10 Meraki MX Configuration Mistakes

3. Not Updating Firmware

Failure to update the firmware can lead to security vulnerabilities, bugs, and other issues. Keeping the firmware up to date is crucial to ensure the firewall runs smoothly. Navigate to the "Security appliance" tab, select "Appliance status," and check for available firmware updates. They should then apply the updates as necessary.

The process is the same for the wireless access points and the switches.

4. Misconfiguring Firewall Rules

Misconfigured firewall rules can result in either allowing too much or too little traffic. You should review the firewall rules and ensure they are configured correctly to allow the necessary traffic to pass through and block any unwanted traffic.

To configure layer 3 and layer 7 firewall rules, navigate to the "Security appliance" tab, select "Firewall," and click on the "Configure firewall" button. Here, nonprofits can create, modify, and delete firewall rules.

5. Not Configuring Content Filtering

Content filtering can help prevent users from accessing harmful or inappropriate content. Not configuring this can expose the network to potential security risks. To fix this, nonprofits should enable and configure content filtering to block access to unwanted content.

To configure content filtering, navigate to the "Security & SD-WAN" tab, and select "Content filtering, " From this page, you can check content and threat categories and perform category blocking, URL filtering, and search filtering. Nonprofits can enable content filtering and configure the settings to block unwanted content.

6. Not Using VLANs Correctly

VLANs can be used to separate network traffic and improve security. Not using them correctly can result in security issues and network performance problems. Nonprofits must create VLANs and configure them correctly to ensure that traffic is separated as intended.

To configure VLANs, navigate to the "Security & SD-WAN" tab, select "Addressing & VLANs," and click on the "VLANs" tab. Here, nonprofits can create VLANs and configure them to separate network traffic.

7. Misconfiguring NAT Rules

Misconfigured NAT rules can cause issues with inbound and outbound traffic. To fix this, nonprofits should review the NAT rules and ensure they are configured correctly to allow the necessary traffic to pass through the firewall.

To configure NAT rules, navigate to the "Security & SD-WAN" tab, and select "Firewall, " Under "Forwarding rules," you should see the 1:1 NAT rules section. Here, nonprofits can create, modify, and delete NAT rules.

8. Not Enabling Intrusion Prevention

Intrusion prevention can help prevent attacks and other security risks from penetrating the network. Not enabling this feature can leave the network vulnerable to potential threats. It's crucial to enable intrusion prevention and configure it to best fit the organization's security needs.

To enable intrusion prevention, navigate to the "Security & SD-WAN" tab and select "Threat protection, " Here, nonprofits can enable intrusion prevention and configure the settings to fit their security needs.

9. Not Configuring SNMP Settings

SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) monitors network devices and traffic. SNMP also allows network administrators to query devices for various information. Not configuring SNMP settings can make monitoring the firewall and diagnosing potential issues difficult. Nonprofits should enable SNMP and configure the settings as needed for monitoring purposes.

To configure SNMP settings, navigate to the "Organization" and "Organization settings tabs". Here, nonprofits can enable SNMP and configure the settings for monitoring purposes.

10. Not Configuring Link Aggregation

Link aggregation can be used to improve network performance and redundancy. Not configuring this feature can result in a bottleneck and network downtime in the event of a link failure. To fix this, you should configure link aggregation and ensure it functions properly.

To configure link aggregation, navigate to the "Switching"- "Monitor" – "Switch ports" tab, select any two ports, and click on the "Aggregate" tab. Here, nonprofits can configure link aggregation and ensure it functions properly.