WatchGuard Firebox M290 end of life
Firebox M Series · also known as M290, WatchGuard M290
Status
Checked 30 Sep 2026Firebox M290 is no longer sold but is still supported until 1 Jul 2031. No urgent action; plan for replacement.
- 1End of sale 1 Aug 2026 (2 months ago)
- 2Last date of support 1 Jul 2031 (in 5 years)
Key dates
Every date links to WatchGuard's own page| Milestone | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|
| End of sale | 1 Aug 20262 months ago | Vendor bulletin ↗ |
| End of software maintenance | Not announced | – |
| End of vulnerability support | Not announced | – |
| Last date of support | 1 Jul 2031in 5 years | Vendor bulletin ↗ |
WatchGuard lists only End of Sale and End of Life. End of Life is recorded here as last date of support; WatchGuard does not publish separate software maintenance or vulnerability support dates on this page.
What this means for your business
- Security patches should continue until support ends, but spares and new licences may get harder to buy.
- Cyber insurance questionnaires increasingly ask whether any equipment is unsupported or past end of life.
- Planning early avoids an emergency swap at the end of support.
- This is general information, not legal or insurance advice.
Replacement options
WatchGuard's named successor: Firebox M295 (source).
Vendor-neutral options to consider:
- Fortinet FortiGate (entry range)
- Ubiquiti UniFi Cloud Gateway
- MikroTik RouterOS appliances
The right replacement depends on your sites, users and licensing, and is often cheaper than a like-for-like swap.
Keep or replace? Quick checklist
- Is it your internet-facing firewall?
- Do you have remote staff connecting through it?
- Is your cyber insurance renewal in the next 6 months?
- Do you store client or financial data behind it?
- Is it running old firmware, or does it have no active vendor licence?
Two or more “yes” answers on an unsupported or soon-to-be-unsupported device is a good reason to get advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Firebox M290 still safe to use?
WatchGuard still supports the Firebox M290, so it can still receive security fixes, but it is no longer sold. Plan a replacement before support ends.
What replaced the Firebox M290?
WatchGuard's own bulletin names the Firebox M295 as the replacement. The right choice still depends on your sites, users and licensing.
Where do these dates come from?
From WatchGuard's own lifecycle bulletins. Each date in the table links to its source, with the date we last checked it. Always confirm with WatchGuard before making decisions.