Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Pfsense not responding to large packet pings

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    52 Posts 7 Posters 9.9k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      @gemeenaapje said in Pfsense not responding to large packet pings:

      70 fragments received

      That doesn't look like enough...

      What are the NICs you are passing though? How do they appear in pfSense in pciconf -lv for example?
      I could definitely believe this is some NIC hardware offloading or driver issue.

      The frame size us not really relevant here. I would expect to be able to pass a 65K packet in fragments over a link of any MTU size (within reason!). As long is it's correctly fragmented and assembled, which seems to be failing here.

      Steve

      johnpozJ G 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @stephenw10
        last edited by

        @stephenw10 said in Pfsense not responding to large packet pings:

        The frame size us not really relevant he

        Very true..

        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
        SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • G
          GemeenAapje @stephenw10
          last edited by

          @stephenw10 Hi Steve.
          Here's the results of that command....

          hostb0@pci0:0:0:0:	class=0x060000 card=0x197615ad chip=0x71908086 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = '440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX Host bridge'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = HOST-PCI
pcib1@pci0:0:1:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x00000000 chip=0x71918086 rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = '440BX/ZX/DX - 82443BX/ZX/DX AGP bridge'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
isab0@pci0:0:7:0:	class=0x060100 card=0x197615ad chip=0x71108086 rev=0x08 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = '82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ISA'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-ISA
atapci0@pci0:0:7:1:	class=0x01018a card=0x197615ad chip=0x71118086 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = '82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 IDE'
    class      = mass storage
    subclass   = ATA
intsmb0@pci0:0:7:3:	class=0x068000 card=0x197615ad chip=0x71138086 rev=0x08 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Intel Corporation'
    device     = '82371AB/EB/MB PIIX4 ACPI'
    class      = bridge
none0@pci0:0:7:7:	class=0x088000 card=0x074015ad chip=0x074015ad rev=0x10 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'Virtual Machine Communication Interface'
    class      = base peripheral
vgapci0@pci0:0:15:0:	class=0x030000 card=0x040515ad chip=0x040515ad rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'SVGA II Adapter'
    class      = display
    subclass   = VGA
mpt0@pci0:0:16:0:	class=0x010000 card=0x197615ad chip=0x00301000 rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Broadcom / LSI'
    device     = '53c1030 PCI-X Fusion-MPT Dual Ultra320 SCSI'
    class      = mass storage
    subclass   = SCSI
pcib2@pci0:0:17:0:	class=0x060401 card=0x079015ad chip=0x079015ad rev=0x02 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI bridge'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib3@pci0:0:21:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib4@pci0:0:21:1:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib5@pci0:0:21:2:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib6@pci0:0:21:3:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib7@pci0:0:21:4:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib8@pci0:0:21:5:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib9@pci0:0:21:6:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib10@pci0:0:21:7:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib11@pci0:0:22:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib12@pci0:0:22:1:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib13@pci0:0:22:2:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib14@pci0:0:22:3:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib15@pci0:0:22:4:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib16@pci0:0:22:5:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib17@pci0:0:22:6:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib18@pci0:0:22:7:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib19@pci0:0:23:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib20@pci0:0:23:1:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib21@pci0:0:23:2:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib22@pci0:0:23:3:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib23@pci0:0:23:4:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib24@pci0:0:23:5:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib25@pci0:0:23:6:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib26@pci0:0:23:7:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib27@pci0:0:24:0:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib28@pci0:0:24:1:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib29@pci0:0:24:2:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib30@pci0:0:24:3:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib31@pci0:0:24:4:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib32@pci0:0:24:5:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib33@pci0:0:24:6:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
pcib34@pci0:0:24:7:	class=0x060400 card=0x07a015ad chip=0x07a015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x01
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'PCI Express Root Port'
    class      = bridge
    subclass   = PCI-PCI
uhci0@pci0:2:0:0:	class=0x0c0300 card=0x197615ad chip=0x077415ad rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'USB1.1 UHCI Controller'
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
ehci0@pci0:2:3:0:	class=0x0c0320 card=0x077015ad chip=0x077015ad rev=0x00 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'USB2 EHCI Controller'
    class      = serial bus
    subclass   = USB
vmx0@pci0:3:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x07b015ad chip=0x07b015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'VMXNET3 Ethernet Controller'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
vmx1@pci0:11:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x07b015ad chip=0x07b015ad rev=0x01 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'VMware'
    device     = 'VMXNET3 Ethernet Controller'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
bxe0@pci0:19:0:0:	class=0x020000 card=0x3382103c chip=0x168e14e4 rev=0x10 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries'
    device     = 'NetXtreme II BCM57810 10 Gigabit Ethernet'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet
bxe1@pci0:19:0:1:	class=0x020000 card=0x3382103c chip=0x168e14e4 rev=0x10 hdr=0x00
    vendor     = 'Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries'
    device     = 'NetXtreme II BCM57810 10 Gigabit Ethernet'
    class      = network
    subclass   = ethernet

          Sorry I was mistaken also in that the VM NICs are connected in the guest. As backups I think, it's been so long since I set them up I forget.
          For the HP SFP+ NIC, one connects the server to the main switch (fibre). The other connects straight in from my fibre ISP

          temp.png

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • stephenw10S
            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
            last edited by

            Do you see the same thing if you use the vmx interfaces instead or is it just on the bxe NICs?

            Do you have all the hardware off-loading disabled?

            G 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • G
              GemeenAapje @stephenw10
              last edited by

              @stephenw10 said in Pfsense not responding to large packet pings:

              Do you see the same thing if you use the vmx interfaces instead or is it just on the bxe NICs?

              Do you have all the hardware off-loading disabled?

              I tried disabling the "disable" button (so enabling offload) one by one but that didn't help. So I disabled offloading again.

              The router is being used for a web server I run at home so I can't risk changing the settings and swapping NICs or my customers will get upset. Also took me so long just to get this working with all the vlans tags and stuff coming from the ISP.

              Is there anything else I could test?

              GertjanG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • GertjanG
                Gertjan @GemeenAapje
                last edited by

                @gemeenaapje said in Pfsense not responding to large packet pings:

                Is there anything else I could test?

                Yeah ;)
                Change the title of the thread, as it is pretty clear by know that "big packets" is a hardware/driver issue.
                Plenty of proof shown above that pfSense itself can go to 65xxx.

                @gemeenaapje said in Pfsense not responding to large packet pings:

                Also took me so long ....

                Well, let's say you're nothing finished yet.
                Go bare bone with pfsense, exclude the VM from the configuration and you're ok.
                The VM support might be able to tell you if very big packets are possible..

                No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                Edit : and where are the logs ??

                G 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • G
                  GemeenAapje @Gertjan
                  last edited by

                  @gertjan Can't change title, too much time has passed it says.

                  Other VMs respond fine to 65500 over the network. It's just pfsense which is using the direct passthrough of the additional NIC card.

                  It must be the drivers then, I just don't know where to start with it :-/ Linux is so difficult.

                  Having the VM gives me a huge advantage over bare bone in that I can, if necessary, quickly roll back broken upgrades or changes. I've done this many times and it reduces downtime for my business.

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • G
                    GemeenAapje
                    last edited by GemeenAapje

                    Ok something just came back to me!

                    I'm using the drivers on the pfsense box, not the VM. So the pfsense OS controls the drivers.

                    The commands for the drivers are here:
                    https://www.freebsd.org/cgi/man.cgi?query=bxe&sektion=4

                    I see settings there for offloading too.

                    Is it necessary for me to change some of these settings or should the normal web config page for pfsense control these too?

                    Here's a dump of some settings:

                    hw.bxe.udp_rss: 0

hw.bxe.autogreeen: 0

hw.bxe.mrrs: -1

hw.bxe.max_aggregation_size: 32768

hw.bxe.rx_budget: -1

hw.bxe.hc_tx_ticks: 50

hw.bxe.hc_rx_ticks: 25

hw.bxe.max_rx_bufs: 4080

hw.bxe.queue_count: 4

hw.bxe.interrupt_mode: 2

hw.bxe.debug: 0



dev.bxe.1.queue.3.nsegs_path2_errors: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.nsegs_path1_errors: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.tx_mq_not_empty: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.bd_avail_too_less_failures: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.tx_request_link_down_failures: 1

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.bxe_tx_mq_sc_state_failures: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.tx_queue_full_return: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_alloc_tpa: 64

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_alloc_sge: 1020

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_alloc_rx: 4080

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_alloc_tx: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_rx_sge_mapping_failed: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_rx_sge_alloc_failed: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_rx_tpa_mapping_failed: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_rx_tpa_alloc_failed: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_rx_bd_mapping_failed: 0

dev.bxe.1.queue.3.mbuf_rx_bd_alloc_failed: 0

dev.bxe.1.que
                    GertjanG 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • GertjanG
                      Gertjan @GemeenAapje
                      last edited by

                      @gemeenaapje said in Pfsense not responding to large packet pings:

                      Here's a dump of some settings:

                      Looks like these settings belong into /boot/loader.conf.local

                      No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                      Edit : and where are the logs ??

                      G 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • G
                        GemeenAapje @Gertjan
                        last edited by

                        @gertjan Looks like it's already disabled....

                        bxe1: flags=8943<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,PROMISC,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
	description: LAN
	options=120b8<VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,JUMBO_MTU,VLAN_HWCSUM,WOL_MAGIC,VLAN_HWFILTER>
	ether 10:60:4b:b4:a0:44
	inet6 fe80xxxxxxxxxxxa044%bxe1 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x4
	inet6 200xxxxxxxxxxxxx prefixlen 64
	inet 192.168.2.2 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.2.255
	media: Ethernet autoselect (10Gbase-SR <full-duplex>)
	status: active
	nd6 options=21<PERFORMNUD,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • G
                          GemeenAapje
                          last edited by

                          Strange, it looks like offloading (and other) settings are different for WAN vs LAN.

                          I've no idea what I should be using though.

                          
bxe0: flags=8843<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1508
	options=527bb<RXCSUM,TXCSUM,VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,JUMBO_MTU,VLAN_HWCSUM,TSO4,TSO6,LRO,WOL_MAGIC,VLAN_HWFILTER,VLAN_HWTSO>
	ether 10:60:4b:b4:a0:40
	inet6 fe80:***************40%bxe0 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x3
	media: Ethernet autoselect (10Gbase-SR <full-duplex>)
	status: active
	nd6 options=21<PERFORMNUD,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>

bxe1: flags=8943<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,PROMISC,SIMPLEX,MULTICAST> metric 0 mtu 1500
	description: LAN
	options=120b8<VLAN_MTU,VLAN_HWTAGGING,JUMBO_MTU,VLAN_HWCSUM,WOL_MAGIC,VLAN_HWFILTER>
	ether 10:60:4b:b4:a0:44
	inet6 fe80xxxxxxxxxxxa044%bxe1 prefixlen 64 scopeid 0x4
	inet6 200xxxxxxxxxxxxx prefixlen 64
	inet 192.168.2.2 netmask 0xffffff00 broadcast 192.168.2.255
	media: Ethernet autoselect (10Gbase-SR <full-duplex>)
	status: active
	nd6 options=21<PERFORMNUD,AUTO_LINKLOCAL>
                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • stephenw10S
                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                            last edited by

                            Do that have the same capabilities? Try: ifconfig -vvvma

                            Are those vmxnet NICs the pfSense VM has assigned currently?

                            If not try assigning one to something and see if that responds to large packets.

                            This seems likely to be an issue with the bxe driver or the NIC itself but we need to confirm that by, for example, showing vmx is not affected.

                            Steve

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • First post
                              Last post
                            Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.