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    Install PFSense on a Sophos SG appliance

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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by stephenw10

      Yes disable it in the package and use a shellcmd to start it instead so you can use a custom lcdd.conf file.

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      • M
        mickesanda @stephenw10
        last edited by

        @stephenw10 I'll give it a try. I purchased 2 X XG-1537 HA for 1 month ago as a replacement for the Sophos SG330. They are way faster and better than Sophos.
        So far I'm happy with my choice. So these old Sophos machines are in no way in production, just my curiosity that needs to be satisfied.

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          Reuse beats Recycling IMO. 😉

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          • M
            mickesanda @stephenw10
            last edited by

            @stephenw10 I created LCDd.conf under root.
            This is the content:
            [server]
            DriverPath=/usr/local/lib/lcdproc/
            Driver=hd44780
            Bind=127.0.0.1
            Port=13666
            ReportLevel=3
            ReportToSyslog=yes
            User=nobody
            Foreground=no
            ServerScreen=no
            GoodBye="Thanks for using"
            GoodBye=" pfSense "
            WaitTime=5
            ToggleRotateKey=Enter
            PrevScreenKey=Left
            NextScreenKey=Right
            ScrollUpKey=Up
            ScrollDownKey=Down
            [menu]
            MenuKey=Escape
            EnterKey=Enter
            UpKey=Up
            DownKey=Down
            [hd44780]
            driverpath=/usr/local/lib/lcdproc/
            ConnectionType=ezio
            Device=/dev/cuau1
            Keypad=yes
            Size=16x2
            KeyMatrix_4_1=Enter
            KeyMatrix_4_2=Up
            KeyMatrix_4_3=Down
            KeyMatrix_4_4=Escape

            I also added 2 shellcmd with this content:
            1: /usr/bin/nice-20/usr/local/sbin/LCDd -r 0 -c /root/LCDd.conf > /dev/null &
            2: /usr/bin/nice-20/usr/local/bin/lcdproc C T U &

            Not sure about the punctuation though, can you please check if there is a space too many or something similar?

            I get sh: /usr/bin/nice-20/usr/local/sbin/LCDd -r 0 -c /root/LCDd.conf not found
            and one more similar line

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by stephenw10

              Yes. 'nice' is a separate command so the shellcmds should be:
              /usr/bin/nice -20 /usr/local/sbin/LCDd -r 0 -c /root/LCDd.conf > /dev/null &
              /usr/bin/nice -20 /usr/local/bin/lcdproc C T U &

              Steve

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              • M
                mickesanda @stephenw10
                last edited by mickesanda

                @stephenw10
                I still get:
                sh: /usr/bin/nice-20 not found twice

                The "Enable LCDproc package at start" is unchecked.
                I used the "Edit file" option found under diagnostic to create the LCDd.conf under the catalog root.
                b4cd0655-0db0-41fb-99cc-0a71e9c28f20-bild.png

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                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  Hmm, this is the actual code from the config.xml file from that box:

                  		<shellcmd>/usr/bin/nice -20 /usr/local/sbin/LCDd -r 0 -c /root/LCDd.conf &gt; /dev/null &amp;</shellcmd>
                  		<shellcmd>/usr/bin/nice -20 /usr/local/bin/lcdproc C T U &amp;</shellcmd>
                  

                  Ah! The space between nice and -20 is not clear.

                  Steve

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                  • M
                    mickesanda @stephenw10
                    last edited by

                    @stephenw10
                    Progress is being made :-) For a short while I saw readable text, Hd44780 and Thank you for using pfSense and a serial number.
                    But as soon as the boot sequence was finished everything is garbled again.
                    Starting package LCDproc...done. That works now.
                    Starting package Shellcmd...done

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                      last edited by stephenw10

                      Sounds like the lcdproc package is still starting stuff separately. Make sure you have disabled the server and set the com port to 'none' and have unselected any screens in the gui.

                      Steve

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                      • M
                        mickesanda @stephenw10
                        last edited by

                        @stephenw10
                        Happy dance :-)
                        20190924_140634.jpg

                        Thank you Steve, I knew that choosing pfSense was the best way to go because of the support and community.

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by stephenw10

                          Nice!
                          Though when you see that it means the LCDd daemon is running but no clients are connecting to it.
                          With the second shellcmd you should see the three output screens for CPU usage, Time and Uptime.

                          Do the buttons work?

                          Steve

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                          • M
                            mickesanda @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10
                            Hmm..., no the buttons don't work:
                            The shellcommands are as follows:

                            1. /usr/bin/nice -20 /usr/local/sbin/LCDd -r 0 -c /root/LCDd.conf > /dev/null &
                            2. /usr/bin/nice -20 /usr/local/bin/lcdproc C T U &
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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              Hmm, potentially some timing issue. Try running the client command from the command line, see if it attaches to the server then.
                              Check the system logs after booting you may well see the server and/or client being started/stopped several times.

                              Steve

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                              • R
                                randy_srs
                                last edited by

                                is there a step by step howto install on a sophos SG appliance and what about the UTM appliances ?

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                                • M
                                  mickesanda @randy_srs
                                  last edited by

                                  @randy_srs Hi Randy, I cannot say for other Sophos appliances, but for SG330, I created a bootable USB stick with Rufus and the installation is very easy.
                                  I could only auto identify one ethernet card. The rest were found automatically when the installation was finished. Other than the issue with the display, everything went smoothly.
                                  /Mike

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                                  • R
                                    randy_srs
                                    last edited by

                                    @mickesanda thanks for the info . i figured . i think there is a workaround for the LCD display . ill have to play around with them

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                                    • P
                                      pw @mickesanda
                                      last edited by

                                      @mickesanda

                                      Thx Mike, without messing in .conf file, all from GUI, was able to manage this on SG 450 platorm :)

                                      Cheers

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                                      • B
                                        barrio603
                                        last edited by

                                        I have SG 125 - SG 230 installed with PFSense and they work fine. The cost for a unit off ebay is way cheaper then buying a dual port and the only thing you need to concern about is the internal SSD, but that is a quick swap for a new one.

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                                        • D
                                          dkzsys
                                          last edited by dkzsys

                                          This post is deleted!
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                                          • D
                                            dabbler455
                                            last edited by

                                            Has anyone tried to use the sfp port on an xg-135 rev3 with a gpon optic for an incoming fiber connection?

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