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

    Why are Block Private & Bogon rules required on WAN ?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Firewalling
    4 Posts 3 Posters 568 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.
    • A
      alan.t
      last edited by

      Hello,

      Just trying to deepen my understanding....

      As the firewall blocks everything coming in from the WAN by default, why are the “Block Private Networks” and “Block Bogon Networks” rules needed ?

      Belts & Braces ?

      BRgds/Alan

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

        They don't do anything unless you create port forwards. Or create a rule that would allow access to say your pfsense wan IP. Since they are at the top, and can not be moved from the top.. When you create a port forward, they would prevent bogon and or rfc1918 from talking to your port forwards.

        Discussion could be made for sure about their usefulness true - since neither bogon nor private should route anywhere on the public internet, other than maybe your actual ISP... So it would be possible for someone on the same isp as you to talk to your port forwards with one of those IPs.

        They are not "required" - you can disable them if you have need for those ips to talk to your wan or port forwards.

        But they don't hurt anything.. Unless you had some need for those IPs to be source IPs to be allowed. It has always be best practice, since those IPs are not suppose to route on the public internet, for them to be blocked. More than likely you could run for years and years and years and never see 1 hit to those rules.

        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

        1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • D
          DavidSmitis Banned
          last edited by

          In my opinion, this is done so that you can block only part of the networks or all networks together. I usually block private networks that I do not need.

          D 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • D
            DavidSmitis Banned @DavidSmitis
            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.