Tethering Internet access

Balanga

Is it possible to use pfSense to hook up to a tethering connection on a phone? If so, is there a guide somewhere.

I've been connecting my pfSense box to a 4G modem over the last week, but receptionis very intermittent at the moment but much better on my phone so I would like to tether it. If I installed a WiFi card in pfSense box, could I configure that as the WAN interface?

viktor_g

@balanga tethering is already supported since 2.5.0/21.02

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/2-5-0.html#hardware-drivers:
Added iOS/Android/Generic USB tethering driver #7467

Balanga

@viktor_g

Thanks, but what exactly is requred to make this work? Is it just a USB to micro USB cable?

Hugovsky

try here:

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/117929/how-to-usb-tether-on-pfsense-2-4-as-router

EDIT: arround point 13

stephenw10

Just be aware that you must unassign the interface again before you stop tethering. If you leave it assigned the firewall will fail to boot the next time it is rebooted.

Steve

Balanga

@hugovsky said in Tethering Internet access:

https://forum.netgate.com/topic/117929/how-to-usb-tether-on-pfsense-2-4-as-router

That's one of the problems, having guides from years ago, which make the process sound so complicated.

I had occasion to try tethering my pfSense box today because my 'dedicated' TP-Link Archer MR200 would not connect to my ISP - I even tried a few different SIMs.

But the tethering was extremely easy. I just plugged in a cable from my phone, switched on 'USB tether' on my phone and 'ue1' popped up so it was just a matter of assigning ue1 as the WAN interface. This is on 2.4.5-RELEASE-p1 which I see celebrates its first birthday today. The date confused me at first since I thought a new release had installed itself, but then saw the year - 2020.