Can't get pfSense working
-
pfSense seems to quit about a day after setting up. I installed, followed the guide (doc.pfsense.org/index.php/HOWTO), was up and running and never did get the WLAN working. the LAN only works intermittently.
I previously used Debian with ipkungfu as a router/firewall. Since I have a couple of old machines lying around and two ISPs, I thought an upgrade that did automatic failover would be a good idea.
I couldn't get that working properly so I thought I'd start again with a more basic setup and work up from there.
So, with only the WAN and the LAN plugged in, I ran through the guide I referenced above after resetting pfSense to "factory defaults" (from the console menu).
The problem is that after about an hour the LAN connection goes intermittent.
First, it won't assign an IP via DHCP to the one machine I have on the LAN until I reboot the pfSense machine (and then will only give an IP after about 10 minutes).
Then, the machine on the LAN keeps reporting that the connection has failed (the machine is running XP and bounces between "A cable has come unplugged", "Limited or no connectivity", and "connected").
I can get to the WebGUI console via the XP machine, and out to the internet, when the connection is working.
Eventually, within a day, the pfSense machine will lock up (not even any response from the console). Sometimes, it will recover itself within an hour or so, sometimes not (requiring rebooting).
I have rebooted everything (routers, modems, and machines), swapped NICs and cables, reinstalled and started from scratch. All more than once. Before doing it all again expecting different results I thought I'd ask what I could be doing wrong.
I'm off to install pfSense on another machine to rule out the last piece of hardware. I'm nearly certain that's not where the problem lies but I'm out of ideas. Hopefully somebody here will have an answer for me.
-
What version o pfSense are you using?
What is the type of your WAN interface? What is the type of your LAN interface? (e.g. WAN is rl0, LAN is fxp0.)
-
Sorry, I wrote all that down but forgot to post it in the message. Embarrassing.
pfSense v1.2.2
All NICs are identical and new (and have all been tested in other boxes to ensure they weren't the cause of the fault.
Currently the setting is: LAN: rl2, WAN rl0. This has changed several times with no change in outcome. (the intent originally was to have LAN, WAN, Opt1 (WAN2), and Opt2 (Wireless), I left the other two cards in when deciding to just get LAN and WAN working)UPDATE:
I just installed pfSense 1.2.2 (off a fresh download and a new disk compared to all previous attempts) on a new machine with a brand new HD (quite literally, I just took the HD out of the static bag). This machine has LAN:rl0, WAN: bfe0 (the onboard ethernet).After about an hour the LAN connection went down again (in exactly the same manner as I described originally). 8 minutes later it came back (XP's connection status was returned to "connected").
My only conclusion after messing with this over two solid days is that either I have no combination of hardware that is compatible with pfSense, or that I am doing something fundamentally, horribly wrong. Hopefully the latter and that someone here can help keep me from repeating it.
-
I was trying to setup a test sytem with internal PCI wireless G adapter.
Ran into much trouble. Things just were not working right.
I thought this wireless card I bought was supposed to be , but maybe not.
I never did resolve this, I just used a bridged a wireless Access point rather that fight with the internal card.Suggestion: take out all the other network interfaces except for WAN and LAN.
See if your system stays up with this very simple configuration.
-
Suggestion: take out all the other network interfaces except for WAN and LAN.
See if your system stays up with this very simple configuration.I did effectively that, and more, when I installed to a completely different system (one in which I only put two NICs). See the "Update:" part of my previous post.
I will try that with the original box as well and see if I can see any difference in their behaviors.
-
This machine has LAN:rl0, WAN: bfe0 (the onboard ethernet).
sorry when I read it before it looked like 4 interfaces.
Have you tried 123RC3 install (rather than 1.2.2?)
-
No, I haven't. Is it stable? If so, what's keeping it in RC status?
Either way, I'll give it a try tonight.
-
No, I haven't. Is it stable? If so, what's keeping it in RC status?