Who is Netgate?
Netgate is a network security and connectivity vendor that develops and supports firewall, Virtual Private Network (VPN), and routing solutions for enterprise, service provider, and public-sector environments.
- Commercial and open-source network security platforms based on the pfSense® project (network security)
- Firewall, VPN, and routing appliances for on-premises (on-prem) and edge deployments (network security)
- Virtual and cloud-native firewall and gateway offerings for public and private clouds (cloud security / virtual networking)
- Support, consulting, and training services for secure network design and pfSense-based deployments (professional services)
- Software leveraging widely used networking standards and protocols such as IP, VPN, and VLANs (network infrastructure)
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More About Netgate
Netgate focuses on network security and secure connectivity for organizations that require firewalling, VPN, and routing across data centers, branch offices, and cloud environments. Its offerings are closely associated with the pfSense® project (network security), an open-source firewall and router platform that is widely deployed by enterprises, service providers, educational institutions, and government entities. Netgate develops commercial versions and appliances based on this software, combining the open-source code base with hardware platforms, support, and lifecycle services that target production use.
Netgate’s hardware appliances (network security) are positioned for on-prem and edge use cases, such as perimeter firewalls, site-to-site VPN gateways, SD-WAN-style multi-WAN routing, and segmented internal networks. These appliances are typically deployed as network gateways, sitting at the boundary between internal networks and external networks such as the internet or partner connections. They commonly support functions such as stateful packet filtering, Network Address Translation (NAT), policy-based routing, and secure remote access, integrating with standard enterprise network topologies built around Ethernet switching and IP routing.
In addition to physical appliances, Netgate offers virtual and cloud deployments (cloud security / virtual networking), enabling similar firewall and VPN capabilities within public cloud environments or virtualized data centers. These instances integrate with virtual networks and cloud-native constructs, allowing organizations to standardize on a pfSense-based control plane while shifting workloads between on-prem and cloud infrastructure. This approach aligns with hybrid and multi-cloud architectures, where consistent network security policy and VPN connectivity are required across diverse infrastructure.
Netgate’s platforms commonly make use of widely recognized protocols and technologies such as Internet Protocol Security VPN (IPSec VPN), SSL/TLS-based remote access, virtual LANs (VLANs), dynamic routing protocols, and Domain Name System (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) services. Administrators typically manage systems through a web-based interface and can define granular firewall rules, traffic shaper policies, and VPN configurations that integrate with existing identity and infrastructure services. The technology stack is oriented toward interoperability with standard Ethernet/IP networks, commodity servers, and cloud provider networking primitives.
Beyond software and hardware, Netgate provides support subscriptions, professional services, and training (professional services) for organizations standardizing on pfSense-based solutions. These services cover areas such as design and deployment planning, configuration review, troubleshooting, and operational best practices for secure network architectures. In enterprise directories and marketplaces, Netgate fits into categories such as network firewalls, unified threat management-style gateway appliances, VPN gateways, and cloud firewall and gateway solutions, with a focus on pfSense-based network security platforms deployable across physical, virtual, and cloud environments.
Our description of Netgate. Updated December 2025.
