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    Before installing

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    8 Posts 3 Posters 1.1k Views
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    • M
      madforevercna
      last edited by

      Hi everybody, I'm a newbie and I don't know pfSense well except the fact that it serves as a VPN and that it controls banwidth. Among (many) others. But I'm not even sure of that.

      Whatever, if someone could explain to me 2 things before proceeding to the installation it would be wonderful :
      1 - Must the PC have two network cards in order to install pfSense?
      2 - Is one obliged to format one's HDD to install it ?

      All I'm doing is mentionning what was said in this video :
      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DthbnPLBbRA

      I may be wrong.

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      • KOMK
        KOM
        last edited by

        1.  You can configure it with just one NIC but it's kind of a hack.  Two NICs are better, and NICs are cheap.

        2.  No, you don't have to format it beforehand.  That will be done during the installation phase.

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        • johnpozJ
          johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
          last edited by

          1. No as long as your networking infrastructure (switch(es)) supports vlans…. I would not call use of vlans a hack as kom puts it... But yes it would be better to have 2 nics then you do not need to understand or be able to support vlan tagging.

          2. As kom said no - but just keep in mind that install of pfsense will wipe any OS or data you have on the drive.

          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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          • M
            madforevercna
            last edited by

            I get the "erase data" part but not the Vlan one.
            I'll follow your advices (having 2 NIC cards) and maybe wait till the installation of Windows 10 cause I'm on Win 7 right now.

            Thanks @johnpoz and @KOM

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            • johnpozJ
              johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
              last edited by

              "wait till the installation of Windows 10 cause I'm on Win 7 right now."

              Huh??  You do understand unless your installing pfsense as a VM.. It will erase any OS you have installed.  Your not going to dual boot pfsense and windows OS…

              If you do not understand what vlans are, or have a switch that supports them - then yes you would need 2 nics..

              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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              • M
                madforevercna
                last edited by

                That's why I saw this comment earlier. One guy asked if pfSense needs a dedicated PC ?

                I've tried and used many software in my life but each time I read about a software and know it will deeply modify something I avoid it , just like : Backtrack, DaemonTools…etc

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                • johnpozJ
                  johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                  last edited by

                  You can always run pfsense in a VM on your OS of choice.. VirtualBox for example, or the built in virtual software of windows 10 if you so desire..

                  This would allow you to run pfsense while not messing with your installed OS at all.

                  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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                  • M
                    madforevercna
                    last edited by

                    Thank you very much. What remains is to see what are the recommended NIC cards for the software to run omptimally.
                    To make the story short, I just plan to use its QoS feature.
                    And read a little more about LAN/WLAN/VLAN or whatever they call it.

                    Sorry if my english isn't that good. It's just my 4th language (learning order not preference order lol)

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