Netgear launches cloud-managed security gateway for SMBs

NETGEAR has launched the PR30SG dual-WAN security gateway for small offices and branch sites, extending its cloud-managed router and security range to smaller locations.

The gateway is managed through NETGEAR Insight, the company's cloud platform for switches and access points. With the addition of the PR30SG, customers and managed service providers can manage networking and security through a single console.

The launch is aimed at small and midsize enterprises, distributed branch networks and the managed service providers that support them. It also expands NETGEAR's Pro Router range by bringing cloud-delivered security to lower-cost deployments, with the first year of security cover included with each device.

The product is intended to address a common market split, in which routers and security tools are often bought separately and managed through different systems. That can create extra administration for smaller IT teams, while service providers have to juggle multiple tools across customer estates.

Single console

Through Insight, administrators can view alerts, policies, traffic and device health across multiple sites. The platform also supports remote provisioning, allowing a unit to be shipped to a site and configured from the cloud without sending a technician.

For managed service providers, Insight includes multi-tenant management, enabling technicians to oversee several customer environments from one dashboard. The platform also integrates with professional services automation and remote monitoring and management tools, including ConnectWise, NinjaRMM, Datto and Autotask.

"Lean IT teams and branch offices have usually had to choose between an inexpensive router and a security stack they don't have the budget or staff to run," said Iphie Chen, Director of Product Management Enterprise, NETGEAR.

"The PR30SG gives them cloud-delivered security, managed in Insight alongside their switches and access points," Chen said.

Feature set

The PR30SG includes web filtering to block malicious and restricted sites, as well as intrusion detection to identify suspicious network behaviour in real time. The security licence is based on NETGEAR Exium and also includes SASE cloud security, which applies access controls and firewall policies before traffic reaches the local network.

The hardware supports dual-WAN failover and load balancing. If one internet link goes down, the gateway can switch automatically to a backup connection, while both links can also be used to share traffic.

A dedicated 2.5G WAN port is included for sites moving to multi-gigabit broadband services. The device also supports WireGuard and OpenVPN, alongside IPSec site-to-site and client-to-site virtual private networks.

The unit has a fanless design, allowing it to be placed in quieter office environments as well as wiring cupboards. It is also described as compliant with Section 889 requirements, which may matter in sectors such as healthcare, finance, education and government-adjacent environments.

Installed base

The launch also affects existing PR60X users. Those customers can add the same security layer with a licence rather than replacing hardware, allowing NETGEAR to extend the same security service across more of its installed router base.

Support for the new gateway includes 90 days of free 24/7 phone support and limited lifetime 24/7 online chat support. An optional Overdrive plan offers a two-hour response service-level agreement, and the hardware carries a limited lifetime warranty.

The PR30SG is being introduced in APAC with the first year of security included, while PR60X customers can add the same security layer through a new licence.