iperf3 won't automatically restart after reboot

sgseidel

pfSense 2.4.5-RELEASE-p1 (amd64)

As the title says, after reboot all installed services come up in the FreeBSD main GUI except iperf (specifically Description: iperf Network Performance Testing Daemon/Client):

iperf3 --version
iperf 3.7 (cJSON 1.5.2)
FreeBSD pfSense245p1.novuscom.net 11.3-STABLE FreeBSD 11.3-STABLE #243 abf8cba50ce(RELENG_2_4_5): Tue Jun 2 17:53:37 EDT 2020 root@buildbot1-nyi.netgate.com:/build/ce-crossbuild-245/obj/amd64/YNx4Qq3j/build/ce-crossbuild-245/sources/FreeBSD-src/sys/pfSense amd64
Optional features available: CPU affinity setting, SCTP, TCP congestion algorithm setting, sendfile / zerocopy, authentication

iperf did show up "green" as a service running in the main pfSense GUI before I restored pfSense from an earlier backup, but not after the restore.

I have since uninstalled and re-installed iperf from the System / Package Manager / Package Installer in the pfSense GUI, but the issue persists.

Note that, if I launch iperf server from the command line as follows:

iperf3 -s
Server listening on 5201

and subsequently click to restart iperf from the GUI, all is well and iperf shows up "green" in the main GUI as a running service.

sgseidel

Issue resolved (Duhhhhh...)

In the pfSense GUI, under Diagnostics there is a menu item named iperf Server. From there, there is an option to start the iperf server. When that is done, the iperf service is "green" in the pfSense main GUI.

stuartbh

@sgseidel

I am confused. It appears that your initial complaint is that iperf3 does not automatically start upon reboot as other services do. I agree, that is the same behavior I see.

However, you then state you click on an icon to start it via the Diagnostics menu, which I agree, does start iperf3. However, upon rebooting the router again it still does not restart automatically.

Was there every any research done as to why iperf3 does not start automatically upon boot up as other services do?

Stuart

sgseidel

@stuartbh
I have no idea if there was any research done as to why iperf3 does not start automatically upon reboot. I certainly haven't done any.

I might add that I'm now running pfSense 2.6.0 and iperf3 does not start automatically on reboot, which was also the case with pfSense 2.5.2.

stuartbh

@sgseidel

I am willing to put some time into this. However, maybe you (or someone else) can help to direct me to where I can find technical guidance on the following some several topical areas that would greatly assist me in pursuance of this endeavor:

What are the build instructions and required build files to rebuild the iperf3 package for pfSense?
What technical documentation exists that speaks to how to modify the services menu (to add start or stop buttons, etc...)?
Are there any bare bones examples of a services package (a hello world of a pfSense service)?

Armed with this kind of documentation and knowledge I will work on fixing the iperf3 package so that it functions like other packages with a "start button", "stop button", configuration option to enable or disable it, etc...

For example, I recently wrote a small configuration file that allows iperf3 to run as a service within systemd on Linux. If the iperf3 server daemon crashes it automatically restarts it and as well will start it up upon initial boot up.

Stuart

sgseidel

@stuartbh
Unfortunately I don't possess the kind of technical knowledge you are asking for.

Stewart

stuartbh

@sgseidel,

Understood. I just posted into the developer forum asking for some assistance in getting started to setup a development environment, how to build pfSense packages and that. I am hopeful that I will get some guidance and then move forward in improving the pfSense implementation of iPerf3.

Stuart