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    Install PFSense on a Sophos SG appliance

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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.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • stephenw10S
        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
        last edited by

        Reuse beats Recycling IMO. 😉

        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
        • 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

            M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • 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

                M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • 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

                  P 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • 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

                    M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • 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.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • 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

                        M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • 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 &
                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • 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 ?

                              M 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • 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

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                    • 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!
                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • 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?

                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • SGMPhilS
                                            SGMPhil
                                            last edited by

                                            pfSense works great on the SG-310 that I have. LCD works great with this configuration:
                                            Screenshot 2024-03-10 111033.png

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