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    General Questions (Switch, WAN, LAN)

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • SoarinS Offline
      Soarin
      last edited by

      Thank you very much! I heard of something like this so I'm a little bit familiar. I have another router, should I use that as a modem or buy one?

      I hardly understand pfSense but it was love at first sight.

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      • D Offline
        divsys
        last edited by

        Where I'm from we normally get our modem with our internet service - provided by your ISP.

        Usually you don't want more than one router in your setup, it can definitely lead to headaches.

        Not sure what your situation is…..

        -jfp

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        • SoarinS Offline
          Soarin
          last edited by

          Yeah I've noticed that, I was thinking I could use my Actiontec Wi424r as a bridge to my router, and my D-Link dir-655 as the access point, and disable the routing function of them both until I can afford an actual access point.

          Is that a bad idea or will it work until I can replace them?

          I hardly understand pfSense but it was love at first sight.

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          • SoarinS Offline
            Soarin
            last edited by

            Alright I'll ask Verizon about that, so I think I might hold off on going to a garage sale and getting a cheap $20-30 granny computer and I might use my current old computer I built a few years back.

            But I have another question, people said I should get a managed switch. Is this for VLANS?

            Because I just plan on connecting my computers and my NAS to my switch, is this necessary for managed?

            Also can it go

            Modem - > Switch - > Router - > Switch outputs ethernet to my computers, is that okay?

            Or

            Modem - > Router Intergraded LAN - > Router Intel NIC - > Switch - > Switch outputs ethernet to my computers

            Thanks! I'm currently all thrown around since there's not a lot of posts (or ones that I understand too clearly) for pfSense.

            I hardly understand pfSense but it was love at first sight.

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            • jahonixJ Offline
              jahonix
              last edited by

              @Soarin:

              …I should get a managed switch. Is this for VLANS?

              Mostly, yes. And VLANs can be your replacement for multiple separate interfaces of your pfSense.

              @Soarin:

              Because I just plan on connecting my computers and my NAS to my switch, is this necessary for managed?
              Modem - > Switch - > Router - > Switch outputs ethernet to my computers, is that okay?

              On your (currently planned) setup a managed switch is not necessary.
              Do you need the switch between your modem and the router? Usually they can be connected directly.

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              • SoarinS Offline
                Soarin
                last edited by

                Alright so I don't really need the managed switch? It's a very basic setup, just a way to give my family better wifi and play with pfSense.

                Also that plan can work with the modem into switch? If not that's fine, I plan on buying that Intel NIC anyways, I thought I could hook the modem directly into my router with the intergraded lan then output it with the Intel Nic, or is there something wrong with that?

                Thanks!

                I hardly understand pfSense but it was love at first sight.

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                • jahonixJ Offline
                  jahonix
                  last edited by

                  As I wrote earlier, a managed switch can help you down the road (if you want to separate LAN/WLAN or WLAN/Guest or what have you). It is not mandatory.
                  An unmanaged switch cannot be upgraded to managed when throwing $15 at it.

                  Nothing wrong with your setup.

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                  • SoarinS Offline
                    Soarin
                    last edited by

                    Alright I'll grab an unmanaged switch at first since so far any feature listed doesn't seem like something I'd do, if I need it I can sell my current switch and I'd buy it.

                    I don't know if I have any more questions, I'm trying to save every buck I can right now to buy a nice AP. I'll be using my current old router as an AP until I can buy something better.

                    If there's anything else I should know please tell me, because I'm pretty new and only have seen a few videos about pfSense and browsed the forums.

                    I hardly understand pfSense but it was love at first sight.

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                    • SoarinS Offline
                      Soarin
                      last edited by

                      Last minute, should I get the Intel EXPI9301CTBLK or the TP-LINK TG-3468?

                      I don't know what else the Intel NIC offers over the TP-Link and it's last minute buying, they're both compatible but I'm just worried that it might not work or function to it's fullest potential.

                      I hardly understand pfSense but it was love at first sight.

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                      • johnpozJ Offline
                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                        last edited by

                        get the intel

                        An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                        If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                        Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                        SG-4860 25.07.1 | Lab VMs 2.8, 25.07.1

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                        • SoarinS Offline
                          Soarin
                          last edited by

                          I already bought the Intel, I didn't want to risk it. I can't find any topics on it over other NICS, is it just the support?

                          I hardly understand pfSense but it was love at first sight.

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