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    Multi physical interface with same subnet

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • J
      jaf
      last edited by

      I have a configuration with 2 lan on 2 physical interfaces because my 2 lan have the same subnet and machines on LAN 1 and LAN 2 can have the same IP address.
      See joined picture.

      I know I can put 2 routers pfsense on the box between WLAN, LAN1 and LAN2, but can I put only one?
      And if it's possible, what will be the configuration?

      Note that I search on this forum before posting and I can't find my answer.
      multilan.jpg
      multilan.jpg_thumb

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      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
        last edited by

        Huh??  Doesn't work that way..

        Change lan 2 to 192.168.20 or something..

        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 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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        • J
          jaf
          last edited by

          @johnpoz:

          Huh??  Doesn't work that way..

          Change lan 2 to 192.168.20 or something..

          I can't  :(
          My (very old) machines have fixed IP…
          I think it works at least with 2 routers with NAT, you don't think so?  :-[
          Like below.
          But with only one pfsense?

          multilan2.jpg
          multilan2.jpg_thumb

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          • johnpozJ
            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
            last edited by

            Yeah you can isolate them on to different networks, and nat them into a common network.. But you have machines with the same exact IP??  That you can not change?  Sorry but my curiosity kat is meowing at that one ;)

            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 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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            • JKnottJ
              JKnott
              last edited by

              My (very old) machines have fixed IP…

              My network experience goes back to 1978 and on a lot of different systems.  I don't think I've ever seen something where an address couldn't be changed.  If someone actually created such a device, they should be shot for incompetence.  ;)

              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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              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by

                Yeah same here.. I was working in networking and computers before there was IP… Have never seen such a thing - even in manufacturing and test equipment.

                Only thing I can think of some sort of license tied to an IP.

                I remember like it was yesterday having to go around and install tcp/ip on the windows 3.11 machines as we were moving to that from ipx/spx

                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 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                • NogBadTheBadN
                  NogBadTheBad
                  last edited by

                  @johnpoz:

                  Yeah same here.. I was working in networking and computers before there was IP

                  Apollo Token Ring, IPX & Appletalk here :)

                  Andy

                  1 x Netgate SG-4860 - 3 x Linksys LGS308P - 1 x Aruba InstantOn AP22

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                  • JKnottJ
                    JKnott
                    last edited by

                    @NogBadTheBad:

                    @johnpoz:

                    Yeah same here.. I was working in networking and computers before there was IP

                    Apollo Token Ring, IPX & Appletalk here :)

                    The first LAN I worked on was part of the Air Canada reservation system in Toronto.  It used time division multiplexing, that is time slots, instead of packets.  A device with data to send was assigned (usually permanently) a time slot to transmit and the destination would then listen on that time slot.  There were 2 networks.  The main "TDX" ring ran 8 Mb/s over tri-axial cable and the older TDM ring, 2 Mb over coax.
                    Even on that ancient equipment, it was possible to change the device address.

                    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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                    • J
                      jaf
                      last edited by

                      Yes, you are right, it's possible to change the IP on these machine, but I can't as they are not mine and the owner doesn't want to. It seems complicated for him (old machine), and after use it on my network he wants to use it with this address without changing anything.

                      Any idea if it's possible to use only 1 router for this config?
                      Even if my configuration seems strange for you  :o

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                      • DerelictD
                        Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                        last edited by

                        How? When the router has a packet for 192.168.10.1 how is it supposed to know which interface to send it on?

                        Tell your customer what's what.

                        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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                        • J
                          jaf
                          last edited by

                          @Derelict:

                          How? When the router has a packet for 192.168.10.1 how is it supposed to know which interface to send it on?

                          Tell your customer what's what.

                          Well, machine can't be accessed by wan or the other lan, so if the router can NAT each machine differently knowing that machine are on different lan and interface…

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                          • JKnottJ
                            JKnott
                            last edited by

                            Yes, you are right, it's possible to change the IP on these machine, but I can't as they are not mine and the owner doesn't want to. It seems complicated for him (old machine), and after use it on my network he wants to use it with this address without changing anything.

                            Well, it's then your responsibility to advise him.  Wishful thinking doesn't get very far, when it contradicts reality.

                            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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                            • JKnottJ
                              JKnott
                              last edited by

                              @jaf:

                              @Derelict:

                              How? When the router has a packet for 192.168.10.1 how is it supposed to know which interface to send it on?

                              Tell your customer what's what.

                              Well, machine can't be accessed by wan or the other lan, so if the router can NAT each machine differently knowing that machine are on different lan and interface…

                              NAT still has to know which interface to use.  If the same address is on both sides, how does it work?

                              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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                              • johnpozJ
                                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                last edited by

                                So let me get this right… There are more than one machine, and they both have 192.168.10.1 and you want to give them both internet access.  And you think it would be easier to run 2 pfsense boxes vs just having them change the IP of the one of these machines?

                                At a total loss here..
                                "the owner doesn't want to"

                                Then tell him he can not be on your network ;)

                                What is the relationship here - are you the customer, he is the customer?  Do you need this on your network, or does the owner?

                                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 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                                • J
                                  jaf
                                  last edited by

                                  @johnpoz:

                                  So let me get this right… There are more than one machine, and they both have 192.168.10.1 and you want to give them both internet access.  And you think it would be easier to run 2 pfsense boxes vs just having them change the IP of the one of these machines?

                                  At a total loss here..
                                  "the owner doesn't want to"

                                  Then tell him he can not be on your network ;)

                                  What is the relationship here - are you the customer, he is the customer?  Do you need this on your network, or does the owner?

                                  Yes, he is my customer, and customer is king…

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                                  • johnpozJ
                                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                    last edited by

                                    He is your customer.. Why would he think he could connect to a network and not change the IP on multiple machines all having the same IP?  So while he is king, he is also mentally challenged when it comes to networking..

                                    Why is the box not just dhcp?  I mean really set it to dhcp and there you go done..  You can have as many boxes then without any issue.

                                    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 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                                    • JKnottJ
                                      JKnott
                                      last edited by

                                      Yes, he is my customer, and customer is king…

                                      And if what he wants is impossible?  Assuming you set up NAT.  You will have 2 devices with the same IP address, but on opposite sides of it.  When the device behind NAT has traffic for it's twin on the outside, it will never leave that device, as it will assume it for itself.  When some other device has traffic for the device behind NAT, NAT will then have to decide which way to send the traffic.  It does this by comparing the destination address with the network addresses.  If both networks have the same address, there is absolutely no way for NAT to know which way to send that traffic.  What that customer wants is impossible.  King or not he has to be told and hopefully you won't lose your head!  ;)

                                      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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                                      • johnpozJ
                                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                        last edited by

                                        Its not impossible just stupid… You would have to it like he showed with different nat device for very box that wants to use 192.168.10.1 so you could nat it to a different network..

                                        Each box would have to be isolated from each other on their own network with a different nat box.  Utterly moronic...

                                        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 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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                                        • J
                                          jaf
                                          last edited by

                                          @johnpoz:

                                          He is your customer.. Why would he think he could connect to a network and not change the IP on multiple machines all having the same IP?  So while he is king, he is also mentally challenged when it comes to networking..

                                          Why is the box not just dhcp?  I mean really set it to dhcp and there you go done..  You can have as many boxes then without any issue.

                                          Sorry, I can't give here the full context of my customer. But believe me, if I ask this question, it's because I really need this configuration. If I can do it differently, I will do!

                                          What that customer wants is impossible.  King or not he has to be told and hopefully you won't lose your head!  ;)

                                          Sorry, I don't understand why it's impossible. Do you agree it's possible at least with 2 routers?
                                          If not, I don't understand what's the purpose of lan with NAT if all lan must have strictly different subnet and address?

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                                          • johnpozJ
                                            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                            last edited by

                                            You can do it - you would just need a box to nat every single box that wants to use the same address so you can put them all on different networks.

                                            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 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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