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    What's the best network setup for a group of devices?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved L2/Switching/VLANs
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    • E
      eiger3970
      last edited by

      Ok, I created a Firewall Rule to Block all traffic from the WAN to any destination.
      I then tried to add a Pass to a LAN address, however pfSense doesn't allow me to enter the LAN IP address?

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      • E
        eiger3970
        last edited by

        The rule to block all traffic from WAN2 failed, as I was able to ping the vm router and the hypervisor to 1.1.1.1.

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        • johnpozJ
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
          last edited by johnpoz

          @eiger3970 said in What's the best network setup for a group of devices?:

          I created a Firewall Rule to Block all traffic from the WAN to any destination.

          Huh? Wan is block all out of the box.. Zero reason to add any rules on wan other than port forwards or remote access to the wan access (rare)..

          as I was able to ping the vm router and the hypervisor to 1.1.1.1.

          From whare? Sure and the hope your not using 1.1.1.1 and your IP.. Is this public, why would you obfuscate rfc1918 address?

          And sure you could create vlans on your network if you so desired - but your current setup has none..

          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

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          • E
            eiger3970
            last edited by eiger3970

            Thanks.
            I deleted the WAN block. I'm confused and thought I could block all outgoing internet traffic.

            I setup a LAN rule to block all traffic. This hasn't stopped the hypervisor and vm router pinging 1.1.1.1. They will be allowed to use internet, but I'm just testing if all devices are blocked.

            1.1.1.1 is just the cloudflare dns I test ping on. That or google.com. 1.1.1.1 is not my IP.

            Just need to allow 4 devices to use the internet.
            1 of the devices will be a WLAN AP, which can send internet to 1 of the permitted devices.

            I can't deny specific devices, as I don't know all machine's details that may or may not join the network.

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            • E
              eiger3970
              last edited by eiger3970

              Oops, fixed the LAN rule to block any traffic, not just TCP traffic. Those pesky little ICMP packets were transmitting through the ping.

              No, it seems I might be able to add the 4 devices I prefer to have internet.

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              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by johnpoz

                If you want help with rules - the best thing is to post a picture of them..

                1 of the devices will be a WLAN AP, which can send internet to 1 of the permitted devices.

                AP do not NAT.. Do you mean a downstream wifi router that is natting?

                I can't deny specific devices, as I don't know all machine's details that may or may not join the network.

                Well then the best thing to do is use vlans, where devices on vlan X can use the internet, and devices on vlan Y can not sort of setup.

                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

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                • E
                  eiger3970
                  last edited by

                  Here's what I have so far.
                  alt text

                  Not much to screenshot for allowing 3-4 devices, as I'm not sure yet what rules to create.

                  I have 4 LAN devices that need internet, everything else needs no internet, just LAN connections.

                  Device1: Hypervisor.
                  Device2: VM router (pfSense).
                  Device3: Intercom via WLAN.
                  Device4: Solar meter reader via WLAN.

                  I'm unsure yet how the APs (Access Points, not routers) will work. The UniFi AP AC Lite can manage device access, but perhaps this management can be handled by pfSense?

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                  • johnpozJ
                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                    last edited by johnpoz

                    Rules are evaluated top down, first rule to trigger wins, no other rules are evaluated. So your allow rules below the block rule never get evaluated.. Because your block rule blocks all lan devices.

                    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

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                    • E
                      eiger3970
                      last edited by

                      Thanks.
                      alt text

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                      • JKnottJ
                        JKnott @eiger3970
                        last edited by

                        @eiger3970 said in What's the best network setup for a group of devices?:

                        A VLAN, rules allowing MAC addresses, a group or something else?

                        PfSense doesn't filter on MAC addresses, so you can only use IP addresses.

                        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...

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                        • E
                          eiger3970
                          last edited by

                          Ok, that sounds great!
                          I only asked as the WLAN intercom may or may not have a configurable dynamic to static IP address.

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                          • E
                            eiger3970
                            last edited by

                            As per rules in post 10, I've tested and the hypervisor and vm router can still traffic with the internet.

                            I'm not confident my rules are correct to stop all traffic.
                            I thought I would have to add the 4 devices' IP addresses?

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                            • johnpozJ
                              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                              last edited by johnpoz

                              @eiger3970 said in What's the best network setup for a group of devices?:

                              I'm not confident my rules are correct to stop all traffic.

                              The rules you posted are not blocking anything. You have a Any rule for anything in LAN.. That last block rule doesn't do anything other than NOT Log your blocks.. Say something like broadcast.

                              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

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                              • E
                                eiger3970
                                last edited by

                                Ok, I think I understand now.
                                I'll create 4 LAN IP allow rules, then a last block all LAN.
                                After that, I'll test how the WLAN works, as the LAN to devices 3 and 4 are via 1 or 2 WLAN APs.

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                                • E
                                  eiger3970
                                  last edited by

                                  Oh, same issue as before.
                                  When I create a new Firewall Rule to pass, I set the Destination to LAN address, however the Destination Address is greyed out and I cannot enter the preferred LAN IP address?

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                                  • johnpozJ
                                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                    last edited by

                                    @eiger3970 said in What's the best network setup for a group of devices?:

                                    then a last block all LAN.

                                    Dude why do you think you need this? By default if not allowed - its blocked..

                                    Again rules are evaluated top down, first rule to trigger wins, NO OTHER rules are evaluated. Post up these rules..

                                    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

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                                    • E
                                      eiger3970
                                      last edited by

                                      I can't post the rules, as I can't add them?
                                      The LAN IPs to allow internet are:
                                      Device1: Hypervisor: 192.168.1.140.
                                      Device2: VM router (pfSense): 192.168.1.170.
                                      Device3: Intercom via WLAN: IP unknown, only MAC address known.
                                      Device4: Solar meter reader via WLAN: unknown, only MAC address known.
                                      Device5: my Linux Mint computer needs access to the network to configure devices, however no internet needed. If needed, I hotspot to my phone.

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                                      • johnpozJ
                                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                        last edited by

                                        What do you mean you can't add them.. .Sure you can.. Post up the screen where you trying to add them, and what errors or whatever that is keeping you from posting them..

                                        Here.. example
                                        rules.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 2.8, 24.11

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