Migrating from Netgate 2100 to 4200: Advice on Port Mapping & Integrated Switch Removal
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Hi everyone,
I am planning to upgrade from a Netgate 2100 Max to a Netgate 4200 Max. I currently have my 2100 configured with a split LAN setup using the internal switch, and I want to make sure I migrate this correctly to the 4200’s discrete Intel ports.
Current Setup on 2100:
Running: pfSense Plus 25.11
Switch Mode: 802.1Q VLAN mode enabled.
VLAN 1 (Default): Ports 1 and 2 (Members 1, 2, 5). Used for Main LAN (192.168.0.1/24).
VLAN 4084: Ports 3 and 4 (Members 3, 4, 5t). Used for IoT Network (172.16.0.1/24).
Physical: I have "dumb" unmanaged switches plugged into Port 1 and Port 4.
Packages: pfBlockerNG, Avahi, and NUT.
The Goal: I want to replicate this on the 4200 while taking advantage of the full 2.5GbE speeds. I understand the 4200 lacks a switch chip and uses independent igc interfaces.
Questions:
Since I only have one cable going to my Main switch and one to my IoT switch, is it better to just map my old LAN to igc0 and IoT to igc3, or should I bother with a software bridge to keep the "two ports per network" behavior of my 2100?
If I open a TAC ticket for a config conversion, will they handle the removal of the mvneta1 switch logic from the XML for me?
Are there any known issues with Avahi or NUT when moving from the ARM architecture of the 2100 to the x86 architecture of the 4200?
Any advice on the cleanest migration path would be appreciated!
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@netboy The by far easiest way is to open a (free) ticket with Netgate TAC, explain what you want to get to, and they will convert your config file for you and send it back for restoration. And yes they will remove the switch part (which is an option during restore anyway).
That said, since the 4200 isn't a switch it's generally better to use a hardware switch and one port each. Though technically then a VLAN also isn't necessary as long as you actually have separate wiring. So if you can I'd just use two ports as two interfaces and keep the other two empty for future use.
I've never used Avahi or NUT but I can't imagine there would be a problem migrating.
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@SteveITS said in Migrating from Netgate 2100 to 4200: Advice on Port Mapping & Integrated Switch Removal:
So if you can I'd just use two ports as two interfaces and keep the other two empty for future use.
Thanks for the reply always.
"So if you can I'd just use two ports as two interfaces and keep the other two empty for future use." --> This is what i have in mind.
4200 Max seems to be out of stock.
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@netboy said in Migrating from Netgate 2100 to 4200: Advice on Port Mapping & Integrated Switch Removal:
should I bother with a software bridge to keep the "two ports per network" behavior of my 2100?
Not unless you really need it, I agree. The 4200 ports are not a switch and using a real switch is better in almost every way.
