Connecting to the internet securely at home is no longer a matter of just enabling your antivirus and firewall software. We no longer connect using our PCs. Instead, many devices are connected to our networks, including smartphones, TVs, smart assistants, streaming boxes, games consoles, and even lightbulbs. I even have internet-connected curtains!

PCs and Smartphones have additional security enabled, but once you start looking at these other devices, you soon find that there are limitations. Hence, a home network security solution out of the box is a welcome product.

Wouldn’t it be fantastic if a box you could install on your network would help secure your internet connection before it even touches these devices? Well, it appears there are indeed such devices.

Enter the Bitdefender BOX, a device (or security hub) that protects all of our internet-connected devices from one single place. The BOX uses machine learning to pick up potential threats and filter unsafe data. It ensures that everything connected to your network is protected from intrusion as new threats are detected.

The Bitdefender BOX also includes software that you can install on your Windows, Mac OS, Android, and iOS devices. It works alongside the hub.

All of this is achieved by replacing your existing WiFi network with a new, highly secure version run from the hub. There is a short process where you will need to connect your devices to this new network. The most straightforward option I found was to disable my existing WiFi network on my ISP’s router and then click the hub via the Ethernet Port.

Suppose you have any network extensions such as a powerline ethernet connector. In that case, you also need to unplug this from your router and connect them to the Bitdefender BOX.

The app takes you through the process in a simple, step-by-step process, which is straightforward to follow. You should be able to keep it up and running. Further, it allows you to monitor threats and warnings moving forward efficiently. If you do get stuck, there is a free setup hotline that you can call 24 hours a day.

One of the things that caught my attention was the protection for younger internet users, including filtering and parental control. It includes ‘predator detection’ options which will come as a relief for parents of young children.

What Bitdefender is offering is not just a simple firewall for your home network. It is much more than a dedicated device protecting your home PCs and Laptops. It is also an IoT security platform protecting the smart devices that you might well have plugged in and forgotten.

The first year of updates is included in the price. However, you will need to subscribe after this to continue to receive updates.

Currently, the Bitdefender Box is priced at £129 and can be purchased directly from their website by clicking here.