Can I import voucher rolls?
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I'm rebuilding my PfSense router because it has some weird problems. For that reason I do not want to use backup/restore or synchronisation from the old router to the new. It's a bit of work but this way I can be certain no problems that should not exist are transfered to the new router.
Hence my question: is it possible to import a voucher roll in PfSense's captive portal, provided that all captive portal settings are identical? If so: how?
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What build of pfSense are you running?
I would expect a copy of the voucher section from your old configuration file and a past into the new configuration file MIGHT work. ("MIGHT" because some time ago on a firmware upgrade to a snapshot build of pfSense 2.1 the data about used vouchers got lost. I haven't seen any signs this problem has received any attention.) You might need to be more specific about what you mean by "import a voucher roll". I would expect if all the voucher parameters are the same the rolls would be the same because the rolls are generated from the parameters. But the usage data (e.g. tickets 5 and 11 of roll 4 have been used but no others) can't be generated from the voucher parameters.
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I do not want to use backup/restore or synchronisation from the old router to the new.
Do you perform regular backups of the pfSense configuration file? If not, why not?
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Wallabybob: version 2.0.1 on the production router, 2.0.2 on the new one. What I mean by export and import is that I'd like to be able to copy a file/files from the production router and paste in the new router, much like the ex- and import of certificates.
You were right: entering identical parameters produces identical rolls so that part is covered, thanks :) I would rather not copy parts of the configuration file (config-routername-date.xml) because I suspect it may contain junk and errors though the voucher part seems clean enough.
The production router has not been receiving the attention it should have: it was upgraded from 1.2.3 to 2.0 and 2.0.1; I have been hacking the OS a bit from the command line and it has been transfered to new (old) hardware a couple of times. It is now spontaneously rebooting every few days without any errors logging. I checked the memory and the disk and both are alright so I suspect the installation if finally fubar. So I purchased two new, identical machines and am in the process of rebuilding the config from scratch in order to not inherit any strangeness that has grown into the current setup.
I do make regular backups of the PfSense configuration file.
Thanks for your help :)
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All of the configuration information is kept in the configuration file (and it backups). I'm probably missing something but it seems to me you are wanting to duplicate the configuration information without using its sole source: the configuration file.
version 2.0.1 on the production router, 2.0.2 on the new one.
I don't know of any captive portal problems in upgrading from 2.0.1 to 2.0.2.
It is now spontaneously rebooting every few days without any errors logging.
Sometimes this can be caused by intermittent power supply problems or intermittent hard drive problems. One of my pfSense systems used to intermittently halt. I noticed the CPU fan sometimes stopped spinning. I haven't had the halts since replacing the fan.
I checked the memory and the disk and both are alright
How did you check these? My Dad had a Windows system that used to spontaneously reboot until I replaced the hard drive because I noticed that sometimes on restart it didn't seem to find the hard drive.
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Yes, duplicating the configuration without using the config file is exactly what I am doing.
I have had no captive portal problems in 2.0.1 haven't upgraded any of my routers with a captive portal from 2.0.1 to 2.0.2 yet.
I checked the memory using the BIOS' own diagnostic tools and also using Memtest. I checked the disk using SpinRite (the whole disk so not just the recovery option). I am positive the disk and the memory are not the issue. The fan seems to be in order - I guess the machine is just done after nine years of service.
Thanks for your help. The duplication is now complete; I'll replace the old machine for my new clustered system this Saturday.