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    Install pfsense on an old windows vista

    Installation and Upgrades
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    • B
      bbojr last edited by

      Hi, I really need help with this, I was searching for days how to do this, I have an old windows vista PC and I want to install pfsense on it because I want to use that computer with pfsense as a router, configure a openvpn connection and share that connection to my others wireless devices (smart tv, nds, xbox, etc), this can be done, please I need somebody that knows what he's doing in this aspect (yeah I know I am a completely noob), thanks for your help

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      • ptt
        ptt Rebel Alliance last edited by

        Check: https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/InstallationGuide

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        • B
          bbojr last edited by

          Thanks for the guide, but my question is, I can install pfsense and later buy a wifi adapter to use that PC as a router and share that connection with my wireless devices, thanks.

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          • H
            heper last edited by

            don't bother with wifi on pfSense… get an accesspoint

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            • B
              bbojr last edited by

              That PC I have (windows vista 32bits) don't have wifi, I want to use that PC to install pfsense and use it as a router to connect my others wireless devices, I need to buy a wifi card or an access point? Thanks

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              • jahonix
                jahonix last edited by

                You don't need a router to connect wireless devices to your network. You need an access point.

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                • johnpoz
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator last edited by

                  If you had your old wifi router laying about you could leverage it as just an accesspoint in a pinch.  But to do it right yes I would suggest you buy a true AP.. The ones from unifi are very nicely priced for home/smb budget.. The new gen ac lite for $89, pro $149, etc

                  https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ac/

                  What you prob want for the old pc is more network cards?  How many does it have now?  1 I would guess, your going to want atleast 1 more.. 1 for wan, another for lan..  I would suggest even more get say a dual card or even a quad ethernet card.

                  I would also suggest you get a smart switch if you don't already have one they can be had for as low as say $40 8 port gig.. So you can do vlans if so desired for your wifi after you get a real AP that supports them or for your wired network, etc.

                  EnGenius also makes some AP in the same sort of budget, their 1200H for example - comparable to the uap-ac-lite model from unifi.  But I don't think it comes with poe enjector like the unifi one does, etc.  There are few options for AP to be sure without having to speed 1k on a cisco and… If you had money to burning a hole in your pocket I would suggest the areohive stuff.  I really want to play with those but the price point is a bit high ;)  the low end ac ap130 is $600 and don't think that includes the management subscription cost, etc. ;)

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                  • A
                    AndroBourne last edited by

                    Exactly.

                    While you can purchase a wireless NIC and just put it in your system. PFSense has been known to be very picky about what it works with etc… You can avoid this by just using an AP.

                    I was using a Linksys AC router before my upgrade to PFSense so I just repurposed the Linksys router as an AP. Everything has been working just fine. It also still has it's old config on it so if my PFSense goes down due to hardware failure. I can just plug the LAN into the WAN interface on my Linksys, updates my static machines with old gateway and be back up and running while I troubleshooting PFSense, etc...

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                    • N
                      NOYB last edited by

                      If it currently only has one NIC, add another one for WAN, or use a smart switch and VLAN for the WAN.
                      Connect the LAN to a switch.
                      Connect a WiFi access point to the switch too.  (repurposed WiFi router can work for this).
                      Connect other wired devices to the switch.

                      Pretty straight forward.

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                      • B
                        bbojr last edited by

                        @johnpoz:

                        If you had your old wifi router laying about you could leverage it as just an accesspoint in a pinch.  But to do it right yes I would suggest you buy a true AP.. The ones from unifi are very nicely priced for home/smb budget.. The new gen ac lite for $89, pro $149, etc

                        https://www.ubnt.com/unifi/unifi-ac/

                        What you prob want for the old pc is more network cards?  How many does it have now?  1 I would guess, your going to want atleast 1 more.. 1 for wan, another for lan..  I would suggest even more get say a dual card or even a quad ethernet card.

                        I would also suggest you get a smart switch if you don't already have one they can be had for as low as say $40 8 port gig.. So you can do vlans if so desired for your wifi after you get a real AP that supports them or for your wired network, etc.

                        EnGenius also makes some AP in the same sort of budget, their 1200H for example - comparable to the uap-ac-lite model from unifi.  But I don't think it comes with poe enjector like the unifi one does, etc.  There are few options for AP to be sure without having to speed 1k on a cisco and… If you had money to burning a hole in your pocket I would suggest the areohive stuff.  I really want to play with those but the price point is a bit high ;)  the low end ac ap130 is $600 and don't think that includes the management subscription cost, etc. ;)

                        I have an old router and I want to know how to configure it as an access point to share my VPN connection (pc VPN connection → access point) to connect my smartphone, it is possible, thanks

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                        • ptt
                          ptt Rebel Alliance last edited by

                          https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Use_an_existing_wireless_router_with_pfSense  ;)

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                          • B
                            bbojr last edited by

                            @ptt:

                            https://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Use_an_existing_wireless_router_with_pfSense  ;)

                            Thanks for that but what I want to do it's share my VPN connection from my computer that has windows in it to the access point, it is possible?

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                            • B
                              bbojr last edited by

                              Please I really need help with this one 😖

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                              • B
                                bbojr last edited by

                                :(

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                                • B
                                  bbojr last edited by

                                  Somebody that really knows how to do this, please, I really want to know how? Thanks

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                                  • johnpoz
                                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator last edited by

                                    What is the point of that when you have pfsense.. Connect to the vpn service on pfsense..

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                                    • B
                                      bbojr last edited by

                                      @johnpoz:

                                      What is the point of that when you have pfsense.. Connect to the vpn service on pfsense..

                                      Well, because I don't have pfsense and I don't have another pc to do that, that's why I am asking for this, you know how, thanks.

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                                      • jahonix
                                        jahonix last edited by

                                        @bbojr:

                                        … old router ... configure it as an access point ...

                                        @bbojr:

                                        … I don't have pfsense ...

                                        I'd say you're in the wrong forum then. The forum of your "old router" maker might help you better, don't you think?
                                        And we don't even know yet what make/model you have.

                                        This is like yelling on, say, a Chrysler forum: "My car is broken, my car is broken, please tell me how to fix it". And "I really need it fixed! You know how to repair cars."
                                        But you have an old Beetle…

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                                        • johnpoz
                                          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator last edited by

                                          Your thread title is install pfsense on some old pc hardware.. ie running vista.  Then do that!!  Then setup your vpn client in pfsense, then use your old router as your AP.  And then you can policy route whatever traffic you want to use the vpn connection on pfsense, be it wired clients, wireless clients or shoot even inbound vpn clients to your pfsense setup.

                                          People on this forum have pfsense, or they going to run pfsense, etc.  While sure general networking questions no related to pfsense come up, shoot even some basic windows stuff like file sharing - mostly because they try and blame their issues on pfsense ;)

                                          Routing traffic out via some host on your network from another host on your network rarely going to be a good solution to anything.

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