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    Need help to setup a system with pfSense, 1 modem and 1 router.

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • P
      phuongtm
      last edited by

      Hi everyone,

      I'm trying to config a system with pfSense (running on my PC), 1 modem and 1 router.

      Firstly, I've installed pfSense successfully on my PC.

      Then, the step i have to enter 2 interfaces. System shows me that i have 2 interfaces named: em0 and rl0.

      em0 i plugged in with my modem -> internet.
      rl0 i plugged in with my router.

      Both my router and modem has wireless on.

      After i've enter 2 interfaces, em0 for WAN and rl0 for LAN, just the IP for WAN (em0) shown up.

      I've tried use the second function on the menu to assign the IP for LAN interfaces.

      Seem so good, but when i use my laptop (tried with both wireless) to connect to the IP for LAN. Nothing happen. No web interfaces shown up.

      So how can i config my system? I want to use pfSense for captive portal on my wireless system.

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      • W
        Wolf666
        last edited by

        Disable NAT and DHCP on Modem and Router and let pfSense do it. Also check that ips are not conflicting.

        Be more detailed on topology so we can be more helpful.

        Modem Draytek Vigor 130
        pfSense 2.4 Supermicro A1SRi-2558 - 8GB ECC RAM - Intel S3500 SSD 80GB - M350 Case
        Switch Cisco SG350-10
        AP Netgear R7000 (Stock FW)
        HTPC Intel NUC5i3RYH
        NAS Synology DS1515+
        NAS Synology DS213+

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        • P
          phuongtm
          last edited by

          Hi Wolf666,

          Thank for your reply.

          I have 2 different IP range, for WAN (something like): 192.168.100.1; and for LAN: 192.168.101.2.

          When i assign IP for LAN interfaces, it asks for DHCP Server and some anotherthing, what should i choose?

          Can you tell me what is 'topology'? Sry i don't know that word :(

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          • P
            phil.davis
            last edited by

            Topology = "how everything is connected"
            Make a diagram of your network - where are the wireless you talk about, which devices connect to pfSense LAN and WAN…

            As the Greek philosopher Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."
            If I helped you, then help someone else - buy someone a gift from the INF catalog http://secure.inf.org/gifts/usd/

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            • P
              phuongtm
              last edited by

              Hi phil.davis,

              Thank for your reply!

              How can i make diagram about my network. I mean, any tool can help me or just simple use mspaint or something like that?

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              • P
                phuongtm
                last edited by

                My network has 3 components:

                1. A PC which is running pfSense,
                2. A modem connects to the internet
                3. A router broadcasts wifi signal,
                4. 2 LAN cards (em0, rl0)

                Both modem and router broadcasts wifi signal.

                I connect my modem with em0 on my PC which is running pfSense.
                I connect my router with rl0 on my PC which is running pfSense.

                When config pfSense, i assign WAN with em0 and LAN with rl0.
                Firstly, LAN interface doenst have IP address, so i assign IP for it by using function 2 from pfSense menu.

                Problem: I used my laptop connect to wireless from my modem to access IP of LAN interface. But the web config page doesnt appear.

                Thats my network.

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                • P
                  phil.davis
                  last edited by

                  Both modem and router broadcasts wifi signal.

                  So the "modem" is a combo internet access device + WiFi - ignore the WiFi on the "modem" device.
                  The "router" at point 3 - you do not want any router on the LAN side of pfSense. You need just a dumb WiFi access point. Tell us what (3) "router" is.
                  Give "router" LAN side management interface a fixed IP somewhere in pfSense LAN range.
                  Plug a "router" LAN port to pfSense LAN.
                  Disable DHCP on "router".
                  That should make it just a dumb WiFi AP.

                  Then you should be able to connect to the "router" WiFi and get DHCP from pfSense.

                  If you have been changing pfSense LAN settings at the console, then maybe DHCP on LAN has got disabled. At the stage it would be easiest if you reset to factory defaults - then you will get pfSense LAN 192.168.1.1/24 with DHCP enabled.

                  As the Greek philosopher Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."
                  If I helped you, then help someone else - buy someone a gift from the INF catalog http://secure.inf.org/gifts/usd/

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                  • P
                    phuongtm
                    last edited by

                    Hi phil.davis,

                    Thank for your reply!

                    Firstly, my router is Buffalo WZR-HP-AG300H which is running OpenWRT firmware (OpenWrt Attitude Adjustment 12.09 / LuCI 0.11.1 Release).

                    I found this tutorial help me disable DHCP on my router on web interface.

                    Go to Network → Interfaces and select the Lan interface.
                    Set an IP next to your main router on the field "IPv4 address". (If your main router has IP 192.168.1.1 set 192.168.1.2)
                    Then scroll down and select the checkbox "Ignore interface: Disable DHCP for this interface."
                    Click the Save and Apply button.
                    Now connect the new IP you have just specified(192.168.1.2) and check if the settings for the Lan interface are the same you set before.
                    Now connect your main router to one of the switch ports of your "new" dumb AP and you are done.

                    Source: http://wiki.openwrt.org/doc/recipes/dumbap

                    So i just need disable LAN interface on my router or both LAN and WAN interface? Because i found there is 2 interfaces (I plugged in Router and Modem by LAN port).

                    Give "router" LAN side management interface a fixed IP somewhere in pfSense LAN range.

                    What is pfSense LAN range? Can i assign it like: 10.2.1.10 or i have to assign it like WAN interfaces (if WAN: 192.168.1.1 -> LAN: 192.168.2.1)

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                    • P
                      phil.davis
                      last edited by

                      So i just need disable LAN interface on my router or both LAN and WAN interface?

                      The LAN interface on Buffalo WZR-HP-AG300H needs to be enabled, because you are connecting that LAN to pfSense LAN so that the WiFi from that device reaches pfSense LAN.
                      What is pfSense LAN range?
                      Your pfSense LAN is already 192.168.2.1/24 - so give the Buffalo LAN an IP in that range - like 192.168.2.2
                      You could also change pfSense LAN subnet if you like - you need to understand subnets and subnet masks, then you can choose whatever private IP subnet you like.
                      Make sure you turn off any DHCP server on Buffalo device.

                      As the Greek philosopher Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."
                      If I helped you, then help someone else - buy someone a gift from the INF catalog http://secure.inf.org/gifts/usd/

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                      • P
                        phuongtm
                        last edited by

                        Hi phil.davis,

                        Thank for your reply!

                        The LAN interface on Buffalo WZR-HP-AG300H needs to be enabled, because you are connecting that LAN to pfSense LAN so that the WiFi from that device reaches pfSense LAN.

                        Is that mean i have to disable DHCP Server on WAN interface? Because i don't know anywhere to disable it?

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                        • P
                          phil.davis
                          last edited by

                          You should not need to do anything on Buffalo router WAN - LAN clients will never use the Buffalo routing anyway.

                          As the Greek philosopher Isosceles used to say, "There are 3 sides to every triangle."
                          If I helped you, then help someone else - buy someone a gift from the INF catalog http://secure.inf.org/gifts/usd/

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                          • P
                            phuongtm
                            last edited by

                            Hi phil.davis,

                            Thank for your reply!

                            I've tried using "Reset to factory defaults" at pfSense option. But after that, i can't (very hard) boot to pfSense. The "Booting…" text shown up then a character show up one by one, very slow. I don't know what happened. I've waited about 3-4 hours but the text is continue running slow.

                            How can i fix that?

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                            • D
                              doktornotor Banned
                              last edited by

                              @phuongtm:

                              The "Booting…" text shown up then a character show up one by one, very slow. I don't know what happened. I've waited about 3-4 hours but the text is continue running slow.

                              Disable serial port. Searching the forum helps… :P

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                              • P
                                phuongtm
                                last edited by

                                Hi doktornotor,

                                Thank for your reply!

                                What "keyword" should i use or can i link me to there?

                                I stuck in here

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • D
                                  doktornotor Banned
                                  last edited by

                                  Disable serial port in your BIOS.

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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