Proventia MX1004 Guidance
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Hi all
I've just received one of these boxes but am unable to view the bios.
I have a cross over cable which I have connected to Eth0 and tried accessing the box through my browser with the specified IP listed in the quick start manual. However it will not connect the unit appears to start up and post with no problems. There is a console/serial connector on the back of the unit which is an upside down rj45 socket is there a way to use this?
Update: I tried ipconfig to see if I could see the ip but it's blank, ports are active.
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So you're trying to run pfSense on this box?
I know that it's been done before, I seem to remember it's just a re-badged Lanner box. I don't remember there being any specific difficulty.
You will probably need a serial console cable to get this running and it's a good idea to have one anyway.
Steve
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Would this be the sort of thing I need?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251423882587?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
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Yes, BUT Cisco cables can have odd wiring at the RJ-45 connector. I couldn't tell you for sure if that'll work. It's a while since I used one though.
If you buy a separate USB-serial adapter and RJ-45 console cable then you only need replace half of it if it's wrong! Also you can probably buy both for less than £16.
Steve
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Thanks for the help, cables are on there way.
Can I view the bios through the command prompt or do I need another program to view it?
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Probably. Most embedded boxes like that where there's no VGA/keyboard connectors use some code named 'console redirect' or similar to allow access to the BIOS via the serial console.
Steve
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Ok I have the connectors and can now view the bios through PuTTY but I have no keyboard functionality so cannot access the bios setup. I have tried different baud rates with no success, am I missing something or is one of the cables I've bought defective/in-compatable?
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If you can see the bios then your cable is probably working fine. It's possible that only the receive connection is correct so you can't send any keyboard input. Can you boot the original software and try the serial console in that?
To access the bios setup via serial you usually need to press 'TAB' not delete or F anything. You can't send delete or F keys via serial.How are you planning to install pfSense? Have you tried booting a CF card with a pfSense Nano image on it?
Steve
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will try a different cable and hopefully that will cure it.
The original software software boots after the bios but I cannot enter the password to enter the setup.
I wanted to install it onto the on board hdd but I have tried a cf card with a serial image, but pfsense did not run after the bios where the original software would (origanal hdd was removed).
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The original software software boots after the bios but I cannot enter the password to enter the setup.
Because you don't know the password or because you can't enter it?
I wanted to install it onto the on board hdd but I have tried a cf card with a serial image, but pfsense did not run after the bios where the original software would (origanal hdd was removed).
What baud rate were you using? Often the bios is as 115200 and pfSense is at 9600. If you were running the terminal at 115200 that's what you'd expect to see, nothing after the bios.
Steve
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I know the password but I can't enter it.
I was using 9600 baud rate to view the bios every other rate I entered produced unreadable characters or a blank screen. I did not try as high as high as 115200 though so I will try that now.
Thanks for the fast replies.
Greg.
Edit: A baud rate of 115200 gives me a blank screen.
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Success! while I was trying the different baud rates again I tried a different CF card which started pf sense right away.
However I still have no keyboard control to say yes to setting up the VLANS.
IPconfig now shows 192.168.1.1 but I cannot connect to it via the browser.
So close now can see it but not use it.
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Nice. :)
Where are you running ipconfig?
It presumably lists the available interfaces about the VLAN question. One possibility is to pre-configure some interfaces so that you don't need to enter anything from the serial console. It would be a good idea to have a working serial console though.Steve
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Running ipconfig from the command prompt.
I've got different cables on the way so hopefully interchanging them will allow me to type in PuTTY and have a fully working serial console.
Can the pre-configuration of the interfaces be done from within windows or on another unit running the CF card?
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I'm slightly confused. How are you running ipconfig if you can't type anything? Or is that on some downstream client? If so how come it's showing 192.168.1.1 which is the default LAN address?
To preconfigure the interfaces you would have to mount the CF card, which is UFS, and edit the config.xml file. I would try to do that from a FreeBSD machine since it will mount UFS no problem. You could use a PC-BSD live CD.
The is facility to do this built into pfSense known as 'pre flight install' however I'm not sure if it's in the Nano images. :-\ Anyone?
https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Booting_Options#Customizing_the_boot_environmentSteve
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I'm running ipconfig from the windows command prompt.
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Ok so it was the cables that were the problem. I have now installed pfsense on the on board 40gb HDD but now I'm stuck again.
I have said no to setting up vlans and have set my wan and LAN interfaces but get no IP address displayed to access the web GUI. When I manually set a gate way ip I still cannot access the GUI.
The only thing I know I'm doing wrong is on the wan side using the (dying) router my ISP provided without putting it in bridged mode. I don't want to mess with it to much as the firmware is in German and if wife and daughters lose there Internet my life will be hell.
Would this affect the LAN side? I have a draytac vigor 120 on the way I plan on using. Your help is much appreciated.
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if wife and daughters lose there Internet my life will be hell.
;D Probably best avoid that then.
Did you accept the defaults for the LAN address? Did you set the WAN to DHCP? Is it receiving an IP address from the router? How are you trying to connect to the webgui, from where?
Steve
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I modified the lan IP adress so it was not the same as the isp router.
wan is set to DHCP.
there is an ip displayed.
trying to load the web gui in chrome.
This is what I'm seeing.
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I modified the lan IP adress so it was not the same as the isp router.
wan is set to DHCP.
there is an ip displayed.
Is the ISP router also on the 192.168.1.0/24 IP range ?
