Connect a firewall

This guide takes a ReadyWall from the box to being managed in ReadyView. You need:

• the firewall connected to the internet on its WAN port;
• a computer on the firewall's LAN, to sign in to its web interface;
• a ReadyView account with permission to add devices and to change firewalls.

#1. Bring the firewall online

1. Connect the firewall's WAN port to your modem or upstream router, and its LAN port to your switch.
2. Power it on and wait a few minutes for it to start.
3. From a computer on the LAN, sign in to the firewall's web interface.
4. Open Services > ReadyView > Settings. The ReadyView connection table at the top should show Status: Connected within a minute or two.

The firewall reaches ReadyView outbound on TCP 8883. If anything upstream filters outbound traffic, allow it as described in Firewall rules for cloud connectivity. If the status stays Not connected, see The firewall shows offline.

While you're on this page, note the Device ID (MAC) in the ReadyView connection table. You need it to claim the firewall.

#2. Claim the firewall

1. In ReadyView, open the site the firewall belongs to.
2. Click Add Device in the site's toolbar.
3. Under Claim Your Device, choose Enter MAC Address and enter the Device ID (MAC) from step 1.
4. Click Claim Device.

ReadyView recognizes the device as a firewall on its own. It appears under Devices > Firewalls in the site's menu, and its health shows in a Firewall section on the site's dashboard. It can take a minute or two to appear.

The firewall must have connected to ReadyView at least once before it can be claimed. If ReadyView says the MAC is claimed by another organization, contact ReadyLinks support.

#3. Add the ReadyView command key

Every change ReadyView sends is signed, and the firewall checks the signature with ReadyView's command key. Until the key is on the firewall, ReadyView can only show the firewall's settings.

1. In ReadyView, open the firewall and any section you'd change, such as Security > Firewall rules.
2. In the setup note, click Show command key, then Copy.
3. On the firewall, open Services > ReadyView > Settings and paste the key into ReadyView command key. It's 44 characters long and ends in =.
4. Click Save.

You add the key once per firewall. If ReadyView later says the key doesn't match, copy it again and paste it over the old one.

#4. Choose what ReadyView may change

On the same settings page, under Changes from ReadyView, tick each area you want to manage from ReadyView, then click Save. Everything is off on a new firewall.

A few common starting points:

See Settings on the firewall for every area. Refresh the ReadyView page after you save.

#5. Give your team access

Anyone who can see the site can see its firewalls, run tests, and read reports. To change a firewall, a person's role needs the Update Firewall Rules permission. Despite its name, it covers every firewall change, not just rules. See Roles and permissions.

#Recommended next steps

• Turn on gateway monitoring for each WAN in Network > Uplinks, so loss and latency charts and gateway alerts work. See Gateway monitoring.
• Set a backup password under Backups in Services > ReadyView > Settings, so ReadyView keeps encrypted copies of every configuration version. See Configuration backups.
• Check the alerts on the firewall's Overview tab, and turn on Firewall Alerts in your organization's notification settings. See Alerts.
• Update the firewall if Settings > Firmware and restarts shows updates. See Firmware and restarts.