pfSense + for Home User
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@stephenw10 Really? It's that simple? Thanks stephenw10. My only concern is I was looking on Netgate's website and they have the following notice: "If you need to reinstall your Home+Lab version, we will be unable to provide a no-cost upgrade path from pfSense CE" https://www.netgate.com/blog/addressing-changes-to-pfsense-plus-homelab
Just to be clear, I never paid for the pfSense + upgrade. Are you saying when I install on a new SSD (same computer) it will give me the option to install 24.11 without any of the subscriptions? If so, you have made me a happy man.
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As far as I know yes. As long as you are currently able to see the Plus pkg repos you should be able to. Since you are swapping out the SSD you will still have the old install to fall back on.
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@stephenw10 That's my problem. I have no idea what I did with the old install. I was looking for it all morning. Never knew I would need to keep it. Also, where do I see the "Plus pkg repos"? Are they somewhere on my current install i.e. 24.11?
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Go to System > Update > Settings to see what repo branch you're using. Then if you can see available packages in System > Packages you have access.
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@stephenw10 said in pfSense + for Home User:
System > Update > Setting
Thanks. So here's a couple of screenshots just to double check I'm good. (Thanks for your help)
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Yes, looks good. You would be seeing errors there otherwise.
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@stephenw10 Many thanks stephenw10
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@FrankZappa Sorry to be a pain, but those screenshots are from my current install on the failing SSD. The screenshots are NOT from the new SSD, which I have yet to install pfSense on.
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Yes. But since the NDI will remain the same the net installer should validate it and allow installing 24.11 directly.
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@stephenw10 Thank You Sir. Really appreciate the help.
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@FrankZappa This is just a follow-up on this thread. Stephenw10 is spot on. I installed pfSense on a brand new SSD (the same computer). It asked if I wanted 24.11. I said yes, and all is right with the world. My Netgate ID is registered, and I still have pfSense +. I'm pretty happy. The only thing that didn't work on the new SSD is OpenVPN. I'm not sure why the config settings are a problem. Also, many of my previous packages did not install. No problem, I reinstalled them. Regardless, my pfSense + license is still good (until Netgate removes me). Thanks stephenw10. I would have gone down an entirely different, more complicated path if not for you.
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@FrankZappa said in pfSense + for Home User:
many of my previous packages did not install.
If you've used the config.xml from the old system, all the package info should be in there. If the packages were not present (installed) on the new system, but referenced as installed in the imported config file, the new pfSense will auto install them.
IRC, this will happen in the back ground, and while this is ongoing, a banner will mention this on the dashboard (not sure).If packages still didn't come over, its 'look at the logs and your imported config file' time.
After all, if parts of the info didn't came over it's pretty clear that you don't have the entire list of the "what didn't make it".
Parts of what OpenVPN needs, like certificates and defined OpenVPN users could be one of them. -
I have sometimes needed to restore a config twice to get the packages. Usually when a config requires something significantly different on WAN to get connectivity so fails the first time around. You can just manually install the packages but often simply restoring the config again is easier.
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@stephenw10 Everything working fine now. OpenVPN suddenly started working as well. All good. Thanks for everyone's help. As an aside, I'm totally bummed that Netgate is moving to a subscription based service. I understand no company makes money giving stuff away for free. However, that's not how it was presented to us when Netgate encouraged us to move to PfSense + Home/Lab, only to then take it way from us. I really like pfSense, but for $129 a year it seems a little overpriced for home use.. I know I can downgrade to CE, but how long will that be free, or even in existence? I'll stay on pfSense + until I no longer can, but I will likely move to another product e.g. OpenSense when the time comes. I even have the pfSense swag all over my computer and comms closet in my home. Oh well, such is life in the world of business.
