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    USB to Ethernet Adapter NOT working

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
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    • F
      firewalluser
      last edited by

      ueX usually means USB ethernet adaptor

      emX usually means motherboard/onboard ethernet adaptor.

      X is the adaptor number, probably following hungarian notation ie starting from 0.

      Do you want people on the internet accessing your pfsense login page to get access to your firewall?

      Default rule AFAIK is, no access to the pfsense login page from the Wan side.

      There is a default anti-lock out rule for the Lan interface, so you shouldnt lock yourself out of pfsense when you start editing your access rules.

      Do you know what your lan ip address is, and have you tried that ip address in your browser from your lan?

      Capitalism, currently The World's best Entertainment Control System and YOU cant buy it! But you can buy this, or some of this or some of these

      Asch Conformity, mainly the blind leading the blind.

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      • M
        mcarr
        last edited by

        are you talking about this?

        ive got everything set up, i actually restored these settings from a fully functional, fully working machine. just changed the ip address

        i still dont really get internet though. i can ping the IP but even with a DNS issue, shouldnt i be able to put 216.58.216.32 into a browser and pull up google.com?

        im so confused.

        webconfig.png
        webconfig.png_thumb

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          You have a lot of VLAN interfaces. What is the WAN (ue0) interface connected to? How is it's IP set?

          Steve

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          • M
            mcarr
            last edited by

            The VLANs are all what we have set up at another site. Each VLAN being their own suite in a business. But for now that's not the problem. Those VLANs are all working on the new machine, I have it hooked up to a switch and each port is getting its appropriate IP addresses and I've tested each port and I can ping websites IP addresses, but not their http addresses. Like I said I can ping 216.58.216.32 but not google.com, as far as the WAN goes I'll remote into one of the computers at the office and screen shot the WAN interface. Better yet, if you could send me an example of what your asking for then I can make sure I can screen shot the right stuff.

            BTW, before anyone asks, the computer I am remoting into I have connected to the switch by ethernet, and have wifi connected to the router, that way I can remote into the system and take screenshots and make changes, only problem is, I can't check the changes, until I get back to the office in the morning

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              Where are you running the test pings from? Have you tried from the pfSense box itself? The dashboard screenshot shows the box is still obtaining the update status, does it ever go to 'you are on the latest version'?

              Have you considered just running the WAN as a VLAN interface?

              Steve

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              • M
                mcarr
                last edited by

                ok ive included a pic here of it saying that it cant check for updates.
                and im guessing that what your saying is that i should open up shell on the box that im using and ping google.com and the IP address.
                on my way home after having some time not working on it, my mind was able to clear up enough that icame to that idea, plus a couple other ideas, as well.
                I also called someone to help me out with this and they suggested the same things.

                One of which being the fact that if some people were able to get usb to ethernet adapters to work, then i should find out what adapters they used, who knows. Just because im able to ping googles IP using the one i have doesnt mean its fully compatible.

                Additionally i should  basically say f*** the switch right now and connect straight to the box until i get everything working correctly on there, minimizing the variables.

                So tomorrow im going to try pinging straight from the box, if that doesnt work im going to swap the interfaces on the box so the WAN will be re0, and then ill try pinging google.com.
                im sure ill have to change some settings though, but ill cross that bridge when it comes. but if im able to ping google.com from the box when WAN is set to re0 then i know DNS is not the issue.

                I dont like this trial and error.

                But til the morning i guess the only things that maybe you guys can help me out with right now, is
                1-if you know of a USB to ethernet adapter that works then that information will be helpful. Im going to go through this forum and try to see if i can get that on my own as well but any help is appreciated.

                2-any other ideas on what to try will be great too. i already have a backup so anything i do, i can just simply revert it back if it doesnt work, its all trial and error at this point.

                sorry for the long post, but wanted to make sure i didnt miss anything

                webconfig.png
                webconfig.png_thumb

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                • GertjanG
                  Gertjan
                  last edited by

                  Nice collection of VLAN interfaces.

                  You declared them all ?
                  If yes ….. pffff complicated network.
                  If not: remove all no-standard (recognized) hardware - reinstall - throw away current settings.

                  No "help me" PM's please. Use the forum, the community will thank you.
                  Edit : and where are the logs ??

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                  • DerelictD
                    Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                    last edited by

                    @mcarr:

                    i still dont really get internet though. i can ping the IP but even with a DNS issue, shouldnt i be able to put 216.58.216.32 into a browser and pull up google.com?

                    Not necessarily.  If the first thing you get when you connect to http://216.58.216.32/ is a redirect to https://www.google.com/ it's not going to work unless DNS works.

                    DNS has to work.  Until you verify it does, nothing you do will make any difference.

                    If you can ping 216.58.216.32 but can't ping by name, fix that.

                    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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                    • DerelictD
                      Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                      last edited by

                      I dont like this trial and error.

                      That's how you debug networks, but you can do it in a methodical fashion.  You don't have to guess.  Start at layer 1 (the physical link itself) and work your way up.

                      Is there link?  Is the interface up/up?

                      Can you ping the other end of the link?  No?  Does it allow pings?  Do you get an ARP entry for the destination IP?

                      Can you ping outside the network?  say ping 8.8.8.8?

                      Can you resolve DNS names?  Use proper tools for this like dig/drill or nslookup if you have nothing else.

                      If all that works, you are generally good to go.  I, personally, think your USB ethernet is working and you have a DNS problem.

                      What are the DNS servers for the windows host in that screenshot (ipconfig /all)

                      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
                      • M
                        mcarr
                        last edited by

                        I just got done doing 125 VLANs and I'm waiting for another machine to be delivered to set that one up as well. I'm on my way to the office right now. So i will try those things when I get there. All the VLANs I have on this machine I just need to change their names, I need about 75 for this one and about 150 for the next. Which is why I'm trying to learn this stuff now. Because I also know that in like 4 months there are 4 more that I will have to do. And as far as the time in between, who knows.

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                        • M
                          mcarr
                          last edited by

                          so when i got into the office this morning, i swapped the wires on the machine, so the the ethernet port was going to the router, and i pinged google.com and it worked perfectly, but i wasnt getting a response from the LAN side of it (at that moment i had LAN set up as ue0, the USB ethernet). So to ME, that says that it isnt a DNS problem, that its gotta be the adapter.

                          Anyone else agree?

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                          • DerelictD
                            Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                            last edited by

                            OK.  This is why I don't use USB ethernet.

                            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
                            • M
                              mcarr
                              last edited by

                              The mcahine im setting up only has one ethernet port, so its the only option i really have, i cant run both WAN and LAN through the same because there would just be way to much traffic for that.

                              Trust me, if i had the option to pick the machine im setting up, it wouldnt be this one. but this is what my boss has me setting up, and that is why im here, for support on my problem, not to hear that this is why they dont use usb to ethernet adapters.

                              So any HELP with my current situation would be greatly appreciated.

                              Sorry if im coming off as a jerk, but it seems as though im getting nowhere on this project.

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                              • M
                                mcarr
                                last edited by

                                So, I just picked up a Belkin F4U047BT, i plugged it in and rebooted the machine, and everything works.
                                OMG so excited.

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                                • stephenw10S
                                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                  last edited by

                                  Nice!  :)

                                  That's really the problem with USB ethernet adapters, with FreeBSD at least. One adapter gives endless trouble but looks like it should work. Another just works first time. There's no way to know in advance what an adapter might do. Manufacturers change chipset or fimrware versions frequently and don't label anything.

                                  Don't think you're out of the woods yet though. Give it a few days/gigabytes to crash.  ::)

                                  How much traffic are you putting through it that you can't put the WAN on a VLAN but can use USB?

                                  Steve

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                                  • K
                                    kejianshi
                                    last edited by

                                    Just wondering  -  How much did that USB NIC cost you?

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • M
                                      mcarr
                                      last edited by

                                      Im not exactly sure how much traffic will be on it, like i said earlier, my boss says do this, and i do it.
                                      It costed $30 at BestBuy, i know that they are cheaper online, but its something i needed ASAP

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                                      • DerelictD
                                        Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                                        last edited by

                                        Tell your boss USB ethernet adapters suck.  It you want to be a multi-tenant ISP, be one.  If not, don't.

                                        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
                                        • K
                                          kejianshi
                                          last edited by

                                          Derelict is right.  USB Ethernet adapters suck.  Even when you get them to "work" they still suck USB solution isn't cost effective.

                                          Even after you have gotten this up and running, it still would be best to scrap it and make a proper pfsense than to use this one.

                                          If you lived in a hut somewhere on the Serengeti Desert and only made $100ish a month, then I'd say its ok because its all you can manage.

                                          A cheap old computer with a free PCI port + a Gigabit NIC to put in it cost about what you paid for the NIC.

                                          It doesn't even matter if you get a USB solution functioning, its rarely if ever the right way to go.

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                                          • F
                                            firewalluser
                                            last edited by

                                            I see USB's command some negativity, but I've yet to establish anything susbstansive and upto date regarding them.

                                            Of the pfsense threads I read, most appear to be relevant to USB1 and the introduction of USB2, namely the USB2 doesnt provide the 480Mbps speeds, but with USB3 and continued development since USB2 was introduced, I'm not seeing any new complaints as various chips on the motherboards as well as usb nic have improved.

                                            I've managed to find just one bug related to the USB/Ethernet I use (ax88772), which consisted of a script which constantly enabled/disabled the usb adapt until it eventually stopped responding, but eventually this came down to a fault elsewhere in the network with a different manufacturers card nic, in effect the USB nic was the recipient of someone else's bug.

                                            That type of bug/situation is quite common in software development & hardware support, usually down to standards not being adhered to properly, which means in some instances some hw configs will just never work and/or some sw / hw configs will never work.

                                            I'm just trying to be as informed as possible about the hw I'm already using as my mileage has been good since pfsense v2.1, sure I had problems with pfsense 1.2 and usb adaptors but that was freebsd8 (iirc) which is some time ago interms of development.

                                            So what are the problems which are supposed to affect usb nic's?

                                            TIA.

                                            Capitalism, currently The World's best Entertainment Control System and YOU cant buy it! But you can buy this, or some of this or some of these

                                            Asch Conformity, mainly the blind leading the blind.

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