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    How to get Bell Fibe in Quebec/Ontario (Internet and IPTV) working with pfSense

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • T
      techanalyst @idscomm
      last edited by

      @idscomm Got ya, no I have my house wired up for Mgig etc, so everything terminates on my 3850 mgig stack, that 10 second thing as I said, wasnt an issue, probably an IOS Xe update that eliminate a pim command or some other stupid thing

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        Chase84
        last edited by

        Hello all,

        I am hoping someone can help me. I am running pfsense 2.4.5-RELEASE-p1 (amd64). I am with bell and have tv also. I am in NB and am at the point where I have things up and going. The set tob box will play tv for up to 10 seconds and then stops and says the signal has been lost. I have literally fought with this all day.

        I have the follow set:

        static route 10.0.0.0/8 to the IPTV LAN (192.168.2.0/24)
        IGMP Upstream: 10.0.0.0/8, 224.0.0.0/4

        I have the rule for the IPTVLAN and IPTVWAN set to allow packets with options. The DHCP server for the IPTV WAN is point to these DNS servers: 47.55.55.55 & 142.166.166.166. Overriding is allowed.

        I also have the following domain overrides setup:

        tv.fibreop.ca / 47.55.55.55
        tv.fibreop.ca / 142.166.166.166
        iptv.microsoft.com / 47.55.55.55
        iptv.microsoft.com / 142.166.166.166

        I have no idea what do to next. From what I have read it should just be working at this point.

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        • C
          Chase84 @Chase84
          last edited by

          I did get this sorted. The issue was the IGMP Proxy. Even though it was properly configured from what it showed on the settings page, it was not. I ended up deleting the upstream and down stream, saving which gave an error then disabling IGMP Proxy, saving. No error. Then I recreated the rules, saved, turned on IGMP, saved. Problem solved. I did have other issues as I am going through two physical switches also. Feel free to reach out if ever in this scenario as I can provide some info on how to pass IGMP to vlans on a switch(s). Thanks to all before me who sorted most of this out.

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          • S
            sylvain613 @Chase84
            last edited by

            @chase84 i had to do the same and it worked... however i moved to opnsense way better then pfsense by far!!!

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            • C
              Chase84 @sylvain613
              last edited by

              @sylvain613 How so? I have been using a Asus BRT828AC (VLAN capable) for years and decided to go with something I would have a bit more control over (pfsense). I was doing some custom scripting on the 828 for greater control but it was getting to be a pain and everytime I rebooted it I had to have a script that I set up run on it to configure it all again via ssh. I thought about installing opnsense and trying it but after installing pfsense Friday, an ubiquiti AP and spending nearly 40 hours fighting with Internet, IPTV, VLANs, etc, I am not excited at the thought of giving myself another challenge quite yet.

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              • C
                clearrtc
                last edited by

                Just wanted to say thanks to the OP.

                I have the "New" Bell Fixed Wireless Internet over LTE LOS. 25Mbps and always having issues sharing with Family and lagging while gamming etc. so wanted pfSense to figure out what users/apps where the offenders to more equitably distribute the internet around the house.

                I found that no VLAN gave me a 192.x.x.x address oddly enough. I knew of this thread and looked it up. Configured VLAN35 with PPPoE and it did not connect. After some troubleshooting I found just VLAN35 and DHCP solved my issue over this LTE service. I have no IPTV service, but I would not likely have found the VLAN 35 solution without your help many years later.

                Thanks

                ClearRTC

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                • P
                  Patian @sylvain613
                  last edited by

                  @sylvain613
                  Hi, I am in Quebec and using Bell fibre 1G plan with max 940M Downloead and 750M Upload.
                  Originally, I had an ONT to Bell hub then to home network connection.
                  I do not use Bell fibre TV service, so my setup should be simple.
                  Currently, I have ONT to pfsense with VLAN35 and PPPoE setup for internet.
                  The internet is working fine, but I am not getting a full internet speed, tested at the pfsense LAN port, ie only 1 device on the network, with around 750M UP and 570M Down.

                  I would like to know if you really get a full speed at the LAN port. I posted the query on the forum and the reply was such that it was the way FreeBS implement the PPPoE causing the issue.

                  Any suggestion?

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                  • T
                    techanalyst @Patian
                    last edited by

                    @patian I had to switch to a linux based firewall, in this case testing untangle but with the CC Provider changed to BBR, that alone solved all my issues. No matter the kind of egress limiter.shaper whatever, it didnt matter, the second I went over 300Mbit for example with things outside of Quebec or Ontario my speeds would die to 20-30, bbr seemed to solve the issue completely

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                    • stephenw10S
                      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator @Patian
                      last edited by

                      @patian
                      If you are seeing a partial reduction like 750Mbps down from 940Mbps it probably is the PPPoE limitation you're hitting. What hardware are you running on there?
                      Have you tried the suggested sysctl tweak?
                      https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/hardware/tune.html#pppoe-with-multi-queue-nics

                      Steve

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                      • T
                        techanalyst @Patian
                        last edited by

                        @patian Getting every drop out of that line.....make sure the device you test with have all the power saving crap disabled on the nic, use speedtest cli to run your performance tests (they have it for every os). Also check your egress and make sure you have it set, for years I usually use 925-930Mbit, when i lived in Guelph this was enough to give me perfect uploads.

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                        • stephenw10S
                          stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                          last edited by

                          When testing throughput be sure to do so from a client behind the firewall. speedtest-cli can be run on pfSense but it uses significant CPU cycles to do so. You will always see a lower result on the firewall itself.

                          Steve

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                          • T
                            techanalyst @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10 This is true, its like installing iperf on the pfsense box, you get an idea but connect a device as the next hop and you can adjust for far better performance vs taking the pfsense boxes word for it

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                            • P
                              Patian @techanalyst
                              last edited by

                              @techanalyst
                              Hi ,
                              Thank you for all the inputs. I have reported the issue with bell, they will send me new equipment to replace. I will keep everyone inform on the outcome in a few days after I receive the new equipment. It is because i am getting slow speed (better say inconsistent speed) on the Bell modem as well.

                              I have a Netgate SG-5100. I think using the netgate device will not have hardware compatibility issue with pfsense.

                              My test setup is very simple. There is only one laptop ethernet connected to the LAN1 port of Bell modem or igb 1 LAN port of SG-5100 and nothing else. Running Firefox browser with speedtest.net as a testing medium. I just swap the Bell modem with SG-5100 for direct comparison on the speedtest.

                              ISP only guarantee speed at their modem LAN port.

                              Should I stop the pfbockerNG and Suricata for the speed test on SG-5100?

                              All firmware and OS are up to date.

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                              • P
                                Patian @techanalyst
                                last edited by

                                @techanalyst
                                I received the new bell modem today and used the build-in speedtest within the modem portal to do the test. At the modem interface, I constantly got 927-932M Download and 700M upload.

                                With iMac alone connected to the bell modem, the speed test was 932M Download and 654-700M upload.

                                With iMac connected to SG-5100, the speed test was 757-790M Download and 613-668M Upload.
                                The PPPoE seems to be the issue on the speed. There is no solution on it.

                                Should I keep the bell modem in the connection, use Double NAT/DMZ, SG-5100 in DHCP?

                                Any recommendation?

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                                • J
                                  josh256 @Patian
                                  last edited by josh256

                                  @patian If you don't need voice and your network supports VLANs I would create a dedicated interface on PfSense [and VLAN on the LAN] to contain the internal multicast (unless you have Cisco and/or Meraki who's IGMP snooping actually works in which case a single internal interface would suffice).

                                  Edit: I am recommending you ditch the HH!

                                  So, in total four interfaces:

                                  Interfaces-->Assignments:
                                  WAN_PPPoE [tagged VLAN 35, PPPoE]
                                  WAN_IPTV [tagged VLAN 36, DHCP]
                                  LAN [192.168.X/24]
                                  LAN_IPTV. [192.168.2/24]

                                  System-->RoutingStatic-->Routes
                                  10.0.0.0/8 to WAN_IPTV_DHCP

                                  Firewall-->Rules-->LAN_IPTV
                                  permit any any etc... expand Advanced Options: Enable IP Options

                                  Firewall-->Rules-->WAN_IPTV
                                  permit any any etc... expand Advanced Options: Enable IP Options

                                  Services-->IGMP Proxy:
                                  WAN_IPTV upstream 224.0.0.0/4,10.0.0.0/8,192.168.1.0/24,192.168.2.0/24
                                  LAN_IPTV downstream 192.168.2.0/24

                                  Services-->DNS Forwarder: Custom Options
                                  rebind-domain-ok=bell.ca
                                  rebind-domain-ok=bell.com
                                  server=/bell.ca/10.2.127.228
                                  server=/bell.ca/10.2.127.196
                                  server=/bell.com/10.2.127.228
                                  server=/bell.com/10.2.127.196

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                                  • P
                                    Patian
                                    last edited by

                                    Hi Josh256,
                                    Thank you for your suggestion.

                                    I already have wan_PPP0e(tagged VLAN 35, PPPoE) setup. It is working fine.

                                    I do not use Bell Fibre TV, I watch most of the program on streaming. I do not have setup for IPTV. The phone line is branched out from the ONT.

                                    My network setup is simple, Mostly internet traffic, streaming, using VLAN for security camera, IOT and guest network.

                                    The issue I have is, I am not able to get the full internet bandwidth from the netgate device using PPPoE.

                                    I subscribe to a 1GB plan (Max 940down, 750up), the best is 780down and 690 with netgate device.

                                    If I use the Bell modem , i can get a full internet speed using the modem build-in speed test portal.

                                    I am a bit disappointed with the money invested into the netgate device. Apart from that, everything seems to be working well.

                                    I wonder if I should use double NAT and put back the Bell modem into the WAN interface and using DMZ on Bell modem for Netgate.

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                                    • J
                                      josh256 @Patian
                                      last edited by josh256

                                      @patian

                                      I'm on 1G Fibe FTTH vs. the 1.5G and am 830+ down, 720+ up -- I'm running PfSense virtualized (ESXi) on an old Core i3 (Gigabyte mini-itx Z77-WIFI)...

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                                      • P
                                        Patian @josh256
                                        last edited by

                                        @josh256

                                        You also do not get the full internet bandwidth using pfsense with PPPoE.

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                                        • J
                                          josh256 @Patian
                                          last edited by

                                          @patian PPPoE overhead is mainly irrelevant (8 bytes overhead on a 1500byte frame) Also not really even a PfSense constraint so much as a PHY+MAC constraint (NIC and SFP) --> certain Broadcom adaptors support >1Gbps by way of a firmware reflash and you should be able to get PfSense running 1.4Gbps+ per TX/RX directions with a the Bell ONT/GPON in one of those NICs..

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                                          • P
                                            Patian @josh256
                                            last edited by

                                            @josh256
                                            Hmm, Before the pfsense, I was getting close to 900down and 700up. I do not really mean to get full internet bandwidth from the Bell advertised speed.

                                            I have a Netgate SG-5100 with the latest 21.02.2 version of pfsense installed. Currently, I get 750down and 620up. It is a significant decrease in speed.

                                            With reference from another post, I was told it was due to how FreeBSD implement PPPoE. I guess most pfsense user's WAN setup is auto IP.

                                            If someone can get a close to max internet speed from fibre Bell, I am very interested to know it is done.

                                            I wonder if I let Bell modem does the PPPoE, with DMZ setting, auto DHCP to Netgate device, double NAT, auto IP on pfsense will get better speed.

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