Can't access the WebGUI or Serial (Netgate 1100)
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Hardware: Netgate 1100 (https://shop.netgate.com/products/1100-pfsense)
Guide: https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/sg-1100/connect-to-console.htmlTroubleshooting step(s)
(1) Changed the cable from a small USB (B Micro) - to a regular USB (A Regular) to a different one of the same USB types (one was to charge a raspberry pi and one was a phone charger)(2) Changed computers from my windows 10 desktop PC to my windows 11 Laptop (nothing showed up when the console cable was connected and connecting via Putty just presented a blank screen.
(3) Installed a different (earlier) version of the prolific USB-to-Serial driver and then the latest version (https://prolificusa.com/product/pl2303gl-8-pin-usb-uart-bridge-controller/)
(4) Ensured my settings on Putty are:
Serial Line: COM1/COM2 (COM3 not present)
Data bits: 8
Stop Bits 1
Parity: None
Flow Control: XON/XOFF(5) Searched through the forums for the same problem and couldn't find it:
https://forum.netgate.com/search?in=titles&term=USB%20to%20Serial&matchWords=all&by=&categories[]=66&searchChildren=false&hasTags=&replies=&repliesFilter=atleast&timeFilter=newer&timeRange=&sortBy=relevance&sortDirection=desc&showAs=postsAdditional context
I set this up a while back (at least 6 months) and got it to the point where it was working fine and I needed to set it up correctly. I'm coming back to it now and it still allows me to connect to the network (setup: ISP Router -> Netgear 1100 -> My PC) but it only connects me to my ISP router and I can't find any way to access the Netgear 1100 at all.Question
How can I connect to the device either through the webgui or Serial port as nothing is working for me, I've tried most troubleshooting steps, I want to avoid factory-resetting if possible, thanks. -
J jimp moved this topic from Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software on
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@KarloJordan said in Can't access the WebGUI or Serial (Netgate 1100):
nothing showed up when the console cable was connected and connecting via Putty just presented a blank screen
So you do see the console device appear on the client machine when you connect the USB cable?
When you connect to the upstream ISP router is your client getting an IP address from it dircetly? Not from the 1100?
It sounds like the 1100 may not be booting at all. Do you see the green-circle power LED lit?
Did the console work previously?
Steve
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@stephenw10 Hi Steve, thanks for the response.
So you do see the console device appear on the client machine when you connect the USB cable?
No, it's not showing up at all. I've checked the device manager of both the windows 10 and windows 11 devices (including refreshing for hardware changes).When you connect to the upstream ISP router is your client getting an IP address from it dircetly? Not from the 1100?
If I understand your question correctly then yes. My device is connected to the 1100 directly and the 1100 is connected to the ISP via the WAN port. My device appears to be getting an IP straight from the ISP router , it's almost like my 1100 is acting as a access point.It sounds like the 1100 may not be booting at all. Do you see the green-circle power LED lit?
There is a green circle (Solid Green), a Blue square (Not powered at all) and a Diamond which is flashing green every second or so).Did the console work previously?
Yes, the console worked previously but that was almost 6months to a year ago and I can't remember how I got it working. -
Hmm, if it's not booting at all and it's running an old loader version it could be acting like a switch.
However the fact the green circle is solid and the black diamond is flashing implies it is booting.
It isn't booting fully though. The black diamond should stop flashing and go solid when it completes boot.
I would try another USB cable if you can. There are quite a few charge only USB micro cables which don't work for this.
Even if the driver fails to load you should see something in Windows devices manager when connecting the cable.
Steve
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@stephenw10 That's really interesting, I didn't know that was the light behavior. I've got no more USB devices to try so I'll have to factory-reset it and see if the light stops flashing.
I restarted it (before factory resetting the 1100) and it flashes intensely for 2-3mins and then goes solid green, then shortly after continued slow flashing. I've factory reset the 1100 by pressing in the pin on the device for like 20 seconds. Once it's loaded up again it's now solid green. but it's still not showing up on the USB COM port like it used to.
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The reset button on the 1100 does not reset the config it just reboots the hardware.
However your description of the black diamond LED sounds like it is in fact booting correctly. And that after it boots it finds an available update, which is what the slow flash indicates:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/solutions/sg-1100/io-ports.html#led-patternsIf that's the case and you can still hit the ISP router through the 1100 then either it's specifically configured as a switch or bridge or somehow the switch is failing to be configured.
Did you ever configure it like that?If you look at the ISP routers dhcp leases is the 1100 pulling an IP?
Ultimately though you probably need to connect to the USB console to see what's happening.
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@stephenw10 Ah ok gotcha. Yeah, I've attempted to reset the device by powering it up while holding the reset button but it appears to have continued. This time it's a Solid green light for both the power and the latest version but there's still no console option. I've tried this on a 3rd computer now, still no luck.
I can't access 192.168.1.1 while connected to the LAN or WAN ports via ethernet and there's still not even the option of a COM port happening. I'm fairly sure that if I could get a COM port to show up and I could connect to it, that I could figure it out from there. Do you have any ideas why it's not working?
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We did see some USB cables that were physically not long enough to connect to the port. We had to source some that were specifically the standard length plug as laid out in the specs. Those are supplied with it.
Do you have any idea how it was configured when you last used it? It may not be using 192.168.1.1 any longer. Have you tried the OPT port?
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@stephenw10 I hate to Necro a post that's a few months old but I finally got around to testing it again and, while I still can't get any COM port showing up while connected via USB-C, I am able to get a COM Post showing up via a console cable (USB to Ethernet) which presents an available COM port regardless of what I plug it into on the Netgear device. The issue is that nothing shows up no matter what I do. Even when i restart it no logo shows up or anything. I've followed the console settings for Putty to the letter. Any possible solutions you can think of?
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Do you mean USB to RJ-45? USB to Ethernet would not show as a serial device.
The RJ-45 ports on the 1100 are all Ethernet though. You can only connect to the console using the USB-micro socket.
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@stephenw10 I believe it's called a console cable, the connector on one end is a USB and the other end is an Ethernet clip like an RJ-45
It looks identical to this:
https://pactech-inc.com/product/console-cable-usb-2-0-a-male-to-rj45-grey-6ft/ -
Yes that's a USB to serial cable just terminated in an RJ-45. That can't be used with the 1100.
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@stephenw10 Crap, back to square one then. Can you link a cable that would 100% work? According to the documentation here (Netgate documentation) it needs a:
USB Micro-B (5-pin) connector on one end and a regular USB Type A plug on the other end
I'm fairly sure that I've been using a USB-C so that might be why it's not working. Would this (Amazon link) cable 100% work?
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Yes almost any USB to USB micro cable should work. So most phone charging cables for any Android phone (before USB-C).
The exceptions are some very cheap cables only carry power and not data so won't work.
Some cables have a plug on the USB-micro end that isn't physically long enough to fully connect. -
ridiculous that warned against when commenting on old post, when this is the top result for this issue. ok, rant over. important to know that the fitment of the supplied micro usb cable to the appliance port is just sloppy. brand new device out of the box with the supplied usb cord.. have to gingerly place the box and cable just right to get connection. got clued in to this by turning volume way up to hear the occasional device connection sound.
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Hmm, that shouldn't be the case. Was it one of the very early 1100s maybe? I think we changed the supplied cable to one with a longer exposed plug at one point. Many micro-usb cables don't actually meet the spec on that, unfortunately. So if you use a different cable it should work but ymmv!
