VPNs tunnel through the firewall by swapping your actual IP address with the IP address of a remote server. If you choose a server in a region where your firewall accepts connections, the VPN will help protect your Internet connection. A VPN does not block connections but may prevent you from accessing some websites. In this article, you will learn about firewall vs VPN difference.

Firewalls

When you use a VPN or firewall, unauthorized traffic can get through. Firewalls can detect these attempts and block the traffic accordingly. They can also detect spoofing, a technique used to access secured services by changing the message header. Authentication allows specific communication sessions only after a user has authenticated themselves. These devices are usually compatible with multiple authentication methods.

A VPN is an invisible cloak to keep bad guys from knowing where you’re doing. Companies use VPNs to access remote servers, while regular users use them to browse the Internet safely. Firewalls are essential for all networked computers.

VPNs

A VPN is an important security tool for your business. It can hide sensitive information and protect you from snooping by your ISP or government. A VPN can even help you access sensitive business resources from remote locations. While VPNs don’t protect your computer from viruses, they do keep your information private. To keep your data safe, always use a VPN with a firewall.

NAT (Network Address Translation): NAT can translate a private IP address to a public IP address. This means that you can connect to blocked websites. The NAT log is visible only to the university and not to the public. A VPN also bypasses firewall restrictions. Firewalls block Internet addresses, but VPNs allow access to all the websites that are blocked. Despite firewalls being a security measure, VPNs have many benefits.

Proxy servers

VPNs and proxy servers are two types of virtual private networks. A VPN offers more privacy and security, and a proxy server keeps unauthorized users out of your network. Both types protect your data by blocking malicious software. Firewalls block incoming data packets by IP address, and proxy servers can prevent this. Firewalls are also great at blocking specific programs so that you can make exceptions for certain types of programs.

A VPN or proxy server can help you protect yourself from hackers or identity thieves. A proxy can mask your IP address and prevent you from being traced, so your true location is unknown. VPNs also offer extra security, but proxies only hide your site. In addition, while VPNs use advanced encryption, proxies are less secure.

Deep packet inspection

Using deep packet inspection to monitor internet traffic has some benefits. Among them is the ability to stop spam, identify illegal downloads and prioritize data based on its type and content. The technology is also helpful for governments that want to control internet access and keep track of citizens. These benefits, however, come with a few drawbacks. Let’s discuss the pros and cons of deep packet inspection between a firewall and a VPN.

A disadvantage of deep packet inspection is its performance impact, causing network bottlenecks and reduced speed. Moreover, the extra work involved in decrypting encrypted traffic can overwhelm hardware-based security devices. Hence, many organizations have turned to cloud-based secure web gateways to eliminate the performance burden associated with deep packet inspection. These cloud gateways protect outbound user traffic and can analyze HTTP and HTTPS traffic without compromising security. As a result, they can scale up deep analysis.

Cost

The cost of a firewall and a VPN depends on your purchase type. Hardware solutions require dedicated hardware and are designed for high-performance operations. Hardware solutions can be costly but can be improved with firmware updates. The downside is that actual hardware cannot be reused for other purposes. A VPN and firewall are both essential components of a network security strategy. If you plan to purchase hardware, ensure you know exactly how many users will use the devices.

A firewall costs about the same as a VPN, but their capabilities are quite different. For example, a SonicWall with integrated Wi-Fi and web caching may be more affordable than a high-end NGFW with web caching.