The Linksys HomeWRK is a two-node, mesh-enabled WiFi 6 router controlled via a mobile app. The appliance replaces employee’s existing home router and provides separate wireless networks for personal and business traffic. Fortinet’s security stack runs on the device and automatically blocks malware andransomware, prevents intrusions, and filters harmful content.
When it comes to securing the home network, enterprises want something that’s both easy to set up and isn’t a burden to manage. Meanwhile, employees want there to be a clear separation between the home and corporate network, Fortinet CMO John Maddison said.
The appliance doesn’t require users to be existing Fortinet customers. By default, management is handled via Linksys’ online dashboard, which allows the enterprise to control security policy for corporate communications, while enabling the employee to extend many of these same protections to their families.
Fortinet customers already using its FortiManager platform can also manage the HomeWRK like any other wireless access point, Maddison noted.
Like many of Fortinet’s existing appliances, security functionality is handled entirely on the device, but Maddison notes HomeWRK isn’t using the vendor’s proprietary security ASICs. The appliance also lacks any kind of SD-WAN functionality, like failover, found in other more advanced Forti-brand appliances like the FortiGate 40F.
The device does, however, enable quality of service (QoS) functionality to ensure latency and bandwidth sensitive applications — Zoom or Webex for example — aren’t interrupted by non-critical traffic like online games or video streaming. And while this feature is standard on most home routers, it typically requires manual configuration.
Source: SDX Central