Reasons to Use a Hardware Firewall
Protecting your computer or network from hackers, viruses and other dangers to your security requires installing firewalls, devices and programs that monitor and manage the data transmissions in and out of your computer. Hardware and software firewalls work together to provide the greatest degree of protection, so it's best to install and maintain both. However, hardware firewalls are your first line of defense against attacks or infections, and provide the most pervasive and wide-ranging type of protection.
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Wider Protection
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Typically, the router you use to connect your computer to the Internet also acts as your hardware firewall. A router protects every computer it is connected to, whether it is a single machine or a network of devices; therefore, one router can provide an umbrella of security, protecting multiple machines at once, usually right out of the box.
Packet Assessment
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Routers use packet filtering as a means for protecting computers. When information or a query comes in to the router from outside the network -- for example, via the Internet -- the router examines the packet of data to determine its source and content. Each router is preprogrammed with parameters which the router uses to determine if the packet is legitimate or dangerous. If the packet is legitimate, the information or query is then delivered to the computer or network; if not, it is turned away. Most routers allow you to further customize these parameters to include or exclude certain types of packets using Stateful Packet Inspection, or SPI.
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Stateful Packet Inspection
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SPI instructs routers to examine additional information about the packet to determine its legitimacy. These characteristics can include whether the incoming packet was sent as a response to an outgoing response, such as a Web page being called up when you type the domain name into a Web browser. Using SPI allows you even greater control over the type of packets your router allows -- and under which circumstances.
Software Benefits
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Hardware firewalls are effective at initially filtering out potential threats. However, software, such as anti-virus and firewall programs, refines the process and provides additional protection. Software firewalls are usually tied into a centralized database that is constantly updated by the manufacturer to reflect new potential threats; therefore, software firewalls protect against new threats more quickly than hardware can.
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