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    Setting up a VLAN with pfSense, Ubiquiti, and ESXi

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved L2/Switching/VLANs
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    • P
      pfSenseUser78 @JKnott
      last edited by

      @JKnott said in Setting up a VLAN with pfSense, Ubiquiti, and ESXi:

      @pfSenseUser78 said in Setting up a VLAN with pfSense, Ubiquiti, and ESXi:

      @JKnott

      For the internal NON-IoT network DHCP is handled by a windows domain controller. For the VLAN being setup for the IoT devices I do NOT need DHCP handled by a windows DC; I was saying that this can be handled by pfSense directly.

      Then we're back to my original question, did you set up the DHCP config on the VLAN? In the DHCP config, there are pages for each interface. The way I read your original post, it sounded like you just added an address pool to the main interface.

      VLAN90-Setup.png

      .
      .

      .
      VLAN90-DHCP.png

      Hope this helps - if not let me know what else I can provide a screenshot of.

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      • DerelictD
        Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
        last edited by

        You are not setting DNS servers in the DHCP configuration so this is what DNS servers will be sent to the clients (just like it says right there):

        Leave blank to use the system default DNS servers: this interface's IP if DNS Forwarder or Resolver is enabled, otherwise the servers configured on the System / General Setup page.

        So it depends on whether or not you have the resolver or forwarder configured, in which case the clients will get 192.168.90.200 as their DNS server. If DNS forwarder/resolver are NOT configured, they'll get whatever is configured in System > General.

        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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        • P
          pfSenseUser78 @Derelict
          last edited by

          @Derelict

          Here's what's set as my DNS servers in System > General:

          Screenshot from 2019-11-29 17-06-31.png

          Could it be that the VLAN devices can't connect to the DNS servers?

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          • DerelictD
            Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
            last edited by

            Look at the DNS servers the clients are being assigned. Can the resolve names from them? If not, then yest that's a problem.

            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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            • P
              pfSenseUser78 @Derelict
              last edited by

              @Derelict DNS server being assigned to the clients is the firewall itself (172.16.249.200).

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              • DerelictD
                Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                last edited by

                Can they resolve names using that?

                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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                • P
                  pfSenseUser78 @Derelict
                  last edited by

                  @Derelict

                  Ok. I can connect to the network (via WiFi) with my laptop. I get an IP address on the VLAN range. From there, I cannot ping 8.8.8.8 and I can't ping 192.168.90.200 (which should be the VLAN Firewall).

                  Not being able to ping 8.8.8.8 tells me I might have a rule issue somewhere. I know I have one to block DNS queries on my main network (172.16.249.1/24) that don't originate from one of two DNS servers (on that same network) but that shouldn't block me from pinging 8.8.8.8.

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                  • johnpozJ
                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                    last edited by johnpoz

                    Vlans when created have zero rules on them - so not being able to do anything would be default.. What rules did you put on your vlan interface? Just that tcp rule, well no you wouldn't be able to do dns which is udp normally, and no you wouldn't be able to ping which is icmp..

                    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 2.7.2, 24.11

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                    • DerelictD
                      Derelict LAYER 8 Netgate
                      last edited by Derelict

                      Two things:

                      1. Rules on the new interface passing traffic from the hosts on that interface.
                      2. Outbound NAT on the WAN for the new interface source addresses if you strayed from Automatic or Hybrid outbound NAT.

                      Those two things are installed by default on the LAN but not for any interfaces you might subsequently create.

                      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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                      • P
                        pfSenseUser78 @johnpoz
                        last edited by pfSenseUser78

                        @johnpoz Makes sense, where would I find the rules I need to create? I've searched but I've not been able to find what they are.

                        Edit: I've also looked at the default rules and don't see what get setup to try and duplicate on the VLAN.

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                        • P
                          pfSenseUser78 @Derelict
                          last edited by

                          @Derelict I've read and reread these a couple of times and am having a hard time understanding. I have an "ok" grasp of networking but these just don't make sense.

                          Is there somewhere I can read more about these two points?

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                          • johnpozJ
                            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                            last edited by johnpoz

                            They would be what you want - there is no possible way to show someone the rules that they would want.. Everyones setup is going to be different. I would start with an any any rule to validate connectivity works, and then set them how you want them.. My rules are going to be different than your rules, etc.

                            edit?
                            You don't know how to setup a any any rule??

                            Here is basic vlan rules that allows basic services but blocks access to all other vlans (rfc1918)..

                            basicrules.jpg

                            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 2.7.2, 24.11

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                            • P
                              pfSenseUser78 @johnpoz
                              last edited by

                              @johnpoz Is this the any any rule you're referring to?

                              Any Any.png

                              If so, it's already in place.

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                              • johnpozJ
                                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                last edited by johnpoz

                                That is not an ANY rule - its only allowing tcp.. So no dns which is udp, and no ping which icmp.

                                any.jpg

                                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
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                                • P
                                  pfSenseUser78 @johnpoz
                                  last edited by

                                  @johnpoz

                                  Got it now.

                                  I've created this an will test tomorrow; the goal is to allow the devices on this VLAN access to the internet and access to the specified DNS servers on the local LAN (I hope that term is correct):
                                  NEW Any Any.png

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                                  • johnpozJ
                                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                    last edited by johnpoz

                                    You have dns set to TCP only - while dns CAN use tcp, it defaults to UDP... You reallly should make those rules UDP/TCP

                                    But since you have any rule there at the bottom those 2 allow rules for dns are pretty pointless.

                                    And that any rule at the end is going to allow access to your lan as well.. You need to put a block rule above the any and below your dns rules, that blocks access your LAN net, if you dont want your vlan to talk to your lan..

                                    Rules are evaluated as traffic enters the interface from the network its attached too, top down, first rule to trigger wins, no other rules are evaluated.

                                    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 2.7.2, 24.11

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                                    • P
                                      pfSenseUser78 @johnpoz
                                      last edited by pfSenseUser78

                                      @johnpoz

                                      Ok, I think I'm getting closer. Here's the new rules:
                                      VLan90 Firewall Rules 4.png

                                      If I understand correctly the rules flow from the top down to the bottom. I'm allowing (on the VLAN90):

                                      1. Ping responses anywhere (but should probably tighten this up to only allow responses out to the internet if I'm trying to segregate this traffic from my internal LAN)

                                      2. DNS traffic ONLY to 172.16.249.139 and then .138

                                      3. Blocking all communication from the VLAN90 to the local LAN

                                      4. All connectivity out to the internet (although, like rule 1, I'm guessing that this rule is too broad and can be tightened up).

                                      For rules 1 and 4, to "tighten" them up to be just applicable to the internet would I change the destination to "WAN net"?

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                                      • johnpozJ
                                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                        last edited by johnpoz

                                        Wan net is not the internet - its just the network connect to your wan.. It would be something/mask like mine is 64.53.x.x/23 The internet is really anything.. There is no way to tighten that up... Can you put in all address blocks that make up the internet ;)

                                        If you don't want clients on your vlan to ping stuff on your lan, then put a rule that blocks that before you allow ping any..

                                        If you want to tighten it up more, you might want to use the "this firewall" alias to prevent access to your wan IP, this alias includes all IPs that firewall has, a block rule to that on your vlan would prevent access to say the pfsense gui via the wan IP.. See my example rules.

                                        If you ever have a question to if something is allowed or deny, just run through the rules with where your going and what protocol.. Is it denied or allowed in the rules - if it gets to the end without being allowed then it would be denied.. Since the default is denied (not shown).

                                        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 2.7.2, 24.11

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                                        • P
                                          pfSenseUser78 @johnpoz
                                          last edited by

                                          @johnpoz

                                          THANK YOU for your help so far; I've almost got it. Here's my rules now (I plan on renaming the descriptions later):
                                          VLAN 90 Firewall 6.png

                                          My only remaining issue is that I can't get DNS to work with the rules the way they are now. From the VLAN I'm trying to use the DNS server on my LAN. I thought that rules 2 & 3 would allow the traffic to pass but after putting the 4th rule in place (to prevent the devices on VLAN90 form being able to see the devices on the LAN) DNS stops working entirely.

                                          Should rules 2 & 3 just be the firewall IP address (which would then pass it off to the DNS servers on the LAN) or is there something I'm missing?

                                          Also, I installed Avahi as one of my goals was to have my Apple devices on VLAN90 but still be able to Airplay to them; it seems to be working so far.

                                          Thank you again.

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                                          • P
                                            pfSenseUser78 @johnpoz
                                            last edited by

                                            @johnpoz Would it make sense to start a new post at this point?

                                            Thank you again for all your (and everyone else's help).

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