Now Available: pfSense® CE 2.8.1-RELEASE

pfGeorge

pfSense software, the world’s leading firewall, router, and VPN solution, provides secure network edge and cloud networking solutions for millions of deployments worldwide.

We are excited to announce the release of pfSense Community Edition (CE) software version 2.8.1-RELEASE. This will be a maintenance software release primarily containing bug fixes. All pfSense CE users are encouraged to upgrade to this new version.

This 2.8.1-RELEASE version includes several bugfixes in the following areas:

DynamicDNS
PPPoE Interfaces
OpenVPN
Operating System Updates
Firewall Rules/NAT
System Logs
UPnP

Read the blog here:
https://www.netgate.com/blog/netgate-releases-pfsense-community-edition-version-2.8.1

Release Notes here:
https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/2-8-1.html

Waqar.UK

@pfGeorge

I get stable 2.8.1 offered, then when I try to upgrade, this error is seen

002021D2C8180000:error:0A000126:SSL routines:ssl3_read_n:unexpected eof while reading:/var/jenkins/workspace/pfSense-CE-snapshots-2_8_0-main/sources/FreeBSD-src-RELENG_2_8_0/crypto/openssl/ssl/record/rec_layer_s3.c:323: pfSense-repoc: failed to fetch the repo data

sokeada

Hello @Waqar.UK,

So you already upgraded to v2.8.1 without any issue but when you check for package or app update, you got error as you post?

Before upgrade to v2.8.1, you already remove some packages right?

fireodo

@pfGeorge

Hi,

update 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1 went smooth (except lcdproc that was "running wild" filling the syslog) - after another warm reboot all was fine!

Thanks,
fireodo

TommyMoo

I also updatet from 2.8.0 -> 2.8.1, went without any problems, and I didnt had to de-install aynthing... Thanks to developers and Beta testers!

Didnt had any issue, and Im seeing now, that SNORT shows finally in Dashboard the correct Description row with content...before update, its was showing the Description Row, but empty. Found no issue so far! Thanks!

Waqar.UK

@sokeada

I just upgraded to 2.8.1. Had to restart pfgblocker. Rebooted again as CPU was hovering at 59%. Once reboot took place it is now at 1%

randombits

I've a couple of random crash restarts since the update and this is the report of the last one.

Crash report begins.  Anonymous machine information:

amd64
15.0-CURRENT
FreeBSD 15.0-CURRENT #21 RELENG_2_8_1-n256095-47c932dcc0e9: Thu Aug 28 16:27:48 UTC 2025     root@pfsense-build-release-amd64-1.eng.atx.netgate.com:/var/jenkins/workspace/pfSense-CE-snapshots-2_8_1-main/obj/amd64/AupY3aTL/var/jenkins/workspace/pfSense-CE-

Crash report details:

PHP Errors:
[06-Sep-2025 01:06:00 Europe/London] PHP Fatal error:  Uncaught TypeError: posix_kill(): Argument #1 ($process_id) must be of type int, string given in /etc/inc/openvpn.inc:1552
Stack trace:
#0 /etc/inc/openvpn.inc(1552): posix_kill()
#1 /etc/inc/openvpn.inc(1575): openvpn_stop_process()
#2 /etc/inc/openvpn.inc(2494): openvpn_restart()
#3 /etc/inc/service-utils.inc(774): openvpn_restart_by_vpnid()
#4 /usr/local/pkg/servicewatchdog.inc(96): service_control_start()
#5 /usr/local/pkg/servicewatchdog_cron.php(30): servicewatchdog_check_services()
#6 {main}
  thrown in /etc/inc/openvpn.inc on line 1552



No FreeBSD crash data found.

fireodo

@randombits said in Now Available: pfSense CE 2.8.1-RELEASE:

Hi, as many posters have told this

servicewatchdog

is not a good Idea - watchdog is a "dumb" tool that creates more trouble than it resolves.

Another thing is - take a look at openvpn.inc on line 1552 to see whats there.
To the rest may a Specialist take a look.

My 2 cents,
fireodo

nimrod

Performed dirty upgrade from 2.8.1 RC to 2.8.1-RELEASE with zero issues.

randombits

@fireodo
Line 1552

		posix_kill($pid, SIGTERM);

And in some context

function openvpn_stop_process($mode, $settings) {
	global $g;

	$mode_id = openvpn_name($mode, $settings, 'generic');
	$pfile = g_get('varrun_path')."/openvpn_{$mode_id}.pid";
	if (file_exists($pfile)) {

		/* read the pid file */
		$pid = rtrim(file_get_contents($pfile));
		unlink($pfile);
		syslog(LOG_INFO, "OpenVPN terminate old pid: {$pid}");

		/* send a term signal to the process */
		posix_kill($pid, SIGTERM);

		/* wait until the process exits, or timeout and kill it */
		$i = 0;
		while (posix_kill($pid, 0)) {
			usleep(250000);
			if ($i > 10) {
				log_error(sprintf(gettext('OpenVPN ID %1$s PID %2$s still running, killing.'), $mode_id, $pid));
				posix_kill($pid, SIGKILL);
				usleep(500000);
			}
			$i++;
		}
	}
}

I'll stop the watchdog for the time being, it's never been a problem before.

fireodo

@randombits said in Now Available: pfSense CE 2.8.1-RELEASE:

I'll stop the watchdog for the time being, it's never been a problem before.

As I read the code (with my humble knowledge) the killing of the openvpn process was konflicting with watchdogtrying to restart the process (that was dead in his eyes). IMHO

randombits

@fireodo
It appears something like that, I've removed the Watchdog anyway and I'll see how it goes.

sandrinho1976

Any news for the Zabbix Proxy 7 package?