Could pfsense do this?
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currently we have a windows box serving as a file server as well as 3cx pbx voip system to our cisco phones. which connect to a normal 10/100 router. the problem we're having is the internet keeps dropping out we do have permission from the business next door that we can use theres when ours fails. so:-
could we convert this windows box into a pfsense box and wireless bridge into next doors connection when ours drops out?
can pfsense give priorty to our cisco ip phones when needed so that the call doesnt break up as much?
noticed that there is a voip prgram add on free switch is this widely used and does it work well?
are we able to get rid of our linksys router and install an adsl card into the pf box also if we do this (bearing in mind our network is all 1gb, other than the linksys router) would this give us 1gb lan every where?
could we virtualise this on the windows box for the time being then once we can justify it have a dedicated pf box along side freenas box do they play nice together?sorry for all the questions just need to know if this is the right solution for us before investing time and money into it. thanks for any replys :)
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could we convert this windows box into a pfsense box and wireless bridge into next doors connection when ours drops out?
MultiWAN with failover? Yes. You'd need the right wireless hardware.
can pfsense give priorty to our cisco ip phones when needed so that the call doesnt break up as much?
Traffic shaping? Yes
@aftermarket:noticed that there is a voip prgram add on free switch is this widely used and does it work well?
It is widely used but I haven't used it. I don't know about compatibility with your phones. Google it.
@aftermarket:are we able to get rid of our linksys router and install an adsl card into the pf box also if we do this (bearing in mind our network is all 1gb, other than the linksys router) would this give us 1gb lan every where?
pfSense doesn't support any adsl hardware directly so you need to use an ADSL modem or a router in bridge mode. You can get some that are built onto a pci card if you need to have it internal. Link.
@aftermarket:could we virtualise this on the windows box for the time being then once we can justify it have a dedicated pf box along side freenas box do they play nice together?
You can run pfSense virtualised.
Steve
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are we able to get rid of our linksys router and install an adsl card into the pf box also if we do this (bearing in mind our network is all 1gb, other than the linksys router) would this give us 1gb lan every where?
The speed of your LAN has nothing to do with your router.
LAN-local speed is only determined by the speed of your switches. -
The speed of your LAN has nothing to do with your router.
LAN-local speed is only determined by the speed of your switches.sorry i meant when transferring files around the office as everything would then be 1gb
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Transferring files around your office is only in your LAN.
It should never go over your firewall. -
sorry if this sounds silly as this is all new but normally the files would go via the router which is the weak link in the network (only 10/100 capable) if the pf box was managing the network would the files not go via that box instead of the router?
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Can you draw a diagram of your network?
The way i see it what you have from your description:
internet_next_door
|
|backuplink
| /–-- server
| /
internet------- router-------switch-----clients
--- pbxTraffic from your clients only goes over the switch.
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yea thats more or less correct,
internet_next_door
|
|backuplink
| /–-- server/pbx
| /
internet------- router-------switch-----clientsso would pf not be able to completely replace the router?
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your diagram doesn't show any voip devices
edit: typo
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Are you saying that your existing router has a switch in it (it has 4 lan ports for example) and those are 10/100?
You can add gigabit interfaces to your pfSense box if you need to segregate your network or use a seperate gigabit switch if you don't.Steve
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yea thats more or less correct,
internet_next_door
|
|backuplink
| /–-- server/pbx
| /
internet------- router-------switch-----clientsso would pf not be able to completely replace the router?
Yes pfSense is able to replace your existing router.
But i'm telling you, if the switch in the diagram is gigabit capable then it doesn't matter what the speed of the router is. Traffic within your network will always flow with the maximum speed.
–> It will never go over the router. -
oh right thanks for clearing that up for me i thought because the router handled the dhcp i thought all the traffic went through that clearly not! learn something new everyday.
so my plan is to run pf in vm for a while install an adsl pci card (to do away with the router completely) and have it manage the lot. thanks for all your help. i'll probably be back when i get stuck installing it somehow
