New to PFsense - Transparency mode
-
Sir,
Please correct me if i'm wrong in my understanding. I run a single box pfsense and install the squid package and run it on transparency mode? I'm I correct in my understanding?
I can make my modem run in bridge mode and I will configure the pfsense box wan the public ipaddress of wan or internet
My wan speed is upto 5mbps the minimum is 1mbps.
Precious
-
Yes you're correct.
Almost any new hardware will be fine for a 5Mbps connection regardless of how many people you have behind it (within reason!). An i7 with 8GB is far far far more powerful than you need. Something like an Atom D2500 and 2-4GB will easily suffice. :)Steve
-
Sir,
Thanks for the response.
How about NIC? Is there a recommended specification of NIC to run the pfsense smoothly?
Precious
-
Always choose Intel NICs where possible. Broadcom NICs are considered 2nd best. Do not get very new hardware as it may not be supported, the Intel i210 is not for example.
Steve
-
Sir,
Is configuring pfsense is it like configuring a soho router like linksys and d-link? but it only has more functionality?
-
In many ways it is very similar. However as you say because it has far more capability than most SOHO routers it must be more complex. Getting up and running is relatively easy and as long as you don't try to do everything at once adding extra features is not difficult. Just read up on it first.
Steve
-
Sir,
Thanks for the response.
I'm sorry also if I have so many question regarding the pfsense. I just want to make I will know very before I configure it and use it.
Do you know a website that can help to get started in pfsense? Or any documentation or video to follow? Basically I want to pfsense serve as a server for the internet that can block a websites.
Precious
-
No problem. :)
To do that you should install pfSense as your network router.
Install the Squid web proxy package and get that working.
Install either the Squidguard or Dansguardian package to filter web content.By far the best source of pfSense information is the official book. A new book is due out shortly that will cover 2.0.x and 2.1 in more detail.
There is a lot of pages in the docs wiki that cover installation and Squid etc.
There's a lot of good step-by-step guiges at this site: http://pfsensesetup.com/ I don't believe that is related in any way to the dev team or any official source. Seems mostly correct though. :)Steve
-
Sir,
I'm confuse with the squid web proxy and squidguard? Is it 2 different package to install?
-
Sir,
Just to add to my previous post.
What is the difference of the squid web proxy and squidguard? What is the purpose of each?
What is the title of the book and the author?
-
Squid is a web proxy server: http://www.squid-cache.org
Squidguard is an addon for Squid to allow URL filtering: http://www.squidguard.org
Dansguardian is an alternative to Squidguard that has more flexibility and options: http://dansguardian.orgThe book is called 'pfSense: The Definitive Guide' it's written by the project developers and is available from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979034280?ie=UTF8&tag=pfsense-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0979034280
Steve
-
Sir,
Should I install the squid and squidguard? Which better to use between the squidguard and dansguardian?
-
Sir,
Please see below if my understanding is correct about the squid, squidguard and dansguardian
Squid
- its a proxy server that help to cache a website for a certain network
- help or improves internet browsing speed for the clients using the caching capability of squid
Squidguard
- its a add-on of squid
- use for blocking a website base on url only
- you can configure here for the exception on blocking a website or user who will you allow for the certain website
Dansguardian
- its a different or separate package from squid
- it can block a website using content filtering meaning it will check the whole website if will access it or block it.
These are my question
-> Is the statement above correct? Do I miss something? Kindly correct me or add if there is wrong about it and missing.
-> Is it a good practice(as a pfsense user) or is it a common practice to install the squid, squidguard and dansguardian?
-> What is squid3? Is it the same with squid?Thank you in advance
-
Dansguardian still requires a proxy to operate so it is also in addition to Squid. The advantage of Dansguardian (as far as I know!) is that you have things like keywords and phrase matching. This means that even a new website that is not on blacklists can be blocked.
There are two Squid packages 2.x and 3.x. Squid3 offers more features but is considered less stable, well tested, than older Squid 2 series.
I am not an expert in these things. I have run Dansguardian in the past but not with pfSense. There are a number of threads here on the forum and many, many other web pages discussing Dansguardian vs Squidguard. For example: http://www.theninjageek.co.za/blog/2013/07/02/pfsense-squid3-and-dansguardian-a-better-alternative-to-squidguard/
Steve
-
If you use dansguardian, stick with squid and not squid3 unless it has a feature you absolutely need.
The combo of dansguardian + squid3 was sort of painful for me.
-
Sir,
Are you suggesting to install dansguardian and squid? And these two are the best combination for control the accessing the websites?
-
No - What I'm suggesting is that IF you install dansguardian, squid might be less trouble than squid3. Thats all I'm saying.
dansguardian does work OK to limit access to porn and things like that. It doesn't help limit anything in HTTPS though.
Also, really smart kids will figure out that they can search images and see the images without actually going to a porn site.NOTHING works 100%
At best you can make it annoying to browse porn. Very difficult to stop it completely.
-
Sir,
Now i.understand what are you trying to say. Which.is better? Squidguard or dansguardian? -
I don't know - I've never ran squidguard. I'm sure lots of people have opinions on that issue.
You can ALSO control access to certain sites by using either OpenDNS or DynDNS.
Both of those will allow you to open an account and set up blocking preferences.Then you can have pfsense get its DNS from OpenDNS or DynDNS and you can have everything on your network get its DNS fro pfsense DNS forwarder. This work very well also either by its self or in combination with either dansguardian of squidguard.
Where are you located? I'd pick DNS service closest to you if you do that.
-
I'm from philippines
