With remote and hybrid work now the norm, Fortinet teamed up with Linksys today to launch a wireless router that packs enterprise-grade security into a consumer-friendly package.

The Linksys HomeWRK is a two-node, mesh-enabled WiFi 6 router controlled via a mobile app. The appliance replaces employee’s existing home router and provides separate wireless networks for personal and business traffic. Fortinet’s security stack runs on the device and automatically blocks malware and ransomware, prevents intrusions, and filters harmful content.

When it comes to securing the home network, enterprises want something that’s both easy to set up and isn’t a burden to manage. Meanwhile, employees want there to be a clear separation between the home and corporate network, Fortinet CMO John Maddison said.

The appliance doesn’t require users to be existing Fortinet customers. By default, management is handled via Linksys’ online dashboard, which allows the enterprise to control security policy for corporate communications, while enabling the employee to extend many of these same protections to their families.

Fortinet customers already using its FortiManager platform can also manage the HomeWRK like any other wireless access point, Maddison noted.

Like many of Fortinet’s existing appliances, security functionality is handled entirely on the device, but Maddison notes HomeWRK isn’t using the vendor’s proprietary security ASICs. The appliance also lacks any kind of SD-WAN functionality, like failover, found in other more advanced Forti-brand appliances like the FortiGate 40F.

The device does, however, enable quality of service (QoS) functionality to ensure latency and bandwidth sensitive applications — Zoom or Webex for example — aren’t interrupted by non-critical traffic like online games or video streaming. And while this feature is standard on most home routers, it typically requires manual configuration.

HomeWRK is available next month as a subscription service, however pricing has not yet been disclosed.

Fortinet’s collaboration with Linksys comes just days after Palo Alto Networks announced a similar product aimed at remote workers.

The new Okyo Garde — pronounced "guard" — integrates Palo Alto Networks' security capabilities into an Okyo mesh router that, like Fortinet’s HomeWRK, is controlled via a mobile app.

However, unlike HomeWRK, Palo Alto Network’s enterprise version offers cloud-based security via its Prisma Access secure access service edge (SASE) platform in addition to on-premises functionality.

The small-business-focused version is available now for $349 per year, and includes malware, ransomware prevention, phishing protection, and infected device detection. Meanwhile the enterprise-focused version is slated for release in early 2022.