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

    pfSense on Watchguard M270

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
    133 Posts 18 Posters 34.4k 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.
    • R
      reiter_f @stephenw10
      last edited by reiter_f

      i have found the mistake :) ...

      i deleted all the interfaces and made them new ix1.### ( ### are now the same number as the Vlans from the skript )

      now i can use all seperate Ports with seperate Vlans ...

      (WAN-DHCP dosen't work but i think i'll start the config again with cloneing my disk from my hyper-V setup)

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
      • R
        reiter_f @stephenw10
        last edited by

        @stephenw10

        I started the setup now new. the mistake of the WAN DHCP was that i did not to the WAN interface in the VLAN (ix0.###) now every thing works.

        thank you for our support, now i'll be able to change all M270s to PFsense.

        if it would help someone ... this was my skript, it run while booting in crontab

        /usr/local/bin/setup_switch.sh

        #!/bin/sh
        #
        # Script to setup the switch in the M270
        #
        
        echo "Congifguring switch ... "
        logger Configuring switch ...
        
        etherswitchcfg config vlan_mode DOT1Q
        
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup0 vlan 1 members 1,9t
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup1 vlan 101 members 2,10t
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup2 vlan 102 members 3,10t
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup3 vlan 103 members 4,10t
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup4 vlan 104 members 5,10t
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup5 vlan 105 members 6,10t
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup6 vlan 106 members 7,10t
        etherswitchcfg vlangroup7 vlan 107 members 8,10t
        
        etherswitchcfg port1 pvid 1
        etherswitchcfg port2 pvid 101
        etherswitchcfg port3 pvid 102
        etherswitchcfg port4 pvid 103
        etherswitchcfg port5 pvid 104
        etherswitchcfg port6 pvid 105
        etherswitchcfg port7 pvid 106
        etherswitchcfg port8 pvid 107
        
        etherswitchcfg port1 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port2 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port3 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port4 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port5 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port6 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port7 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port8 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port9 forwarding
        etherswitchcfg port10 forwarding
        
        echo "done"
        logger done
        

        then i've done the " 1) Assing Interfaces" - configuration
        with creating on ix0 the Vlan 1 (ix0.1), on ix1 the Vlans 101-107 (ix1.101, ... ,ix1.107)
        (finisching without selecting/using the ix0 and ix1)
        and at last " 2) Setup interface(s) IP adress"

        *** Welcome to Netgate pfSense Plus 23.05-RELEASE (amd64) on pfSense ***
        
         WAN (wan)       -> ix0.1      -> v4/DHCP4: 192.168.16.58/24
         LAN (lan)       -> ix1.101    -> v4: 192.168.2.1/24
         OPT1 (opt1)     -> ix1.102    -> v4: 192.168.102.1/24
         OPT2 (opt2)     -> ix1.103    ->
         OPT3 (opt3)     -> ix1.104    ->
         OPT4 (opt4)     -> ix1.105    ->
         OPT5 (opt5)     -> ix1.106    ->
         OPT6 (opt6)     -> ix1.107    ->
        
         0) Logout (SSH only)                  9) pfTop
         1) Assign Interfaces                 10) Filter Logs
         2) Set interface(s) IP address       11) Restart webConfigurator
         3) Reset webConfigurator password    12) PHP shell + Netgate pfSense Plus tools
         4) Reset to factory defaults         13) Update from console
         5) Reboot system                     14) Enable Secure Shell (sshd)
         6) Halt system                       15) Restore recent configuration
         7) Ping host                         16) Restart PHP-FPM
         8) Shell
        

        the result was:

        [23.05-RELEASE][root@pfSense.home.arpa]/usr/local/bin: etherswitchcfg
        etherswitch0: VLAN mode: DOT1Q
        port1:
                pvid: 1
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex>)
                status: active
        port2:
                pvid: 101
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (1000baseT <full-duplex>)
                status: active
        port3:
                pvid: 102
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (none)
                status: no carrier
        port4:
                pvid: 103
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (none)
                status: no carrier
        port5:
                pvid: 104
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (none)
                status: no carrier
        port6:
                pvid: 105
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (none)
                status: no carrier
        port7:
                pvid: 106
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (none)
                status: no carrier
        port8:
                pvid: 107
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=0<>
                media: Ethernet autoselect (none)
                status: no carrier
        port9:
                pvid: 1
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=1<CPUPORT>
                media: Ethernet 2500Base-KX <full-duplex>
                status: active
        port10:
                pvid: 1
                state=8<FORWARDING>
                flags=1<CPUPORT>
                media: Ethernet 2500Base-KX <full-duplex>
                status: active
        vlangroup0:
                vlan: 1
                members 1,9t
        vlangroup1:
                vlan: 101
                members 2,10t
        vlangroup2:
                vlan: 102
                members 3,10t
        vlangroup3:
                vlan: 103
                members 4,10t
        vlangroup4:
                vlan: 104
                members 5,10t
        vlangroup5:
                vlan: 105
                members 6,10t
        vlangroup6:
                vlan: 106
                members 7,10t
        vlangroup7:
                vlan: 107
                members 8,10t
        

        and now only the Firewall-configuration with the web-gui 192.168.2.1

        thanks for all the help 👍

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          Be careful using VLAN1. I would try to avoid that if possible.
          https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/vlan/security.html#using-the-default-vlan-1

          Steve

          R 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • R
            reiter_f @stephenw10
            last edited by

            @stephenw10
            thanks, i will change it

            mr.roshM 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • mr.roshM
              mr.rosh @reiter_f
              last edited by

              Hi All,

              Could someone with BIOS password for Watchguard M270, please share with me. i've got a Watchguard M270 from eWaste, and keen to have pfsense plus on it.
              thanks.

              K 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • S
                shaker
                last edited by shaker

                Hey guys, one more question.
                I like to use the M270's WAN on my modem and the PPPoE to connect to the internet.
                Generally it works, the pfsense is online. But something is wrong. I can scan for latest versions, I can DNSlookup google, but nothing more. I can not reach servers via ping or visit websites on LAN.
                Firewall settings are checked. It might be something different.
                Could it has something to do with VLAN setting on the WAN? Can I configure the M270 to have no VLAN on WAN, but VLANs on all LAN ports?

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

                  If DNS lookup from the gui works and returns results from all configured servers you must have two way traffic on WAN. So that implies the switch/vlan settings must be correct.

                  Are you testing ping from the webgui? What error is shown?

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • K
                    Kieran_ @mr.rosh
                    last edited by

                    This post is deleted!
                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • S
                      shaker
                      last edited by

                      Sorry for the late answer.
                      I really don't know why it was not working. But I tried it out twice again, and now it is fine. In my opinion I did the same, but anyway.

                      One other thing:
                      In the post from Apr. 16th you, @stephenw10 ,described to use ports as a LAGG. Can somebody let me know, what I have to change in the script, when I like to link port 2 and 3 together?
                      Finally I need only one VLAN on them, cause I use then the pfsense as the router to connect the ISP via PPPoE and link another main router behind on the LAGG to extend the networks behind.
                      Maybe this is working well.

                      But I wasn't sure to try it out, because with the script I have, I can add LAGGs to ix0 or ix1 only at the moment. I think that's not a good idea and I may loose connection to the webGUI without doing it correctly.

                      Thank you

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

                        Hmm, you want to add a LAGG between switch ports 2 & 3 to some other router? Not a switch?

                        The NICs in the M270, ix0 and ix1, are connected to switch ports 9 and 10. You can LAGG ix0 and ix1 to the internal switch if you want to but you don't really gain anything by doing so.

                        The biggest issue is that the internal switch can only do a load-balance LAGG, it cannot do LACP. So that makes it quite limited.

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • P
                          psp
                          last edited by

                          Upgraded from 23.05.1 to 23.09 without problems.

                          Just re-add (from serial console, after update) to /boot/device.hints the lines to load the drivers:

                          hint.mdio.0.at="ix1"
                          hint.e6000sw.0.addr=0
                          hint.e6000sw.0.is6190=1
                          hint.e6000sw.0.port0disabled=1
                          hint.e6000sw.0.port9cpu=1
                          hint.e6000sw.0.port10cpu=1
                          hint.e6000sw.0.port9speed=2500
                          hint.e6000sw.0.port10speed=2500

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • S
                            shaker
                            last edited by

                            Is the solution now not interesting any more for private use, due to the information that the plus licence become no free access any more?
                            I don't need the plus licence, but there was no solution for the CE one with the M270.
                            What are your plannings in the next month, WHO written in this post before?

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

                              Currently that's still true. It will only run with Plus because of the requirement for the specially modified ixgbe driver.

                              But there may be other options.

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • S
                                shaker
                                last edited by

                                Other options coming or there are some already. Can you give updates about the news here?

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

                                  Nothing yet. If you already had a plus sub it will still be valid though.

                                  N 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • N
                                    New2This @stephenw10
                                    last edited by

                                    @stephenw10 How are you guys getting the plus version even installed. I have my M270 with a fresh install of CE 2.7.0. i have IP'S assigned to my WAN and LAN interfaces but since they are not UP, i cant connect to the webgui or ping from my laptop.
                                    With the interfaces being in a down state, how do you upgrade to plus?

                                    Thank you in advance,

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

                                      When I did it I installed it in something else first then moved the drive into the m270. Of course that's easier for me as I have numerous other things I can do it with and no issues with upgrading. 😉

                                      If you have a Plus sub already on some other NDI we can probably migrate it to the m270 if/when you move the drive.

                                      Steve

                                      N 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • N
                                        New2This @stephenw10
                                        last edited by

                                        @stephenw10 Man i really appreciate you guys help. Ive been looking at you guys post on this for a few weeks. Reading it and rereading them. Trying to understand whats being said and talked about. This is my first time trying this so its COMPLETELY new to me.

                                        So, i dont have another device that i can put the msata drive into upgrade the install to Plus so, i guess Ill have to try the USB dongle route. I looked back over other post about what a "NDI" is and all that, cant say that i completely get it but, Im going down the rabbit hole with this build now. Ill try to connect a dongle in the next few days and see if i can get access to the M270's gui.

                                        IF i do and can get the Plus upgrade done. I guess the next thing would be the "Hints" i keep reading about and interface Scripts. Is there a past post im missing that say's How To create the scripts in Pfsense? I literally have NEVER created one. I see people have shared their Script but, from what ive read you shouldnt just copy the script and save it into Pfsense. So, if theres a past post where someone has listed the commands and steps I would really be grateful.

                                        Thank you guys for sharing your knowledge!

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

                                          You can use the build in Easy Editor ,ee, at the command line to create a script.

                                          Or, once you have access to the GUI via a USB NIC, just use the included Diag > Edit File function.

                                          N 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • N
                                            New2This @stephenw10
                                            last edited by

                                            @stephenw10 Excellent.

                                            I will give that a try and let you know how it goes.

                                            PS, The BIOS password works!!!

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