Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Multi physical interface with same subnet

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    44 Posts 7 Posters 8.2k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • K
      kpa
      last edited by

      It's all down to routing. Imagine if you had the same subnet, for example 192.168.1.0/24, on two different interfaces. The routing table would have two entries for the same subnet like:

      
      Destination     Gateway
      192.168.1.0/24	link#1 ....
      192.168.1.0/24	link#2 ....
      
      

      If the system would be now asked to forward a packet to host 192.168.1.100 that is on the first (link#1) network, would it be able to decide which link (interface) to use? The answer is an absolute no because both entries in the routing table are equally wide (/24) so there is no way to decide which link to use.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
        last edited by

        In such a scenario it "could" (in theory) be possible if the routing device also looked in its arp table and said own 192.168.1.100 is connected to link2..  But where you for sure have a problem is in his scenario both devices have the same IP… So there are 2 192.168.1.100..

        His proposed setup is borked for sure.. The correct solution would be to change 1 of the segments to a different L3 scheme.  Or if you want single L2 to make sure devices all have different IPs in the L3 addressing your using on that L2

        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

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • JKnottJ
          JKnott
          last edited by

          @kpa:

          It's all down to routing. Imagine if you had the same subnet, for example 192.168.1.0/24, on two different interfaces. The routing table would have two entries for the same subnet like:

          
          Destination     Gateway
          192.168.1.0/24	link#1 ....
          192.168.1.0/24	link#2 ....
          
          

          If the system would be now asked to forward a packet to host 192.168.1.100 that is on the first (link#1) network, would it be able to decide which link (interface) to use? The answer is an absolute no because both entries in the routing table are equally wide (/24) so there is no way to decide which link to use.

          The only possible solution would still require at least a different IP address.  Then there could be a specific route to the device and then the routing longest path match would work.  The device would also need to be configured with a suitable subnet mask, so that it knew other devices in the same network were elsewhere.  Even then it's still a messy solution to a problem that could be avoided entirely by changing the address to a different subnet.

          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...

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • DerelictD
            Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
            last edited by

            or a metric, etc.

            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
            • jahonixJ
              jahonix
              last edited by

              @jaf:

              if it's possible with only 1 pfsense.

              Definitely no.

              @jaf:

              …it seems it's too strange to be implemented.

              It's technically not possible to do something like that with one device.

              Imagine putting two green apples on one table. Now tell your customer to "grab the green apple".
              He just doesn't know which one.
              Same for an IP packet. It just doesn't know if it should take the left or the right route to one of two devices with the exact same address. Routing doesn't work this way.

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • J
                jaf
                last edited by

                @jahonix:

                @jaf:

                if it's possible with only 1 pfsense.

                Definitely no.

                @jaf:

                …it seems it's too strange to be implemented.

                It's technically not possible to do something like that with one device.

                Imagine putting two green apples on one table. Now tell your customer to "grab the green apple".
                He just doesn't know which one.
                Same for an IP packet. It just doesn't know if it should take the left or the right route to one of two devices with the exact same address. Routing doesn't work this way.

                Well, if it's possible to do it on 2 devices, maybe it's possible to virtualize it on 1, no?
                But I agree you must have at least 2 IP address on the wan (like you have with 2 devices) to make the difference for the 2 green apples.
                But anyway, it's to uncommon to implement something like that all in once, so I can use 2 (in reality for my project more than 2).

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • DerelictD
                  Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                  last edited by

                  Of course you could virtualize two pfSenses on one physical to do the same job as two physicals.

                  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
                  • J
                    jaf
                    last edited by

                    @Derelict:

                    Of course you could virtualize two pfSenses on one physical to do the same job as two physicals.

                    I wanted to say, making one VM that you call "pfsenseMulti", containing an implementation of pfsense containing all that in once, with a smart HMI like pfsense  :)

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • jahonixJ
                      jahonix
                      last edited by

                      @jahonix:

                      It's technically not possible to do something like that with one device.

                      @jaf:

                      … it's to uncommon to implement something like that all in once...

                      @jaf:

                      …implementation of pfsense containing all that in once...

                      Just out of sheer curiosity: you cannot understand or you don't want to believe that technically this is not possible?

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • J
                        jaf
                        last edited by

                        I think the problem is that my English is not so good, and my explanation not clear. :(
                        Or maybe I'm an idiot? I hope not.

                        And yes, I don't understand how it can be technically impossible to develop a VM integrating the 2 devices solution, and developing a special HMI to control all that. After, you call this VM "pfsenseMulti".

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • johnpozJ
                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                          last edited by

                          Huh?
                          You can for sure have a VM host box and put as many Pfsense VMS on it as you your host can support from memory and horse power..

                          The point is you can not have the same IP on the same network and expect it to work..  How you put them on different networks is up to you.. Be it virtual routers or physical ones.

                          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

                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • J
                            jaf
                            last edited by

                            @johnpoz:

                            The point is you can not have the same IP on the same network and expect it to work..

                            Where did I say this can works???
                            Sorry again if my explanations was not clear…

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • johnpozJ
                              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                              last edited by

                              You didn't - just pointing out this fact so everyone is clear ;)  How you create the different networks is up to you.

                              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

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • JKnottJ
                                JKnott
                                last edited by

                                @jaf:

                                I think the problem is that my English is not so good, and my explanation not clear. :(
                                Or maybe I'm an idiot? I hope not.

                                And yes, I don't understand how it can be technically impossible to develop a VM integrating the 2 devices solution, and developing a special HMI to control all that. After, you call this VM "pfsenseMulti".

                                Isn't this a heck of a lot of trouble to avoid the proper solution, that is change the IP address to a different subnet?

                                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...

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • johnpozJ
                                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                  last edited by

                                  Or even a different IP on the same subnet ;)

                                  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

                                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • First post
                                    Last post
                                  Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.