PfSense install blocks Internet, but computer into modem has Internet?

eiger3970

Hi,
I was working on fixing issue https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=75516.msg412742#msg412742 which seems to be a faulty cable modem not accepting passwords 100% of the time.

However, I happened to factory restore pfSense and now the network has no Internet.
The network can ping other network devices, can ping pfSense, can ping the modem, but can't ping the Internet.

When I unplug the modem from pfSense and plug the modem directly into a computer, the computer resets the DHCP and can browse the Internet.

pfSense does work with the modem like before, but maybe I need to upload my topology map for others to understand?

chpalmer

Cable modems tend to bond to the MAC address of the device plugged into them when they are booted.

You did reboot the modem right? If not- try that.

cmb

That sounds like the same issue discussed in the other thread in having overlapping or conflicting subnets on LAN and WAN.

eiger3970

Thanks for the suggestions.
I have rebooted the cable modem twice.

The pfSense WAN is 192.168.0.2/24.
The pfSense LAN is 192.168.1.155/24.
So this is not an overlapping or conflicting of subnets.

stephenw10

Gateway on LAN perhaps?

Can you ping internet hosts from the pfSense diagnostic page? Is it able to check for updates?

Steve

eiger3970

pfSense diagnostics fails to ping the Internet.

I tried a few other cable connections on the network.

Tried a few more configurations:
pfSense factory restored.
pfSense WAN: 192.168.0.2/24.
pfSense LAN: 192.168.1.155/24.

Modem settings:
LAN IP: 192.168.0.50.
Firewall > Port Forwarding > ports 1 - 65535 to Local IP Address: 192.168.0.2.
WAN setup > DMZ Address: 192.168.0.0.

Modem connected to pfSense:
Network pings other network devices.
Network pings pfSense LAN 192.168.1.155.
Network pings pfSense's WAN 192.168.0.2.
Network pings modem's LAN 192.168.0.50.
Network can’t ping Internet.

Modem disconnected from pfSense and connected to Mac.
Mac pings Internet.
MAC DHCP IP 192.168.0.200.
Mac Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0.

Modem disconnected from pfSense and connected to Linux Mint.
Linux can’t ping Internet.
Linux pings modem 192.168.0.50.
Linux DHCP IP 192.168.0.201.
Linux Bcast: 192.168.0.255.
Linux Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0.
I changed Modem > Firewall > Port Forwarding > Ports 1 - 65535 to Local IP Address: 192.168.0.201.

eiger3970

Well, I turned off the cable modem for 30 minutes.
I then plugged the modem into pfSense and turned on the cable modem.
My Mac computer had Internet for 5 seconds.
My Linux computer had no Internet.

I am guessing the modem may have locked Internet access to a MAC address on the Mac computer, rather than on the pfSense router.

So, I think now that the modem is allowing Internet via the pfSense router's MAC address, that pfSense is now blocking Internet as pfSense has been factory restored and I need to find out the settings to allow Internet.

Tests:
Linux unable to ping 192.168.0.2 (pfSense WAN).
Linux unable to ping 192.168.0.50 (modem LAN).
Linux able to ping Mac on 192.168.1.40.
Linux unable to ping Internet.
Mac unable to ping 192.168.0.2 (pfSense WAN).
Mac unable to ping 192.168.0.50 (pfSense LAN).
Mac able to ping Linux on 192.168.1.120.
Mac unable to ping Internet.
pfSense unable to ping 192.168.0.2 (pfSense WAN).
pfSense unable to ping 192.168.0.50 (modem LAN).
pfSense able to ping computer Mac on 192.168.1.40.
pfSense able to ping computer Linux on 192.168.1.120.

I am now disconnecting the modem from pfSense and connecting the modem to the Mac.
I now have Internet to post this and to look for pfSense settings to allow Internet.

eiger3970

So I think I have narrowed down the problem to pfSense > Diagnostics > can't ping pfSense WAN 192.168.0.2.

Any suggestions please?

eiger3970

I turned off the modem for 30 minutes (the first turn off was for 10 minutes), connected the modem to pfSense, started up the modem.
Mac now has Internet.
Linux has no Internet.
Linux pings Mac.
Linux pings pfSense LAN 192.168.1.155.
Linux pings pfSense WAN 192.168.0.2.
Linux pings modem LAN 192.168.0.50.

Any suggestions on fixing this?

eiger3970

Well, Mac has limited Internet.
No YouTube and some sites load, then don't load, then load?

stephenw10

Please confirm that you have only one gateway setup in pfSense that it's on the WAN interface and is set as default.
You can do so in System: Routing: Gateways: or check the gateways in Status: Gateways:
If you could post a screenshot of System: Routing: Gateways: that would be great.

Not being able to ping itself implies it's sending traffic the wrong way which can happen if you have an incorrect gateway setup. Its a very common setup error.

Steve

eiger3970

Yes, there is only one gateway setup in pfSense, on the WAN interface, set as default.

![pfSense System Routing Gateways.png](/public/imported_attachments/1/pfSense System Routing Gateways.png)
![pfSense System Routing Gateways.png_thumb](/public/imported_attachments/1/pfSense System Routing Gateways.png_thumb)

fragged

Your WAN is within a private network so uncheck Block private networks on WAN interface settings.

eiger3970

Thank you. Yes, I have done that and Internet seems to work 100% on the Mac now, however the Linux computer still has no Internet?

Linux has a DHCP:
inet addr:192.168.1.14
Bcast:192.168.1.255
Mask:255.255.255.0

I rebooted the Linux computer after pfSense's change, but same issue?

stephenw10

Ok.
The pfSense box still can't ping its own WAN address?

Lets look at your routing table. Diagnostics: Routes:

Do you use IPv6 at all? You might consider disabling it completely if you don't.

What is the Linux box using for its gateway?

Steve

eiger3970

So, pfSense can now ping from the pfSense LAN 192.168.1.155 to the pfSense WAN 192.168.0.2.

The Mac computer is now working on the Internet 100% it seems.
The Linux computer has no Internet.
Linux computer has a DHCP IP 192.168.1.120.
Default gateway: 192.168.1.155.
Subnet: 255.255.255.0.
Bcast:192.168.1.255.

stephenw10

Hmm. Nothing in the firewall logs I assume.

The pfSense box can now ping external addresses too?

The only other reason that one device might not be getting routed to the internet is that the NAT rules are not capturing traffic from it correctly. Have you switched to manual outbound NAT rules?

Possibly this is some IPv6 issue such as Linux is using IPv6 as a preference but your router does not support it.

Steve

fragged

Can you ping pfSense and things on the Internet (Google DNS, 8.8.8.8?) from your Linux machine? If yes, does DNS work on the Linux machine?

eiger3970

Thanks for the suggestions and yes, everything worked before I had to factory restore pfSense.

Odd behaviour:
Linux > ping > 8.8.8.8.
Linux > ping > 192.168.0.2 (pfSense WAN).
Linux > ping > 192.168.0.50 (modem LAN).
Linux > ping > 192.168.1.40 (computer Mac).
Linux > ping > 192.168.1.155 (pfSense LAN).
Linux > ping > www.google.com fails.
Linux flushed the DNS with command $ sudo /etc/init.d/dns-clean start > rebooted > same issue with no Internet.

Mac pings Internet.
Mac browsing is better. Browses 90% instead of 50% of Internet since I navigated to pfSense > Interfaces > WAN > Private networks > Block private networks: unticked > Block bogon networks: unticked.

pfSense > Diagnostics > Ping > www.google.com fails.
pfSense > Diagnostics > Ping > 8.8.8.8.
pfSense > Diagnostics > Ping > 192.168.0.2 (pfSense WAN).
pfSense > Diagnostics > Ping > 192.168.0.50 (modem LAN).
pfSense > Diagnostics > Ping > 192.168.1.40 (computer Mac).
pfSense > Diagnostics > Ping > 192.168.1.120 (computer Linux).
pfSense > Diagnostics > Ping > 192.168.1.155 (pfSense LAN).

Wi-Fi: no Internet.

Topper727

In the pfSense gui, click system then general setup. Make sure you have atleast 1 DNS setup there and tell it your gateway (modem IP)