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

    VLANs with bridged interfaces

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved L2/Switching/VLANs
    7 Posts 3 Posters 1.1k 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.
    • OceanwatcherO
      Oceanwatcher
      last edited by

      ​Hi there,

      Happy voting day!

      I did a search, and could not find the setup I am thinking about here. But as I am not a native English speaker, I might have missed something. In that case, I apologize!

      I am wondering about a thing where you might help me understand the principle of. I need to bridge some ports.

      Let me see if I have understood this correct.

      I have used this page as a starter: https://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/how-to-pfsense-configure-network-interface-as-a-bridge-network-switch/

      I set up WAN (1Gb)

      I set up one LAN (1Gb) so I can connect and get access to web interface

      I set up 4 SFP+ ports as OPT1-4

      I set LAN address 192.18.1.1 on OPT1

      I make the bridge by adding OPT1-4 to it.

      First of all, do I need to set up firewall rules to pass traffic between the interfaces of the bridge to get it working?

      My second doubt:

      I need to make VLANs. Should I connect them to OPT1 or should I activate the BRIDGE and connect them to that?

      Thank you,

      Svein

      Regards,

      Oceanwatcher
      2x SuperMicro 8core w/ 8 GB RAM running v. 2.3.1 - will eventually set them up with failover

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • NogBadTheBadN
        NogBadTheBad
        last edited by NogBadTheBad

        Why not just LAGG the OPT ports ?

        Do you really need to bridge a 1GB LAN port with your OPT ports ?

        What SFP modules are you using in the OPT ports ?

        Are you trying to use pfSense as a distribution switch ?

        https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/interfaces/lagg.html

        Andy

        1 x Netgate SG-4860 - 3 x Linksys LGS308P - 1 x Aruba InstantOn AP22

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • OceanwatcherO
          Oceanwatcher
          last edited by

          Sorry. Again, it might be my English makes some problems here.

          I have not mentioned bridging a 1Gb port, only the SFP+ ports.

          Regarding modules - only supported modules, of course. But that is not the question here :-)

          Why bridge and not LAGG? Well - each of the ports in the bridge will be connected to different physical switches. As far as I know, LAGG is to increase throughput, but I need those four ports to operate as a mini switch so it makes it easier to organize the traffic and the VLANs.

          Regards,

          Oceanwatcher
          2x SuperMicro 8core w/ 8 GB RAM running v. 2.3.1 - will eventually set them up with failover

          NogBadTheBadN 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
          • NogBadTheBadN
            NogBadTheBad @Oceanwatcher
            last edited by NogBadTheBad

            @Oceanwatcher said in VLANs with bridged interfaces:

            Sorry. Again, it might be my English makes some problems here.

            I have not mentioned bridging a 1Gb port, only the SFP+ ports.

            Regarding modules - only supported modules, of course. But that is not the question here :-)

            Why bridge and not LAGG? Well - each of the ports in the bridge will be connected to different physical switches. As far as I know, LAGG is to increase throughput, but I need those four ports to operate as a mini switch so it makes it easier to organize the traffic and the VLANs.

            Your English is way better than my Norwegian :)

            pfSense doesn't make a good switch, you'd be better off buying a small distribution switch IMO.

            https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/bridges/index.html

            https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/bridges/firewall.html

            Andy

            1 x Netgate SG-4860 - 3 x Linksys LGS308P - 1 x Aruba InstantOn AP22

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • OceanwatcherO
              Oceanwatcher
              last edited by

              Thank you for answering!

              I understand that it might not be ideal. And a distribution switch might be added in the future. Right now, I have to deal with what I have...

              Regards,

              Oceanwatcher
              2x SuperMicro 8core w/ 8 GB RAM running v. 2.3.1 - will eventually set them up with failover

              1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • imark77I
                imark77
                last edited by

                I was hoping you might have the answer I was looking for but maybe I have the opposite for you? I have created a bridge and then I assigned physical ports and the VLANs into that bridge. Working with a desktop computer and additional NICs. my goal was to be able to have V11 on my LAN pass through my WAN connection for troubleshooting. I also bridged LAN zero physical Ports with a VLAN V7, V6. For this to work I had to add a firewall rule to each interface for the local LAN and the VLAN to communicate. I also had to do this for the WAN and VLAN11 (FYI check your ports at GRC if you do this I accidentally had port 22 open) in the end I had it working. However it takes a lot of mindbending looking at the firewall rules, groups and floating rules.

                So yes you will need a firewall rule to let the traffic pass.

                I'm trying to re-create the setup on new equipment and decided to swap the tunable for rules on bridge but I am unable to get it to work yet. I am able to get the DHCP and I'm having intermittent issues passing traffic. So theoretically it should also be possible.

                If I were to add all 4 ports together I would just bridge the 4 ports. however if you have equipment that has an integrated switch like the SG-3100 you can just reassign all of those ports together.

                As far as the additional VLANs you would add that as a virtual port on top of the physical port*. (of course this is dependent the integrated switch if you have one).

                Hopefully something in there make sense and is helpful?

                imark77I 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • imark77I
                  imark77 @imark77
                  last edited by

                  @imark77 going by the hardware in the handle. I'm assuming the SuperMicro has for dedicated ports. If that's the case you'll need to create your desired VLANs on each hardware Port ID and then bridge those VLANs acrossed back together. And then a firewall rule to allow them to intercommunicate. ( Theoretically switching to rules on bridge would make the rules easier but I don't recommend that until I can confirm that it works on my end.... As that seems to be the problem I'm having ).

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