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    pfSense on Watchguard M370

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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      I have never tried that but it may well work. I know others have done it on the M400 for example.

      Steve

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      • H
        howdoyouturn69
        last edited by

        I want to confirm. Thanks for all your advice.

        I been capable to install it without any problem.

        ibg0 was WAN, ibg1 was a dhcp lan which allow me to connect to the router a finish the installation process.

        Just a bit of netgating (googling forum) give me the params for the serial connection (baud rate 115200)

        And Voila!...

        But find out later on the console connection is not required for installation, just deploy the installation in the disk, and insert it.

        Wait some time for the funny bip sounds and ready to connect.

        Also thanks to another user above, used the right file system during installation.

        I may assume in theory, the M470 and the M470 HA are same way, hardware appliance Pfsense capable (which was my main worry).

        Keep informed.

        Cheers...

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        • stephenw10S
          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
          last edited by

          The HA hardware is identical as far as know.

          It's good to have console access available even if you don't need it...yet. ๐Ÿ˜‰

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          • Z
            zero67
            last edited by

            Hi Bob, can u explain hot to I can install pfSense on my M370? I buyed in error this machine "High Availability (HA) Device" and I cant activate it without another M370. I think with pfSense I will have full functionality.
            Thanks a lot

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            • Z
              zero67 @stephenw10
              last edited by

              @stephenw10 said in pfSense on Watchguard M370:

              reassign WAN and LAN at the serial console

              Hello, how I cano do? I need serial cable? I have only m370 ha and pc.
              Thanks a lot

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              • stephenw10S
                stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                last edited by

                Yes you need a serial console cable. You might be able to do something with pre-defined interfaces but use the console is going to be easier.

                There is (currently) no way to boot from USB so you need to install to mSATA in something else and then move the card into the M370.

                Steve

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                • Z
                  zero67 @stephenw10
                  last edited by

                  @stephenw10 said in pfSense on Watchguard M370:

                  Yes you need a serial console cable.

                  Ok... I will try with this cable

                  serial.jpg

                  I can install directly pfSense with console cable on Firebox or I must attache mSata drive on my pc and after installation move drive to Firebox?

                  Thanks a lot

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                  • stephenw10S
                    stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                    last edited by

                    You still need to install in something else as there is no way to make it boot USB, the BIOS is locked.
                    You could potentially write the install image to mSATA and add a SATA drive to install to. But that still means writing the image to mSATA in something else. You might as well install to it dircetly at that point.
                    One you install to it, in the other device, you may need to boot into pfSense to enable the serial console if it's not a serial device and then it will configured with the NICs in that device. If they (or it) are not igb the interfaces will need to be re-assigned at the console in the m370 when the drive is moved across.

                    Steve

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                    • Z
                      zero67 @stephenw10
                      last edited by

                      @stephenw10 said in pfSense on Watchguard M370:

                      If they (or it) are not igb the interfaces will need to be re-assigned at the console

                      Can I re-assign NIC at the console with Putty (serial)? There is a how-to guide to do this at the console?

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                      • stephenw10S
                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                        last edited by

                        Yes, you can. There's a menu at the console and re-assigning the interfaces is an options on it. It's pretty self explanatory.
                        If you boot the first time pfSense will automatically assign igb0 as WAN and igb1 and LAN. You should have a console cable anyway though. It's much easier to recover from the console if you get locked out etc.

                        For reference:
                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDqRIu2zhoQ&feature=youtu.be&t=1536

                        Steve

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                        • H
                          howdoyouturn69 @zero67
                          last edited by

                          @zero67 said in pfSense on Watchguard M370:

                          Hi Bob, can u explain hot to I can install pfSense on my M370? I buyed in error this machine "High Availability (HA) Device" and I cant activate it without another M370. I think with pfSense I will have full functionality.
                          Thanks a lot

                          Is the same problem I face with them, trying to save some bucks, and realize that the HA devices are not self activated, need another device in the network to get the activation from them.

                          Really f... twisted license mechanism.

                          Since I've installed mine, had no issue so far using the firmware, add 16GB RAM to it, and is flying.

                          I even have 2 extra spare mSata with the firmware at a basic stage, in case I need to replace it in a future, for whatever reason. And a backup of the configs to deploy in case a disaster.

                          Regards.

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                          • Z
                            zero67
                            last edited by

                            I tryed to install version 2.4.5-p1 on my pc with new mSata but when I move SSD to firebox M370 freeze on boot:

                            notstart.jpg

                            On my pc pfSense boot and working fine. How I can do?

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              Did you enable the serial console as I said you would need to if the install machine is not using serial?
                              https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/book/config/advanced-admin.html#serial-terminal

                              If not boot it on the PC and do that first.

                              Steve

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                              • Z
                                zero67 @stephenw10
                                last edited by

                                @stephenw10 said in pfSense on Watchguard M370:

                                Did you enable the serial console

                                Hi, all working fine now! Thanks a lot ๐Ÿ‘

                                working.jpg

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                                • Z
                                  zero67
                                  last edited by

                                  Hi all,

                                  I have found best installation mode for pfSense on Firebox M370. You need only mSata to Sata adapter and another mSata SSD (I buyed 2 mSata SSD Trascend 64GB to keep original):

                                  download and install balenaEtcher for Windows here:
                                  https://www.balena.io/etcher/

                                  attach adapter mSata to pc (with SSD1 mount on)

                                  download latest version of pfSense:
                                  https://www.pfsense.org/download/

                                  extract image
                                  start balenaEtcher and press flash from file
                                  choice pfSense-CE-memstick-serial-2.4.5-RELEASE-p1-amd64.img
                                  select target and flash SSD1 (be carefully to choice SSD!)
                                  remove SSD1 from adapter
                                  mount SSD1 to Firebox M370 slot
                                  mount SSD2 to mSata to Sata adapter
                                  connect mSata to Sata adapter to SATA1 on Firebox M370 motherboard
                                  connect serial port to pc and start Putty
                                  switch on Firebox M370
                                  install pfSense
                                  switch off Firebox M370
                                  remove SSD2 from adapter and mount to Firebox M370 slot
                                  switch on Firebox M370

                                  That's all! ๐Ÿ˜Š

                                  IMG_7081.jpg

                                  IMG_7085.jpg IMG_7094.jpg

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                                  • Z
                                    zero67 @stephenw10
                                    last edited by

                                    @stephenw10 said in pfSense on Watchguard M370:

                                    ./WGXepc64 -l green

                                    Hi stephenw10, I try to do ./WGXepc64 -l green and all working fine (shield led become green). How I can do it on firebox startup?

                                    thanks

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                                    • stephenw10S
                                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                      last edited by

                                      Yes. Use a Shellcmd: https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/development/executing-commands-at-boot-time.html

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                                      • Z
                                        zero67 @stephenw10
                                        last edited by

                                        This post is deleted!
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                                        • stephenw10S
                                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                          last edited by stephenw10

                                          Easier to use the Shellcmd package to avoid any xml errors. That looks correct though. (edit: gotta be inside the <system> tags)

                                          Check the file permissions. It's probably running OK as root/admin but not the normal shellcmd user.

                                          Steve

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                                          • Z
                                            zero67 @stephenw10
                                            last edited by

                                            @stephenw10

                                            I put shell command in the wrong place... ahh! All working fine now. Thanks for everything!!! ๐Ÿ‘

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