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    How do I install pfSense in a Cisco ASA 5510 firewall? Is it possible?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
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    • D
      david williams
      last edited by david williams

      How do I install pfSense in a Cisco ASA 5510 firewall? Is it possible? and How do I use Wireshark to see what websites people are on on my wifi?

      JKnottJ P T 3 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • JKnottJ
        JKnott @david williams
        last edited by

        @david-williams

        I don't know that it's possible to install pfSense on Cisco gear. Also, while pfSense has Packet Capture, if you want to run Wireshark, you have to do it on a separate computer. I configured a managed switch to act as a data tap, which I can place between two Ethernet connected devices and then run Wireshark on a computer connected to the monitoring port.

        PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
        i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
        UniFi AC-Lite access point

        I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

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        • P
          P3R @david williams
          last edited by

          @david-williams said in How do I install pfSense in a Cisco ASA 5510 firewall? Is it possible?:

          How do I install pfSense in a Cisco ASA 5510 firewall? Is it possible?

          It's probably possible in some way as it's Intel-based (some googling tell me it's a Celeron) but we're talking about a device introduced in 2005 so the hardware is seriously out of date and without AES-NI support it's simply not worth the effort to even investigate. Sell it to someone that want to play with Cisco firewalls and buy yourself something better to run pfSense on will be my advice.

          JKnottJ 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • JKnottJ
            JKnott @P3R
            last edited by

            @P3R said in How do I install pfSense in a Cisco ASA 5510 firewall? Is it possible?:

            but we're talking about a device introduced in 2005 so the hardware is seriously out of date and without AES-NI

            And likely 32 bit.

            PfSense running on Qotom mini PC
            i5 CPU, 4 GB memory, 32 GB SSD & 4 Intel Gb Ethernet ports.
            UniFi AC-Lite access point

            I haven't lost my mind. It's around here...somewhere...

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              Yup and if it's 32bit then you can't put any recent version of pfSense on there. It probably also has a very small amount of RAM.
              As an exercise it might be fun. I'd go with OpenWRT though to end up with something usable.

              Steve

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              • P
                P3R
                last edited by

                I knew the original software on them was 32-bit but I expected the CPUs to have been 64-bit. If it isn't, then of course pfSense isn't the way forward. As I said, considering the age of the hardware it's hardly even worth the effort to investigate.

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                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by

                  Look inside and check. ☺ But some quick Googling looks like it's a Celeron M so 32bit only.

                  Steve

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                  • S
                    saadsalman37 Banned
                    last edited by

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                    • T
                      tman904 @david williams
                      last edited by

                      @david-williams
                      It has 256MB of RAM so even in late 2020 I would encourage you to try out OpenBSD, FreeBSD or NetBSD on it. A minimal install of Debian Linux would work also. I'm of course suggesting you build a router/firewall completely from scratch.

                      Note this would only work if you can replace the 64MB flash card with something larger. At least 1GB but that's only if you perform a very minimal install.

                      I would suggest installing the system in virtualbox first then convert the vdi to an img in order to copy it onto the asa's flash card.

                      https://www.router-switch.com/pdf/asa5510-bun-k9-datasheet.pdf

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