The third filtering option is the hardware filter. Every computer or device in the home, which is connected to the Internet, connects through some sort of residential Internet gateway (commonly referred to as a router). Typically, these gateways only serve one purpose: sharing the Internet access across all of the Internet capable devices in the home. In this third filtering option, the typical gateway is replaced with a gateway which includes filtering. Like the software filter, the hardware filter can provide a number of different features ranging from basic filtering to user access control and more. Since the hardware filter becomes the gateway for the home network, any device attempting to access the network through the gateway is filtered subject to the rules of that gateway. Therefore, the hardware filter has the significant advantage of forcing filtering and rules on all devices, regardless of the type of device or operating system. Second, the only way a gateway filter can be defeated is by physically removing the filter and replacing it with another gateway. This can be prevented very simply by placing the gateway and your ISP’s modem in a locking cabinet.

As with all products, there are pros and cons to each. In this case, the use of a hardware firewall requires an investment in the hardware and either a continuing investment in the service or a moderate level of technical skill to maintain the device. In the past, hardware filters have had a bad reputation of slightly degrading the performance of an Internet connection. As the hardware has advanced, this has become less of a problem.