Netgate Discussion Forum
    • Categories
    • Recent
    • Tags
    • Popular
    • Users
    • Search
    • Register
    • Login

    Pfsense being the gateway for another pfsense device

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
    19 Posts 4 Posters 1.1k Views
    Loading More Posts
    • Oldest to Newest
    • Newest to Oldest
    • Most Votes
    Reply
    • Reply as topic
    Log in to reply
    This topic has been deleted. Only users with topic management privileges can see it.
    • T
      templateunheard
      last edited by

      I have my main pfsense device connected to the internet through a pppoe connection to a BT openreach modem (WAN) which works fine. What I'm trying to do is have another pfsense device use the first pfsense as the WAN connection and create a seperate network from it.

      Diagram as follows:
      INTERNET(PPPOE) -> PFSENSE1 -> PFSENSE 1 NETWORK
      -> PFSENSE2 -> PFSENSE2 NETWORK

      How do I make this happen? so far neither the pfsense2 box or any client machines can connect to the internet.

      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • KOMK
        KOM
        last edited by

        Start with the basics. Can any pfsense2 clients ping 8.8.8.8? Can pfsense2 ping 8.8.8.8? That will tell us if its total connectivity or DNS only.

        T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • T
          templateunheard @KOM
          last edited by

          @KOM The device itself can't ping 8.8.8.8 from the box, so it's total connectivity

          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • KOMK
            KOM
            last edited by

            OK, what are the network details for both WANs and LANs?

            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • NogBadTheBadN
              NogBadTheBad
              last edited by

              Does the default route on PFSENSE2 to point to the PFSENSE1 LAN IP address ?

              Also have you disabled Block private networks and loopback addresses on the WAN interface on PFSENSE2, assuming that the LAN interface on PFSENSE1 is using RFC1918 address space.

              If you do a packet capture on the LAN interface on PFSENSE1 are ICMP pcakets hitting the interface ?

              T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • T
                templateunheard @NogBadTheBad
                last edited by templateunheard

                @NogBadTheBad @KOM Sorry for the late response, I needed to sleep. Revisiting it again. I've set the WAN ip on pfsense 2 to the DHCP from pfsense 1's LAN. This has resulted in me being able to access the pfsense 2 device from the pfsense 2's client which is good, so here's where I'm at now.

                • Pfsense 2 can ping a remote host (8.8.8.8)
                • Pfsense 2's client can access both pfsense 1 & 2
                • Pfsense 2's client can't access the internet

                I want pfsense 2's client to not be able to access the main subnet (192.168.1.0/24, only its own subnet 192.168.2.0/24) and for it to be able to access the internet. I've disabled the blocking of private networks on the WAN of pfsense 2. Open to suggestions, thanks.

                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • KOMK
                  KOM
                  last edited by

                  Add a firewall rule on the LAN interface that rejects access to destination network. Below I'm rejecting access from LAN to the 1.2.3.0 network.

                  rule.png

                  T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • T
                    templateunheard @KOM
                    last edited by templateunheard

                    @KOM ~~The DNS of the pfsense's clients on the second device aren't working however the device itself is. Any ideas?

                    Also that rule isn't working but I'll need to configure them as I want the second pfsense device to have an openvpn connection and kill switch but that's probably another thread unless you can help with that.~~

                    The DNS was wrong on the client machine, sorry for wasting your time. The rule still isn't working though.

                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • KOMK
                      KOM
                      last edited by

                      What are those clients using for DNS? Assuming they're Windows clients, what does ipconfig /all report for DNS server? Out of the box, pfSense enables the DNS Resolver (unbound) which queries the roots and doesn't need an upstream DNS. DNS should just work if your clients are using pfSense LAN for DNS. If the clients are static IP, make sure they're using the correct DNS. If DHCP, check what's being served to them for DNS.

                      As for your others issues, get one thing working at a time and then make a new post for that specific problem.

                      T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • T
                        templateunheard @KOM
                        last edited by

                        @KOM The internet is working in all its glory, back to the segregation rules.Pfsense main's client can't access the pfsense secondary device however the second pfsense's clients can access the main pfsense. is there any way I could deny that? I followed the rule above. screenshot:
                        alt text

                        (LAN of the main Pfsense device)

                        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • KOMK
                          KOM
                          last edited by KOM

                          Move your block rule above your VPN rule, and then go to Diagnostics - States - Reset States and reset them. Existing states aren't affected by a rule change.

                          Actually hold on. Why do you have two different networks showing in your rule list? The Source for these rules should always be the network of the interface it's connected to.

                          T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • T
                            templateunheard @KOM
                            last edited by

                            @KOM I've reset the table, here's the rules now:

                            alt text

                            1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • KOMK
                              KOM
                              last edited by

                              Rules are evaluated top-down, first match wins, so rule order is important. You almost always want to put block rules above allow rules.

                              T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • T
                                templateunheard @KOM
                                last edited by

                                @KOM I can still ping it from the client, does it have anything to do with the fact that it has to connect to the main pfsense device as a WAN that means I can't block it? or am I still missing something?

                                1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • KOMK
                                  KOM
                                  last edited by

                                  Did you reset your states like I told you to?

                                  T 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • T
                                    templateunheard @KOM
                                    last edited by

                                    @KOM Yeah, I did.

                                    1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • KOMK
                                      KOM
                                      last edited by

                                      If you are trying to prevent users of pfsense2 LAN from accessing pfsense1 LAN/pfsense2 WAN, you need to put the rules on pfsense2's LAN tab, not pfsense1.

                                      This would be less confusing if I had a clue about your network configuration details for WAN and LAN on pfsense1 and 2. I did ask for them earlier but you didn't reply.

                                      1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • johnpozJ
                                        johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator
                                        last edited by johnpoz

                                        So you have this

                                        setup.png

                                        Not sure which network you have were exactly..

                                        But if you don't want 192.168.2/24 (bottom network) from talking to 192.168.1 you would block it on the lan interface of pfs2

                                        You would have allow rule to talk to pfs2 lan addres for dns, ping for example on the pfs2 lan rules
                                        Then you would have a block rule to 192.168.1/24
                                        Then you would have a any rule to allow clients to talk to the internet.. Blocking 192.168.2 on pfs1 lan would be completely pointless and never happen, since pfs2 is directly connected to it.

                                        edit: Ah @KOM beat me too it, but he didn't draw a pretty picture like I did ;) heheheh

                                        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

                                        NogBadTheBadN 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
                                        • NogBadTheBadN
                                          NogBadTheBad @johnpoz
                                          last edited by

                                          This post is deleted!
                                          1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • First post
                                            Last post
                                          Copyright 2025 Rubicon Communications LLC (Netgate). All rights reserved.