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    Fios modem to PFsense Box - Help

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • V Offline
      veritas2884
      last edited by

      Currently I have FIOS for internet only. No cable boxes or anything. I have the Fios modem running directly to my TP-Link router with no problems.

      I bought a PFSense box and am going to use my TP-Link as a switch and AP only and kill the routing functions.

      I powered down the FIOS modem (I ditched the FIOS router long ago) and plugged its network cable in the PFSense box WAN port.

      I plugged my laptop to setup PFSense into the LAN port.

      I can get into the Web GUI via the latptop and I set the WAN port for DCHP. However, the WAN gets no IP address and shows 0.0.0.0 in the web interface.

      As soon as I plug it back into the TP-Link, the internet works fine. I am a bit new to networking but really need help.

      Please let me know what I am doing wrong. Also, I set my DNS to 8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4

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      • V Offline
        veritas2884
        last edited by

        I also tried copying the MAC address from the TPLINK to the PFSense box. No luck.

        This is what the box outputs

        IMG_0092.JPG
        IMG_0092.JPG_thumb

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        • T Offline
          Taiidan
          last edited by

          Curious, plug your pfsense box WAN in to your old routers LAN port and plug your laptop in to the pfsense box - see if it works and post back.
          I can't figure as to why it isn't working, considering you tried mac cloning.

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          • V Offline
            veritas2884
            last edited by

            @Taiidan:

            Curious, plug your pfsense box WAN in to your old routers LAN port and plug your laptop in to the pfsense box - see if it works and post back.
            I can't figure as to why it isn't working, considering you tried mac cloning.

            When I did this it pulled an IP address from the TP link. When I unchecked block private traffic, I was able to get internet on the laptop plugged into the LAN port of the PFSense Box.

            So currently it is running:  FIOS Modem -> TP Link C9 Router Wan Port      TP Link Lan Port -> PFSENSE wan port    PFSense Lan port -> laptop Nic  and it works.

            Where should I got now?

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            • N Offline
              NOYB
              last edited by

              Verizon and Frontier DHCP implementations make router replacement more complex that most.  Sometimes just a MAC spoof will do it.  Sometimes not.  Sometimes the DCHP client of their router needs to be impersonated.  A beauty of impersonation is that the routers can then be swapped back and forth for troubleshooting, testing/evaluation,  failure, etc. without issue.

              FIOS - Fake WAN DHCP Setup for G1100 (FiOS Quantum Router) https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=114389.msg635823#msg635823

              DHCP Client Configuration Advanced Settings Options with pfSense Rel. 2.2 https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=94298.msg523647#msg523647

              Error /var/etc/dhclient_wan.conf line 14: no option named option-61 https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=114838.msg638059#msg638059

              Or it may just simply be that the lease has not been successfully released or allowed to expire.

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              • V Offline
                veritas2884
                last edited by

                @NOYB:

                Verizon and Frontier DHCP implementations make router replacement more complex that most.  Sometimes just a MAC spoof will do it.  Sometimes not.  Sometimes the DCHP client of their router needs to be impersonated.  A beauty of impersonation is that the routers can then be swapped back and forth for troubleshooting, testing/evaluation,  failure, etc. without issue.

                FIOS - Fake WAN DHCP Setup for G1100 (FiOS Quantum Router) https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=114389.msg635823#msg635823

                DHCP Client Configuration Advanced Settings Options with pfSense Rel. 2.2 https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=94298.msg523647#msg523647

                Error /var/etc/dhclient_wan.conf line 14: no option named option-61 https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=114838.msg638059#msg638059

                So since I am not using the Quantum router, just the FIOS modem and my TPLink, I would copy all of the TP Link settings instead using your first guide?

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                • N Offline
                  NOYB
                  last edited by

                  To my knowledge Verizon and Frontier FiOS services use a router not a "modem".  Don't what you mean by "modem".  It's not clear to me what the implementation is that's being replaced and what it's being replaced with.

                  Also it could just simply be that the previous lease has not been successfully released or allowed to expire.

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                  • V Offline
                    veritas2884
                    last edited by

                    I have it plugged directly into the Verizon ONT i-211M-L, see the attached below. I returned the cable boxes and router/wifi access point to verizon.

                    IMG_0094.JPG
                    IMG_0094.JPG_thumb

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                    • N Offline
                      NOYB
                      last edited by

                      I don't know what "it" is.  You need to be more descriptive about what the specific devices are and how they are connected and configured etc.

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                      • V Offline
                        veritas2884
                        last edited by

                        @NOYB:

                        I don't know what "it" is.  You need to be more descriptive about what the specific devices are and how they are connected and configured etc.

                        Current Working Setup:
                        Verizon ONT i-211M-L Network Port -> TP Link C9 Router Wan Port      TP Link Lan Port -> PFSENSE wan port    PFSense Lan port -> laptop Nic

                        Goal / Not Working:
                        Verizon ONT i-211M-LIOS Modem Network Port -> Pfsense WAN Port    PFSense Lan Port -> Laptop Nic  Laptop online

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                        • N Offline
                          NOYB
                          last edited by

                          1. Release the WAN DHCP lease from the TP Link C9 Router.  If it is not capable of sending a DHCP release command packet, then shut it down and either wait 2 hours for the lease to expire, or call Verizon customer support to have them release it.

                          2. Release pfSense WAN DHCP lease, configure it's WAN DHCP with default settings, then connect pfSense WAN to the ONT.

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                          • S Offline
                            starlights
                            last edited by

                            OP, not sure if you were able to resolve your problem, however as others have stated, if your Fios box is actually a router, then you may be running into a double NAT situation (pfSense box is getting private IP from WAN).

                            For additional understanding on this subject, look at this video (1:04:00) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgupXMlz3is

                            Hope this helps.

                            ps: on another note, if your Fios box is connected to the ONT via Ethernet (not COAX), then you can remove it altogether from the equation. You will have to drop its lease. You can do so via its GUI interface or by disconnecting it from ONT for a few hours.

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                            • P Offline
                              Paint
                              last edited by

                              @NOYB:

                              1. Release the WAN DHCP lease from the TP Link C9 Router.  If it is not capable of sending a DHCP release command packet, then shut it down and either wait 2 hours for the lease to expire, or call Verizon customer support to have them release it.

                              2. Release pfSense WAN DHCP lease, configure it's WAN DHCP with default settings, then connect pfSense WAN to the ONT.

                              agree, that workflow should solve the OP's problem

                              pfSense i5-4590
                              940/880 mbit Fiber Internet from FiOS
                              BROCADE ICX6450 48Port L3-Managed Switch w/4x 10GB ports
                              Netgear R8000 AP (DD-WRT)

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                              • I Offline
                                Intelli
                                last edited by

                                Call Verizon (1-800-837-4966) and ask them to release your public IP. This will resolve your issue. I had the same problem. For some reason the "WAN IP RELEASE" option doesn't work with the FIOS network.

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                                • N Offline
                                  NOYB
                                  last edited by

                                  @Intelli:

                                  For some reason the "WAN IP RELEASE" option doesn't work with the FIOS network.

                                  Or maybe it does work but just appears not to because the ISP provided router re-establishes a new lease if the WAN cable is not immediately unplugged before it can do so.  I know the Actiontec MI-424WR behaves this way.  Probably some of the other ISP provided models do too.

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