PfSense not booting if USB-LTE-Modem (highlink) not attached
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Hello there :),
Setup: PfSense 2.6.0 with one network card (multiple VLANs) on an old desktop PC hardware
WAN1 as normal standard gateway with pppoe -> DSLI added an secound WAN as Backup (LTE-Stick Huawei E3372-325 Chipset). As i failed to flash a non-highlink-firmware (Stick version -325 is not possible as it seems) i get it running with highlink - so in PfSense the USB-LTE-Modem shows up as "ue0" like a USB-Network-Card.
Problem: If the USB-LTE-Stick failes (or someone ( I ) disconnects the USB-Stick without deleting the interface in pfSense) in the first step nothing happens.
BUT if you reboot the pfSense weeks later (or a powerfailure does it for you) - the pfSense does not boot, cause "ue0" is missing and it goes immediately to "Configure Interaces" menu before coming up.
Is there a way to avoid this (or someone who knows how to get the E3372-325 in non-highlink-mode ;))?
Thanks in advance
Christian -
@itschloegl There is no way to avoid this without extra hardware. You could use a Raspberry Pi with linux on it configured as a bridge. Then, separate VLAN (eg, 4000) that only goes to/from the Raspberry Pi port to the PfSense port, PVID of Raspberry Pi switch port 4000 member of 4000, PVID of PfSense switch port whatever you have now, "member of" on PfSense switch port, whatever you have now + 4000, new VLAN of 4000 on PfSense (on the network card you have), create new interface WAN2 or 4G or whatever using the 4000 VLAN. Now, that is a setup that will never have the problem you have now.