>
    Strata Copilot
    Firewall Interfaces Overview
    Focus
    Focus
    1. Home
    2. Next-Generation Firewall
    3. Network
    4. Network > Interfaces
    5. Firewall Interfaces Overview
    Next-Generation Firewall

    Firewall Interfaces Overview

    Table of Contents

    Firewall Interfaces Overview

    The interface configurations of firewall data ports enable traffic to enter and exit the firewall. A Palo Alto Networks® firewall can operate in multiple deployments simultaneously because you can Configure Interfaces to support different deployments. For example, you can configure the Ethernet interfaces on a firewall for virtual wire, Layer 2, Layer 3, and tap mode. The interfaces that the firewall supports are:
    • Physical Interfaces—The firewall supports two types of media—copper and fiber optic—that can send and receive traffic at different transmission rates. You can configure Ethernet interfaces as the following types: tap, high availability (HA), log card (interface and subinterface), decrypt mirror, virtual wire (interface and subinterface), Layer 2 (interface and subinterface), Layer 3 (interface and subinterface), and aggregate Ethernet. The available interface types and transmission speeds vary by hardware model.
    • Logical Interfaces—These include virtual local area network (VLAN) interfaces, loopback interfaces, tunnel interfaces, and SD-WAN interfaces. You must set up the physical interface before defining a VLAN, SD-WAN, or tunnel interface.

    © 2025 Palo Alto Networks, Inc. All rights reserved.