How Do Proxy and Firewall Work Together to Secure My Network? or What’s the Best Way to Configure Pro

OP here—wow, thanks for all the insights! Didn’t realize how much config matters.

Tried pfSense + Squid like someone suggested, and it’s working smoother now. Still tweaking rules though.

Quick follow-up: How often do you guys update firewall/proxy settings? Monthly? Or only when issues pop up?