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    Extend current lan thru wan1 and make internet connection with wan2

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Routing and Multi WAN
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    • N
      nicram
      last edited by

      Hello. I never used pfSense so i would like to ask people that are smarter than me :)
      Is it possible to extend currently working local network by connecting it with pfSense thru WAN1(pfSense), so people connected with LAN(pfSense) would have easy access, but their internet connection would come from WAN2(pfSense) that is connected to some ISP modem/router?
      It may be hard to explain, so i made some picture of how i would like to do it.
      Could anyone tell me if it will work? And what should i use in pfSense to do it?
      Thank You!

      network.png
      network.png_thumb

      A CRAY is the only computer that runs an endless loop in just 4 hours…

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      • johnpozJ
        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
        last edited by

        Well such a connection wouldn't really be a WAN interface for your pfsense on the right.  You would just connect this network on the left that is connected via a radio bridge to a LAN network on pfsense.

        Why would the network on the left not use the isp connection they have local

        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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        • N
          nicram
          last edited by

          @johnpoz:

          Well such a connection wouldn't really be a WAN interface for your pfsense on the right.  You would just connect this network on the left that is connected via a radio bridge to a LAN network on pfsense.

          Why would the network on the left not use the isp connection they have local

          So it would be some LAN interface? Well, i choose to use radio, because internet connection there is very very slow. Like 10Mb/s DL and 0,5Mb/s UL. With radio i can get about 600Mb/s and they use software, that while started  on laptops and workstations, it uses Windows Server box for storing/loading data. Also radio connection can be more stable, and less laggy.

          A CRAY is the only computer that runs an endless loop in just 4 hours…

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          • johnpozJ
            johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
            last edited by

            Well use radio.. What am saying in your configuration there you wouldn't want it to be a "wan" interface on pfsense.  Pfsense auto nats lan(s) to wan interfaces.  And its not really a "wan" if pfsense can use it to get to the internet or other networks.

            You have the same network on both sides there.. That connection from your radio would just go into your switch like it does on the left side..

            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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            • N
              nicram
              last edited by

              Well the network on the right is not exist right now. I will build it. And this is what i would want to achieve: The computers on the right, are in the same LAN network witht those on the left, but they use different internet modem to load www for example.
              If i would connect radio directly to switch, it would work of course, but computers would receive gateway IP from the ISP router on the left, and they would try to use it for internet connections.

              A CRAY is the only computer that runs an endless loop in just 4 hours…

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              • johnpozJ
                johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                last edited by

                Not if you turn off the dhcp server on the modem on the left..

                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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                • N
                  nicram
                  last edited by

                  …and start on the right. That is true. But then, if wireless bridge will crash or something will happen, the left side will not receive IPs.
                  So what i have done, is made WAN, LAN and OPT1 on pfSense. WAN gets internet, LAN is connected with switch, and OPT1 is connected to radio. LAN and OPT1 are bridged together. DHCPD is working on LAN (and OPT1 because it's bridged). I have added firewall rule blocking DHCP on OPT1 interface. On the left side, ISP modem gives range of IPs from 0.010 up to 0.100. On the right from 0.101 to 0.0200. Everything is working like a charm. Thank You @johnpoz.

                  A CRAY is the only computer that runs an endless loop in just 4 hours…

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                  • johnpozJ
                    johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                    last edited by

                    " LAN and OPT1 are bridged together."

                    For what possible reason.. Please do not thank me if you think that was my suggestion.. There is zero reason to do that.. Just connect your radio bridge into your switch there is zero reason to suck up a useful interface on pfsense with a bridge when you could just connect it to your switch.

                    What is the lease time of your dhcp leases?  Unless your running like a 1 hour lease or something how long would your radio connection be down for?  Your clients should always have 50% of their lease left at min.  So say a 4 day lease gives you at min 2 days.

                    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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                    • N
                      nicram
                      last edited by

                      The reason is, if i would just connect it with switch, they would randomly get IP from the dhcpd on the left, and that would make them use internet connection from there. I would like to avoid that.

                      Right now lease time is 24 hours. But i want it to be working when error occurs even, if i will be away for a month and something will get broken.

                      A CRAY is the only computer that runs an endless loop in just 4 hours…

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