PFSense vs FreeBSD

timbopoise

I'm wondering if PFSense has it's own "spinoff" of FreeBSD?

Here why I'm asking. In the process of initiating a PFSense upgrade from 2.7 to 2.7.2 I ended up with 2.7.2 upgraded but the management webpage GUI is not being rendered (html file is an empty <body>. In an attempt to rerun the upgrade I realize I don't have root or privileged access to the box because the IT person who set it up is gone. So I need to reset root passwd. There are a lot of help to do this and all steps are the same (boot in single user mode), but the process does not result in root passwd being set.
So I go to the FreeBSD forum and they say they don't support FreeBSD spinoffs, like "PFSense", and other.
I need to figure out how to reset my passwd and now I don't think FreeBSD forum will help.
Can PFSense forum help?

Thanks

PFSense 2.7.2 (broken)
FreeBSD 14.

keyser

@timbopoise The root account (named root) is not used on pfSense. Even though it is built on FreeBSD, it is a heavily slimmed version with is own controlled package library.
The account you want to use is named “admin” and it is a root priviliged account. You can reset the password using the console menu.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uGmUQTGJs1Y

timbopoise

@keyser
OK, I hope that explains it. I will try that out... Thank you very much.

my other post that started this

keyser

@timbopoise Here’s the official documentation on the process:

https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/troubleshooting/locked-out.html

timbopoise

@keyser Thank you for this. I have successful been able to get logged in as admin.
Of course I'm advised to change my admin password asap, but since I don't have the web manager page accessible yet I assume I can reset the admin password from ssh login using 'passwd', right?

Thanks

keyser

@timbopoise Just reset it using the standard console now that you know the current one. No need to “escape” the Console menu. You can also just login to Web UI and change it (now that you know the admin password)

stephenw10

@timbopoise said in PFSense vs FreeBSD:

I assume I can reset the admin password from ssh login using 'passwd', right?

No you can't do that in pfSense. All the users are generated at boot from the config file and passwd doesn't touch that so any changes made there are lost at reboot.

timbopoise

@stephenw10
I need clarification...sorry.
I don't have access to the web management page, it's broken which is what started all this.
I have ssh login (A) for 3 different accounts, two I knew already and third, admin, which I was recently able to set (Thanks all!!).
I can get to (B) "virtual" console (??) via USB AND HDMI cable. I was never able to use this approach to fix passwd issue.
I used to be able to access the web management page (C) before I tried to upgrade
And finally, of course I can login via Com RJ45 connector (D) and use linux "screen", but it will not work if I have any the virtual console in use.

w.r.t resetting pw the only approach that worked was (D)--thank goodness :-)
Once I reset the admin passwd to default, I'm warned and I know I need to reset the admin passwd to something safer. I'm trying to verify which of these approaches, when logged in as admin, will allow me to reset and what command can I use, if not 'passwd'

I'm hoping my posts and your answer will help someone else in the future.
Much thanks

stephenw10

There is no easy way to set a password outside the webgui. pfSense is intended to be primarily managed via the webgui.

I would re-install in your situation. But otherwise I would try to run a forced pkg full reinstall to complete the upgrade to 2.7.2.

stephenw10

Actually you can try to use the PHP shell command for this if php still loads:

[2.7.2-RELEASE][admin@t70.stevew.lan]/root: pfSsh.php playback changepassword test
Changing password for 'test'.
New Password: 
Confirm New Password:

timbopoise

@stephenw10
I assume this will either work or it will fail without doing any harm? Well, yeah right I can reset to default again if it fails.

Thanks