Recover from HW reset

stephenw10

Hmm, ok. Well I would definitely try to get it working in windows, using a vm inside vmware introduces way too many new possible problems. Plenty of others have made this work.
What com port are you choosing in putty or hyperterminal? If your usb-serial adapter is correctly installed I expect it to appear as, say, com5.

Steve

bufdaemon

well its random, sometimes com 6, 7, 8 or 9. It really puzzle me why its still not working, even if i already the stuffs needed to run this, specially the null modem cable

stephenw10

Do you have anything else you can use to test the serial connection?
In newer versions of windows you need to run putty as admin.
Rather than running backtrack as a vm you could try running it as a live cd.

You should also be able to just re-write a new image to the cf card. There are default settings for the Alix so it will come up with a web interface.

Steve

bufdaemon

I have re-write the new image using dd in backtrack, when i power Alix i think its working because the three leads is blinking simultaneously just like before, i tested the serial cable on my windows 7 ultimate and it was detected and hyperterminal also detects it.
Do i i need to change something on the cf card image?

bufdaemon

Hi Stephen,

I did what you advise, I bootup BT 5 on a thumdrive, my USB to serial got detected, i use /dev/TTYUSB0 for the port, please see below. But still cant see anything on the screen, like bootup from Alix

stephenw10

The Alix bootup messages will be at 38400bps unless you've changed the BIOS setting.
Do you have a link to exact null modem cable you bought?

Steve

bufdaemon

I did set it already to 38400 but same issue , no bootup on the screee. Below is the link where i bought my null modem cable

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390248186240?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

stephenw10

Hmm, that listing does not appear to state that the cable is wired as a null modem. I think you're going to have to test it to make sure. If its wired correctly pin 2 at one end should be connected to pin 3 at the other end.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Null_modem

Steve

bufdaemon

@stephenw10:

Hmm, that listing does not appear to state that the cable is wired as a null modem. I think you're going to have to test it to make sure. If its wired correctly pin 2 at one end should be connected to pin 3 at the other end.
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Null_modem

Steve

Sorry for late reply, so thats why it still did not work. I thought i bought a null modem cable.

stephenw10

It isn't necessarily the wrong cable, I would expect a female-female serial cable to be wired as a null modem. However you need to be sure since if it's wrong you'll never see anything on the terminal.

Steve

bufdaemon

Hi Stephen,

Thaks for the response, here is how i connect it and the actual look of my female to female serial modem, connected to USB to serial

stephenw10

It looks like the right cable but I have no way to tell how it's wired. If it is wired as a null modem I would expect it to be advertised as such. The fact that it isn't makes me suspect it. Like I said if it isn't a null modem cable that would explain all the problems you've been having.

You can easily test it if you have access to a multimeter and a paperclip. Any self respecting geek should have a multimeter! ;)

Steve

bufdaemon

Hey Stephen you were right! The cable i bought was not a null modem cable, so i ordered again sometime like 3 weeks ago it just came earlier and tested the new null modem cable , it worked. Im now setting up pfsense webgui. Below is my config my current adsl modem/router is setup as DHCP, and i configure pfsense WAN to DHCP, when i test for internet it didnt connnect internet, do i have to disable dhcp on my modem/router, and enable only dhpc on pfsense WAN as DHCP ?

adsl modem/router : setup DHCP

pfsense
WAN: DHCP
LAN: 192.168.1.1 /24

stephenw10

Ok, so are you connecting the pfSense box behind the adsl modem/router?
How did you test for internet on the pfSense box?

There is a good chance that your adsl router is also using the 192.168.1.1 subnet for its LAN. This will break routing, you can't have the same subnet on two of pfSenses interfaces. If that is the case try changing the pfSense LAN subnet.

Steve

bufdaemon

ok so i will change the subnet, also do i have to disable the dhcp in my adsl router / modem? and only enable dhcp in pfsense ( alix 2D3 ) instead?

stephenw10

Ideally you would place the modem/router in bridge mode in which case dhcp would be disabled.
However initially if you're setting up pfSense behind the router just leave the router in its working configuration. Switch to bridge config later once you're up and running.

Steve

bufdaemon

Hi Stephen i did the following changes, but i still cant get into the internet.

ADSL router / modem setup

set it to bridge
disable dhcp
LAN IP is 192.168.1.1

PFSENSE CONFIG

set LAN IP 192.168.1.2
dhcp server subnet 192.168.1.10 - 192.168.1.245
DNS i use google 8.8.4.4; 8.8.8.8
set gateway 192.168.1.2

Screenshots

>> this config is in my adsl /mode router
>> pfsense config
>> pfsense config

stephenw10

192.168.1.1/24 is still in the same subnet as 192.168.1.2/24.
Try changing the pfSense LAN to 192.168.2.1/24.

Steve

bufdaemon

Hi Steve,

I set pfsense LAN IP 192.168.2.1
default GW : 192.168.2.1

I was able to nslookup outside but cant ping outside, i checked dhcp on WAN is releasing public ip, is my default GW correct? or it should be the LAN IP of adsl / modem router?

adsl/modem
LAN 192.168.1.1
DHCP: DISABLED
TYPE: bridge

stephenw10

Ok. You should not have a gateway on the LAN interface,
Go to Interfaces: LAN: and remove it. Then goto System: Routing: and make sure your WAN gateway is the only one there and is set as default.

It looks like you successfully set the router in bridge mode and it has passed your public IP to the pfSense WAN interface so you're all good there. :)

Steve