Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    pfSense on Watchguard M370

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Hardware
    311 Posts 46 Posters 147.8k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • 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˜‰

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • 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

        H 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • 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

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • 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

            Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • 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

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • 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

                Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                • 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?

                  1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • 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

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                    • 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.

                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                      • 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?

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • 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

                          Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • 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

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                            • 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

                              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 2
                              • 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

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • 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

                                  Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                  • Z
                                    zero67 @stephenw10
                                    last edited by

                                    This post is deleted!
                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • 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

                                      Z 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                      • Z
                                        zero67 @stephenw10
                                        last edited by

                                        @stephenw10

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

                                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • V
                                          valepe69 @melozo
                                          last edited by

                                          @melozo hi, can you give me some links where to buy these cheap modules? Thanks

                                          stephenw10S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • stephenw10S
                                            stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @valepe69
                                            last edited by

                                            Yes let me know if you find that source! ๐Ÿ˜‰

                                            They are waaaaay outside my 'experimental' price range here.

                                            Steve

                                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                            • First post
                                              Last post
                                            Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.