websites by connecting their devices to their own network or a mobile hotspot. They Can be Easily Bypassed: Firewall policies only apply to your network.user/CurrentWare), forcing you to block the whole website from being accessed by your entire network. They lack granularity and cannot exempt specific URLs from their firewall rules (eg. They’re Too Strict: The closest that traditional firewalls can get to a web filter is by blocking based on the IP address of the domain.If you try to block a website with a multiple or dynamic IP address, it may still be accessible. They’re Not as Reliable: Traditional firewalls block websites based on IP addresses, protocols, domains, and port numbers, not URLs.Why your firewall is NOT a replacement for a web filter
#Blocking a webstie with icefloor software#
In this article I’ll compare web filtering software to firewalls so you can get the best internet filter for controlling employee internet access.
If you want to control access to specific websites, you need a web filter – not a firewall.
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