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    Ping between subnets on separate NIC's on the same pfSense machine

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • A
      aswede @viragomann
      last edited by

      @viragomann
      Thanks. Did the pings like you suggested, and they worked! I was able to ping a computer on the "2" subnet (OPT1) from the "1" subnet (LAN). So with that I will assume all is well, and continue this project to switch away from my ASUS router.

      Thanks again.

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

        If you can ping from Diag > Ping with a source in a different subnet but not from a host in that subnet it implies your firewall rules are probably incorrect. Traffic generated from Diag > Ping does not have to pass them.
        Alternatively you may be policy routing traffic (have a gateway set on pass rules). In which case you would need an additional pass rule to allow traffic between local subnets above that.

        Steve

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        • A
          aswede @stephenw10
          last edited by

          Steve,

          Thanks for that. I think the issue is on the policy side ... I have the WAN interface connected to my existing ASUS router, and when I did a tracer route it showed that when pinging the 192.168.2.1 the route goes right to it, but when pinging the computer on 192.168.2.12 it goes to the ASUS router on 192.168.20.1.

          I disconnected the WAN and pings went through just like expected. So I assume that the issue lies in how things get routed. I also assume once I move my pfSense setup into “production” and connect the pfSense WAN to my fiber modem this will not be an issue.

          Thanks for your suggestions. Learning a little bit more every day!

          johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • johnpozJ
            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @aswede
            last edited by

            Sounds like you might be doing policy routing.. If you rules force traffic out a gateway.. You would need a rule above that just use normal routing to allow clients on 1 network to talk to 2nd network also attached to pfsense.

            This is gone over in the multiwan policy routing section.

            https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/multiwan/policy-route.html

            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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            • A
              aswede @johnpoz
              last edited by

              @johnpoz

              Thanks. That makes sense.

              Will be working on this during the day, and if I run into trouble post to this string.

              Anders

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              • A
                aswede @aswede
                last edited by

                @aswede
                OK ... so I have moved pfSense to my "production" system, where I do not have a router upstream - my WAN connection is now to directly to my ISP (fixed IP address). I am set up with three subnets - 192.168.20.0, 21.0, 22.0. My intent at this point is to give the subnets full access to each other.

                • With the way I have my settings everyone can get to the internet, so that is a success!

                • I have also followed the instructions I found online to set up an openVPN client (using NordVPN) on the subnet 20.0, with a rule so that any machine that has an IP less than 192.168.20.10 will be routed through the VPN. That works fine too!!!

                My problem is that using a computer on subnet 20.0 I cannot configure the printer and AP's that are connected to subnet 21.0. From that same computer on subnet 20.0 I cannot either ping anything on subnet 21.0 or 22.0. However, if I use the ping functionality built in pfSense the pings go through, wheather the source is LAN, OPT1 or OPT2

                I have attached a simple outline of the network. This is the behavior I see:

                I can access the Internet from each subnet.
                From 192.168.22.15 I can ping 192.168.21.250 and 192.168.20.63.
                From 192.168.22.15 I can reach the web interface on 192.168.21.250
                From 192.168.20.63 I cannot ping anything on subnet 21.0 or 22.0, nor can I reach the web interface for 192.168.21.250

                I am looking for some advice where to start looking for a problem.Picture1.png

                johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @aswede
                  last edited by

                  @aswede And lets see your rules.. Again if your policy routing - Ie forcing something out a gateway you wouldn't be able to get t your other vlans.

                  If you can not ping say the IP address of pfsense opt1 IP from lan, that points to either firewall rules not allowing it on lan, or a policy route forcing traffic out gateway before allowing access to your other local networks.

                  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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                  • A
                    aswede @johnpoz
                    last edited by

                    Hope this has the info.

                    Picture2.png
                    Picture3.png

                    johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • johnpozJ
                      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @aswede
                      last edited by johnpoz

                      @aswede

                      As I mentioned a few posts back - your policy routing

                      policyroute.png

                      So no your not going to be able to get to other networks locally - can the wan gateway get to your other networks - no!

                      Your other rules there on lan with opt net as source are just pointless - how would opt net ever be the source network into your lan interface????

                      Read the link I provided a few posts back - read the section about bypassing policy routes.

                      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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                      • A
                        aswede @johnpoz
                        last edited by

                        @johnpoz
                        OK. Thanks. Now I know where to focus. I appreciate the guidance. Will look at the link you recommended.

                        Thanks again.

                        johnpozJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • johnpozJ
                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @aswede
                          last edited by johnpoz

                          Rules are evaluated as traffic enters an interface from the network its attached too. So as traffic enters lan, from lan.

                          First rule to trigger wins, no other rules are evaluated..

                          If you force traffic out wan, then no you can not get to optX, etc. Or some vpn.

                          You need rules above that to allow the traffic you want to get to your other networks, without forcing it out some gateway. So that local routing can be used.

                          it would be impossible for traffic to have a source IP of optX network into the lan interface, from the lan network.

                          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

                          A 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • A
                            aswede @johnpoz
                            last edited by

                            @johnpoz
                            Got it. Changed the top rule, and voila ... it works.
                            Thanks for your help! Much appreciated.

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