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    Multiple servers behind one pfSense

    HA/CARP/VIPs
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    • A
      awsiemieniec
      last edited by

      I don't even know if this is the right section of the forum to post - so adjust as necessary.

      I have one pfSense and at the moment, two Small Business Servers.  I needed to move a physical server behind the firewall because of environmental conditions.  So now I have two SBS behind one external IP, one pfsense.

      if I want to get to serverA.com and serverB.com (both have the typical ports open for SBS), how would I configure that?  Do I need to introduce virtual IPs?  Something else?

      Thanks.

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      • DerelictD
        Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
        last edited by

        If they both need to accept connections from the outside on the same ports then you need multiple external IP addresses.

        You will probably get a minimum of 5 usable.  I would assign one to the WAN interface and the other 4 as VIPs.  You would then use NAT to translate the SBS ports on one IP to one server and the SBS ports on another IP to the other SBS server.

        You would probably want to set outbound NAT so the servers used the same IPs when they initiate outbound connections.

        Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
        A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
        DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
        Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

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        • A
          awsiemieniec
          last edited by

          Thx - the Virtual IPs make sense.  I've plugged those in.

          When I'm creating the firewall rules I get confused.  Where in the rules do I associate a public IP with a NAT'd IP?

          198.XXX.XXX.001 –> pfsense.firewall.com
          198.XXX.XXX.002 --> serverA.com
          198.XXX.XXX.003 --> serverB.com
          etc.

          Do you know if a config doc I can look at to help me along?

          Thank you, again!

          @Derelict:

          If they both need to accept connections from the outside on the same ports then you need multiple external IP addresses.

          You will probably get a minimum of 5 usable.  I would assign one to the WAN interface and the other 4 as VIPs.  You would then use NAT to translate the SBS ports on one IP to one server and the SBS ports on another IP to the other SBS server.

          You would probably want to set outbound NAT so the servers used the same IPs when they initiate outbound connections.

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          • DerelictD
            Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
            last edited by

            I'd probably start here.: https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/How_can_I_forward_ports_with_pfSense%3F

            Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
            A comprehensive network diagram is worth 10,000 words and 15 conference calls.
            DO NOT set a source address/port in a port forward or firewall rule unless you KNOW you need it!
            Do Not Chat For Help! NO_WAN_EGRESS(TM)

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • A
              awsiemieniec
              last edited by

              @Derelict:

              I'd probably start here.: https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/How_can_I_forward_ports_with_pfSense%3F

              Thats perfect.  thanks.

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