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    Small n00b questions

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    12 Posts 5 Posters 1.1k Views
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    • D
      DKentoy
      last edited by

      Hi everybody.

      I'm new to this forum and new to these products. I do have some questions and I'm very sorry if it has been answered before.

      What is differents for these product comparing to what you can buy in stores and what you get from your ISP?

      I have 360 M/bit WAN connection and I do have several WiFi devices that needs to connected.
      What will you recommend for me of these products?

      Thank you in advanced.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • D
        DKentoy
        last edited by

        No one can help me?

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        • H
          heper
          last edited by

          what products are you talking about?
          are you talking about the official pfSense/Netgate appliances? for more detailed information about them, you could contact their customer support directly.

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          • JKnottJ
            JKnott
            last edited by

            Your question is a bit vague.  What is it you need?  pfSense is a firewall/router.  You can either buy a Netgate box or download the software and install it on a computer.  Either way, you will still need a modem to connect to your ISP and some means of providing WiFi.  I installed it on a computer and it works fine.

            PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
            i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
            UniFi AC-Lite access point

            I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

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            • D
              DKentoy
              last edited by

              Ok. I see.

              What I have now is just Apple Airport Express as a router.
              I just have RJ45 plug in my wall. The ISP has told me that's up to me what I would like to have install as a router.

              My though was to buy Netgate box, but I was not aware that you can just download the software and install it on a pc.
              I guess the pc have to have 2 LAN.

              What pc have you installed the sofware on?

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              • DerelictD
                Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                last edited by

                Pretty much everything from an old laptop to 32-core monsters.

                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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                • D
                  DKentoy
                  last edited by

                  @Derelict:

                  Pretty much everything from an old laptop to 32-core monsters.

                  Do you connect the mountwall RJ45 to the laptop and is it the WiFi on the laptop you use to connect other devices - like phones?

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                  • DerelictD
                    Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                    last edited by

                    No. In that case with one NIC you would do a "router-on-a-stick"  using VLANs and a managed switch that can understand 802.1q traffic.

                    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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                    • N
                      nycfly
                      last edited by

                      @valnurat:

                      Do you connect the mountwall RJ45 to the laptop and is it the WiFi on the laptop you use to connect other devices - like phones?

                      You usually have a separate wireless access point. A consumer wireless router generally combines three devices into one—a router, an Ethernet switch and a wireless access point. pfSense concentrates on just the router part.

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                      • D
                        DKentoy
                        last edited by

                        @nycfly:

                        You usually have a separate wireless access point. A consumer wireless router generally combines three devices into one—a router, an Ethernet switch and a wireless access point. pfSense concentrates on just the router part.

                        But it seems that pfSense also can "control" WiFi.

                        Ok. What I have is just mount wall RJ45 from my ISP. Right now I have an Apple Airport Express as my router/WiFi connected to this RJ45.

                        So if I should start using pfSense, I should find a old laptop - install a 2nd LAN using USB. Install pfSense on the laptop. Setup pfSense. When it's done. Use motherboard LAN on the laptop to my mountwall RJ45. Use USB LAN to hook a 8 ports switch. 1 of the ports in the switch I connect my Airport Express for WiFi connecting?

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                        • N
                          nycfly
                          last edited by

                          A USB Ethernet adapter on an old laptop isn't suitable for a 360mpbs internet connection. It's possible to a single Ethernet connection on a laptop by using a smart switch to set up separate vlans for your WAN and LAN traffic. Or use an old desktop computer and stick a two-port NIC in it.

                          Yes, you can use your Airport as the wireless access point. There is an option to put it into bridge mode, which turns off the routing functions.

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                          • D
                            DKentoy
                            last edited by

                            Thank you.

                            I have this:
                            http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/servicetag/3f47c5j/diagnose

                            What kind of smart switch is available?

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