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    Pfsense no internet access on Esxi server

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    27 Posts 3 Posters 6.1k Views
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    • KOMK
      KOM
      last edited by

      Yeah, I should have mentioned that you don't need to manually fiddle with the routing table or anything, and that those entries you added should be removed. Glad its working for you now.

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      • C
        craig121
        last edited by craig121

        Thanks again Kom, I have noticed one that if i dont continually ping the router stops i cant ping or do anything afterwards.

        Strange i guess it could be to do with VMware or something. I have checked the logs and nothing in there.

        Is there any kind of hibernation or anything that could cause this?

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        • KOMK
          KOM
          last edited by

          No, and it shouldn't be doing that. Is it hung or can you access the console?

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          • C
            craig121
            last edited by

            Yeah can still access the console, i just cant ping any longer.

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            • KOMK
              KOM
              last edited by

              If you can still get to WebGUI, check the System log for anything unusual.

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              • awebsterA
                awebster
                last edited by

                @craig121 So the netmask on the WAN interface is it /32 now? The default gateway is what?
                If /32, it would mean they are not on the same subnet and Layer 2 is going to behave strangely.

                I have noticed one that if i dont continually ping the router stops i cant ping or do anything afterwards.

                How did you get it to started working again?

                –A.

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                • C
                  craig121
                  last edited by

                  Hi Awebster, i removed the

                  route add -net 51.x.x.x/32 -iface em0
                  route add default 51.x.x.x

                  from the start up scripts.

                  For me to get it working - i logged in via the GUI (web interface) and changed the WAN interface.

                  So my current setup is that i have a static ip on the IPv4 address 51.89.243.x my original mask was set to 32. This is ip is a virtual ip from the hosting provider OVH which is has a virtual MAC address, this is set on the ESXI virtual machine NIC adapter (virtual).

                  I added the IPv4 Upstream gateway - which is set to the ESXi host ip address. In my case 51.89.227.x. So when i added the gateway i had to change the mask to 16 on the IPv4 address as it was out of the subnet.

                  I may have set this wrong as i believe this give full scope of the 3rd mask as well.

                  Once i did that hey presto everything works but only for a period of time (around 10 -15mins).

                  My new problem is that after that period of time it stop being able to access in the WAN and thats even within the Shell of pfSense. I cant even ping google.com.

                  If i navigate into the Web UI and re save the WAN interface it comes back to life for 10 -15mins.

                  I am going to have a play around with the ESXi settings in case its anything in there. Overall very impressed with pfSense and will be using it going forward.

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                  • C
                    craig121
                    last edited by

                    Ok i have check the system logs (General) and found an entry that seems to be causing the issue:

                    Sep 20 07:27:03 kernel arp.51.89.227.x moved from 00:00:0c:9c:f0:04 to d0:40:d3:01:23

                    It looks like the MAC is being updated by the host for some strange reason, i will post an update when i have fixed and finalised.

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                    • C
                      craig121
                      last edited by

                      I have no idea why this address is changing and i am not sure how to resolve or fix. Is there anything in pfSense that can detect and update accordingly.

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                      • C
                        craig121
                        last edited by

                        I have looked at the Diagnostics / ARP table

                        Interface IP address MAC address . Hostname
                        WAN 51.89.227.x 00:00:0c:9f:f3:04 ns34322.ip-xx-xx-x . Expires in 645 seconds

                        Once this has run out this is when the WAN connection stops working. How do i stop the expiry

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                        • awebsterA
                          awebster
                          last edited by

                          This is an OVH thing. Basically they give you a single /32 and the gateway is on a different subnet.

                          You might try changing the WAN interface mask back to /32, then going into System > Routing > Gateways, add your default gateway and click on the Advanced settings button and scroll down to the bottom.
                          Check on Use non-local gateway.
                          This will allow use of a gateway outside of this interface's subnet.

                          –A.

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                          • C
                            craig121
                            last edited by

                            I have set as you have suggested and it worked after a reboot.

                            I suppose now its a question of time to see if it works :)

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                            • C
                              craig121
                              last edited by

                              Unfortunately the same error - the gateway that i set is to the IP of ESxi server - which is what a tutorial specified.

                              awebsterA 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • awebsterA
                                awebster @craig121
                                last edited by

                                @craig121 said in Pfsense no internet access on Esxi server:

                                Unfortunately the same error - the gateway that i set is to the IP of ESxi server - which is what a tutorial specified.

                                I'm not sure that setting the gateway to the IP of the ESXi server is correct. Which tutorial did you follow?

                                –A.

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                                • C
                                  craig121
                                  last edited by

                                  The tutorial that i followed which is very long winded and you have skip a lot is the playlist:

                                  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiQNQNdAAdA&list=PLf0swTFhTI8qOAbrJhihZZTWfZA_arTYZ&index=13

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                                  • C
                                    craig121
                                    last edited by

                                    Also its very similar to

                                    https://support.us.ovhcloud.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002175944-How-to-Connect-a-VM-to-the-Internet-Using-VMware-ESXi-6-5

                                    https://support.us.ovhcloud.com/hc/en-us/articles/360000096990

                                    I have just tried changing my final gateway ip address octlet to 254. So the first three octlets are the same as the Esxi server and the final octlet is 254.

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                                    • C
                                      craig121
                                      last edited by

                                      Hallelujah - its finally working and sorted - follow the OVH links for a server on OVH.

                                      I wish i had looked at the articles rather than following a youtube video where i shouldn't have configured pfSense by adding static routes etc. Plus the gateway was set incorrectly.

                                      Kom and Awebster - really appreciate your help.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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