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    PfSense no DHCP on VLANs for UniFi WiFi controller

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • H
      Happydog
      last edited by

      No. Netgate 2100, UniFi PoE8 switch, UniFi AP and a PC (used to access the 2100; I bundle one with each Netgate). The problem must be somewhere in the Netgate setup. But there isn't much there in this basic config. DHCP Server is OK.
      Screenshot 2023-08-02 123210.png Screenshot 2023-08-02 203338.png

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      • H
        Happydog
        last edited by

        Screenshot 2023-08-02 203930.png

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        • R
          rcoleman-netgate Netgate @Happydog
          last edited by

          @Happydog Again - I don't see anything wrong with your 2100's configuration. It has to be on the Unifi.

          Ryan
          Repeat, after me: MESH IS THE DEVIL! MESH IS THE DEVIL!
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          • H
            Happydog
            last edited by

            Feel the same. Pretty simple setup and I've done a few. What are the settings in Pfsense to configure one of the LAN ports as a particular VLAN only? Just so I get it right.

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            • S
              SteveITS Galactic Empire @Happydog
              last edited by

              @Happydog to isolate a port: https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/netgate-2100/configuring-the-switch-ports.html

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              • bingo600B
                bingo600
                last edited by bingo600

                Just a thought ....

                Did you try to disable DHCP snooping on the unifi.
                I can't really decide if the below is for a switch or if it's also in the AP.
                Maybe try it .....

                From:
                https://evanmccann.net/blog/2021/11/unifi-advanced-wi-fi-settings

                5323c1c8-f7d2-4047-bf37-ae787ed65c4c-image.png

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                • H
                  Happydog
                  last edited by

                  Testing by connecting to a WiFi network on a VLAN network. That shows the client connecting but no IP address. Also connected a PC to a tagged port. Again no IP address.

                  stephenw10S johnpozJ R 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • H
                    Happydog
                    last edited by

                    Set up a couple VLANs on another system. Same thing. This is such basic stuff that there must be some easy solution. Disabled DHCP snooping and one wifi network came back to life. Another didn't. Same settings everywhere. And on a different system (1100). Need to go over this with a UniFi expert. I doubt this is a Pfsense or Netgate issue because all the other VALNs and associated networks are fine.

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                    • N
                      nimrod
                      last edited by nimrod

                      Go through this manual again

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WMyz7SVlrgc

                      I know this is basic stuff we are talking about here, but sometimes things get overlooked. It happened to me many times.

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @Happydog
                        last edited by

                        @Happydog said in PfSense no DHCP on VLANs for UniFi WiFi controller:

                        Also connected a PC to a tagged port. Again no IP address.

                        This could be read several ways. To test with a PC directly it has to be on an untagged port that's a member of the VLAN. Presumably on the unifi switch.

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                        • johnpozJ
                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @Happydog
                          last edited by

                          @Happydog said in PfSense no DHCP on VLANs for UniFi WiFi controller:

                          Also connected a PC to a tagged port. Again no IP address.

                          As @stephenw10 stated.. If your just going to connect a pc to a tagged port - the PC would have to be set to send and understand tags that it gets. this can be done in the driver in windows, and linux can be set to understand the tag as well.

                          But almost always these ports should be in the vlan untagged, with the pvid set to the vlan ID.

                          Single devices are normally in 1 vlan, so should be untagged. The only time you need to have tags is when your going to carry more than 1 vlan over the same wire.

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                          • R
                            rcoleman-netgate Netgate @Happydog
                            last edited by

                            @Happydog I'm thinking you haven't tagged the WiFi VLAN on the uplink port to the pfSense yet.

                            Ryan
                            Repeat, after me: MESH IS THE DEVIL! MESH IS THE DEVIL!
                            Requesting firmware for your Netgate device? https://go.netgate.com
                            Switching: Mikrotik, Netgear, Extreme
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                            • pfrickrollP
                              pfrickroll @rcoleman-netgate
                              last edited by

                              @Happydog I'm thinking you haven't tagged the WiFi VLAN on the uplink port to the pfSense yet.

                              I second that.

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                              • H
                                Happydog
                                last edited by

                                I think it's set up correctly. Tagging a port with a VLAN and connecting to a DHCP enabled device works fine. Connecting to a WiFi network with a VLAN tag takes a long time (5+ minutes) to get an IP and connect. The default LAN works fine. The settings in UniFi are very simple. I've done dozens of those setups. The Firewall on each VLAN has one allow all rule (for now).

                                R stephenw10S johnpozJ 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • R
                                  rcoleman-netgate Netgate @Happydog
                                  last edited by

                                  @Happydog said in PfSense no DHCP on VLANs for UniFi WiFi controller:

                                  Tagging a port with a VLAN and connecting to a DHCP enabled device works fine

                                  Does this DHCP lease appear in pfSense?

                                  Ryan
                                  Repeat, after me: MESH IS THE DEVIL! MESH IS THE DEVIL!
                                  Requesting firmware for your Netgate device? https://go.netgate.com
                                  Switching: Mikrotik, Netgear, Extreme
                                  Wireless: Aruba, Ubiquiti

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                                  • stephenw10S
                                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @Happydog
                                    last edited by

                                    @Happydog said in PfSense no DHCP on VLANs for UniFi WiFi controller:

                                    Connecting to a WiFi network with a VLAN tag takes a long time (5+ minutes)

                                    But a wifi client connected to it does eventually get a dhcp lease? In the expected subnet?

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                                    • johnpozJ
                                      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @Happydog
                                      last edited by johnpoz

                                      @Happydog said in PfSense no DHCP on VLANs for UniFi WiFi controller:

                                      VLAN tag takes a long time (5+ minutes) to get an IP

                                      Well why not just sniff on pfsense, or even look in the dhcp log.

                                      So for example here here is dhcp on a tagged vlan ID 4 on pfsense.. Here is my phone connecting - you can see the discover, the offer, the request and then the ack.

                                      dhcp.jpg

                                      The whole process took 2 seconds.

                                      Do you have like dhcp guarding or snooping enable in your unifi setup?

                                      dhcpsnoop.jpg

                                      edit:
                                      You could be having issue with broadcast being dropped? What firmware are you running on the AP... I recall there was some issue back a while ago where specific firmware had a problem with this.. Many moons ago that was, but maybe your firmware is really old? Could have something to do with band steering and client having actual issue with connecting, then once the wifi connection is actually made - then the dhcp has to happen.

                                      Heer you can see where my phone disconnected from the ssid it was on, connected to the other ssid that was the above dhcp logs and sniff. Time matches up, too bad it doesn't show seconds in the log.. but you can see where I moved from one ssid and then to another ssid and then the phone moved back to its preferred ssid. I have the ssids blocked out for privacy - ssids can be looked up in dbs online. And my ssids are very unique.. They are not just typical linksys ;)

                                      connected.jpg

                                      edit2: on your controller - on the dashboard, under wifi insights are you showing any problems in the connectivity tab with any problem clients listed, etc. Or any issues with any of the details shown there?

                                      connectivity.jpg

                                      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

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