Do Linode firewalls slow down websites?
Hi, I just configured firewall rules on my 2GB Linode, and I feel like they're now running slower. Is this normal behavior? I'm looking to configure blocking everything except ports 80 and 443, or manually block all ports except those (I already know how to configure it and it works), but when I configure it, the web pages I made inside my Linode take longer to respond.
1 Reply
jhartman
Linode Staff
When a firewall is directly installed on a Linode, it will utilize system resources processing and subsequently allowing or blocking inbound requests. As your total volume of traffic increases (regardless of benign or malicious origin), the CPU/memory usage of your firewall will also increase.
One way to reduce system-internal resource needs would be to make use of our Cloud Firewall since that processing does not require the use of Linode resources. For more information about configuring Cloud Firewall, be sure to check out the following guide:
Depending on your use-case, it may still be beneficial to use an internal and Cloud Firewall. In that case, be mindful of the order in which rules are applied:
- Inbound traffic is first regulated by external Cloud Firewalls before reaching the Linode, after which point the internal firewall will take effect.
- Outbound traffic is first regulated by the internal firewall before reaching the Cloud Firewall.
You can also use the command top to identify the usage of resources to identify the cause of your website slowing down: