ASA5506-K9 ASA 5506X with Firepower

Sure it lost the functionality of a switch, but there is so much more that you can do with the this model than the ASA5505 that it replaced. It is now more closely related to the other models in the line up. Its faster, has firepower, supports better encryption (AES256GCM) for site to site tunnels and remote access using AnyConnect with IPSEC. All in about the same sized package. I use it for my home firewall and at work for training classes. A lot less bulky than our old choice the ASA5515. Great product.

i been using this for a couple years for my home network. it is basically the same thing as an enterprise level ASA firewall. i work on ASA firewalls all the time (although i have my firepower / amp / ips separate in that environment). i ordered the firepower / amp / IPS license that gave me a contract for technical support, which anyone in the industry knows Cisco has the best technical support out there. very knowledgeable and talented engineers. after my firepower / amp / IPS expires, i will buy the latest version and license it. i require high security even at home. i feel more comfortable behind a Cisco firewall . Cisco has the very best firewalls and networking devices in the industry .

I really like these ASA's are great with firepower, and a custom OS setup to capture networking packets and get IP Addresses of where its coming from, therefore I can block incoming attackers that are dangerous and their proxies, you can even make a cef ACL with the filename of the worm that just hit you and block it from spreading through the entire network and causing down time. I ordered two, one for my data center, and the other for my home network. Very fast shipping. Enough settings that'll take hours to setup. I did see results more time I put into it. Unfortunately... I did received a V02 model. Which is only able to last from what people are saying is like 180 days before some small part breaks on it that starts the CPU also known as a Clock tick tock to start the CPU before the systems BIOS is executed by the CPU, then the Boot Sector is read and written into RAM by a method called Boot Strapping. But none of this can happen with the Clocks life cycle completed. But I have seen in Certification Cloud books have DATA CENTER GEAR like this model saying that this type of gear needs to be replaced due to the heavy usage the network takes up per minute per throughout its life time while hosting a PUBLIC SERVICE LIKE A WEBSITE. Networking cables like Cat5 and Cat6 cables are only rated for that life cycle at that rate. I've owned a couple of Cisco ASA 5505's and Cisco ASA 5510 and the Cisco ASA 5505 failed after about that time frame as well. This particular Cisco ASA 5506-X has a base Control License. Which means it comes with the lowest amount of security out of the box that it can do, it would need a AMP and IPS/VPN license to improve the security on it which is like $550 for 1 year and $680 for 3 years,. but right now at this PRICE POINT for this unit and its abilities its, WORTH IT. A lot of the Open Source Networking Monitoring tools are kinda buggy and sometimes you will come back and it has completely crashed. The Cisco ASA 5506-X is preprogrammed to analyze and decipher a ton of protocols right off the start so you can start blocking them. A normal like netgear router doesn't even have these abilities. Any basic modem or basic router like most Wireless Routers we find at residential areas don't have these abilities that are helpful for preventing a cyber attack on your network. This Model has the ASA 9.6(1) and the ASDM is 7.6(1). The FIrePOWER software version is 5.4.1-211. I have looked online and the FirePOWER doesn't allow you to log into it because of an ERROR. People are reflashing the Flash images or getting a Cisco Service Contract which you have to pay for to upgrade your Devices or Reinstall a working Versions on their Software for FirePOWER. I contacted Cisco directly and they said it has No Warranty on these. These didn't come with 4GB Flash Memory like Amazon.Com said? They came with a complemental 8GB of Flash Memory. I was able to Download a several GB File in just a few minutes on a 100Mbps Cable Line while BLOCKING Cyber Attacks onto my network from multiple IP Addresses. On a basic residential modem/router combo would just continue to crash from the Cyber Attacks, but these maintain, we haven't had a outage in a long time.

Not a bad product expect for the targeted use audience (SOHO or office in a box type deployments) -> ie a 5505 replacement. Gains: More horsepower, gigabit interfaces, more robust FIREPOWER service (firewall) Lame: Lost EZVPN Client functionality -> only Site-2-Site VPN now available, lost switchport functionality (all ports are now L3) , lost the two embedded PoE ports from the 5505. Now if you wanted a separate VLAN for VoIP or a WAP -> you now have to do that in an external L2 switch or they have to be physical and on a separate L3 network (lame). Most people deployed the 5505 as a small office in a box config -> using the EZVPN client to connect up to a head end ASA vs needing an individual configuration on a tunnel by tunnel (site by site) basis (lame). Also the new FIREPOWER firewall appears powerful and cool but that is an additional SW license / subscription element. The subscription hook -> ie perpetual money streams Size -> this thing is the same height and width as the 5505 -> but it about 20% longer Was looking for a 5505 replacement that was faster and better -> 5506 is faster for sure, better (nope) but this is absolutely just different. If I was looking for an external switch and/or external PoE and was placing this in a "rackspace" environment, I would be probably be buying a 5515 (19 inch wide rackable gear) or higher and maybe doing S-2-S VPN configs anyways. Disappointed....

I've been a network engineer and architect for over 15 years, with most of the time configuring and installing Cisco gear. I bought this for my home for two goals - VPN in and better firewall protection than what an ASUS router comes in with. I prefer working on CLI, in the last few years with the push towards GUI, Cisco ASA's have become a lot less intuitive when configured from the CLI. GUI isn't so great either. I've known Cisco to provide hardware and then charge extra for Licenses to enable features in the Enterprise space. So for home use I expected them to ask more money for Firepower etc. I didn't feel the need for firepower so I didn't bother with that. I do care about ability to VPN in - which at the time when I purchased it was provided along with VPN client software for Windows and Mac (version 3.1). Now < 2 years later, after a routine OS upgrade on my MacBook, the VPN client stops working. I contact Cisco and jump through a few hoops just to get a ticket opened. And then I am told that I need to buy a contract/upgrade in order to download version 4.x. This to me is a new low for a company I once admired. I refuse to do that because I've already paid for that functionality when I bought the ASA. I expected a company like Cisco to support the features I paid for until the End of life of the product. I'm not expecting configuration or installation assistance or any new features from them. Simply a basic VPN client that was promised when I bought the Firewall. But their Supports unwillingness to do that leaves me with no choice but to stop supporting/recommending Cisco going forward. If you are a home user or a small business owner then give other competitors a fair shake.

A good step up from the 5505. I've never had trouble generating a Smartnet quote on these from Amazon. Stop complaining and buy a switch if you need switch ports. I've never found a more professionally developed and supported firewall for the money. These are probably a little too complex for the non-initiated computer user.

Have a long and happy history using the ASA series -- no thanks to Cisco business practices. This latest unit, delivered in mid-February 2018, had six-month old software pre-installed. As it turns out the software has a bug which limits its ability to function in my environment. Upon advising Cisco of this I was told that only the hardware was warranted and that to get the software fixed I would have to buy a SmartNet contract. For $120. I have no need for the entire range of Smartnet services -- I'd just like the latest version of the software which from the Release Notes appears to resolve the issue. The problem is minor and not worth returning the device.

This Cisco ASA is a great device to learn it's much larger brethren, it has changed from the original 5505 with the access ports and vlans. I personally love that they changed it to all routed ports since that's how the larger devices are setup. It's easier to learn the larger devices with an affordable model.

dopo aver interpellato diversi tecnici informatici ho recepito che solo tecnici che avevano fatto corsi di tre anni avrebbero potuto installarlo .. pertanto ho dovuto ripiegare ad altri prodotti che sono evidentemente piu semplici da installare ... ora ho due firewall nuovi ma installati di cui non so che farmene ...

Upgrading from Cisco ASA 5505. Faster boot time more internal storage and RAM, base license has 5 VLAN for enterprise level home configuration, inside, outside, DMZ, Guest network configuration. I recommend pairing it with a managed Cisco switch for port density and Firepower service. The 1GB interfaces are a nice update for transfer between internal networks.

Not an easy router/vpn appliance to setup. It’s very secure. Comes with 2 any connect vpn client licenses built in that auto download on SSL VPN connection, so no license purchase required if you’re ok with just a couple licenses. Lots of port setup options. Needs license for Firepower security.