Netgate 5100 / pfSense Plus 26.07 — "Network interface mismatch" on every boot, VLANs on X553 (ix0) not found

raj99

Every reboot of my Netgate 5100 stops at the console interface-assignment prompt, saying my VLAN interfaces don't exist. The config is correct, and once I answer the prompts the VLANs are created normally later in the same boot. The problem is that any unattended restart (power loss, crash) leaves the firewall stuck at the console until someone answers it.

Setup:

Netgate 5100, pfSense Plus 26.07-RELEASE (20260827-1919)
Fresh install to a new SSD (Transcend TS256GMTS430S) using Netgate Installer v1.2
Config restored from a verified 26.07 backup
Interfaces: WAN = igb0, LAN = ix0, MGMT = ix0.10, IOT = ix0.20, CAMERAS = ix0.30, OOB = igb1

Console output at boot:

Loading configuration...done.
Updating configuration...done.
Warning: Configuration references interfaces that do not exist: ix0.10 ix0.20 ix0.30
Network interface mismatch -- Running interface assignment option.
Valid interfaces are:
igb0 00:90:0b:58:83:00 (down) Intel(R) I210 (Copper)
igb1 00:90:0b:58:83:01 (down) Intel(R) I210 (Copper)
ix0 00:90:0b:58:83:02 (down) Intel(R) X553 (1GbE)
ix1 00:90:0b:58:83:03 (down) Intel(R) X553 (1GbE)
ix2 00:90:0b:58:83:04 (down) Intel(R) X553 L (1GbE)
ix3 00:90:0b:58:83:05 (down) Intel(R) X553 L (1GbE)
Should VLANs be set up now [y|n]? ix0: link state changed to UP
igb0: link state changed to UP
php-fpm - INFO Ignoring link event during boot sequence.

All six NICs show (down) at the moment of the check, and the link-up messages appear right after the prompt is displayed. It looks like the interface check runs before the ix (X553) driver has finished bringing the links up, so the VLAN children on ix0 don't exist yet.

After I answer the prompts with the same assignments that are already in the config, boot continues normally:

Configuring VLAN interfaces...vlan0: changing name to 'ix0.10'
vlan1: changing name to 'ix0.20'
vlan2: changing name to 'ix0.30'
done.

Everything then comes up correctly: all six interfaces with the right addresses, all packages running (ACME, Avahi, HAProxy, pfBlockerNG-devel, Tailscale).

What I've already checked:

config.xml is correct: three VLANs with parent ix0 and tags 10/20/30; assignments match the list above; no duplicate or orphaned interface entries
Assignments do save (config.xml timestamp and size change after the wizard)
While running, ifconfig shows ix0 and ix0.10/.20/.30 UP and RUNNING with carrier
New SSD, SMART clean, no ZFS errors, so not a storage problem
Nothing about the mismatch in /var/log/system.log, since it happens before syslog starts
I couldn't find any interface boot delay setting under System > Advanced > Networking

This happens on every reboot, not just after an upgrade. I found a similar thread from January 2026 on X553 hardware with the same all-(down) interface list, but no fix.

Questions:

Is this a known issue with 26.07 on the 5100 / X553?
Is there a supported way to delay the interface check or make the ix driver finish link negotiation earlier (a loader tunable, for example)?

I'm happy to post the full boot log or test a patch.

stephenw10

Hmm, that should never happen. Subinterface types like VLANs are excluded from the check for this reason.

Have you ever manually edited the interfaces in the config?

Do you have the tailscale interface assigned? It should not be.

raj99

Thanks, that pointed me in the right direction. I checked the config and I think I've found it: none of my VLAN entries has a <vlanif> element.

The assignments reference ix0.10, ix0.20 and ix0.30, so I assume the check can't match them to a VLAN and treats them as missing physical interfaces. The VLANs still get created later in boot from the parent and tag, which matches what I see.

To answer your questions:

I haven't manually edited the interfaces or VLANs in config.xml. The VLANs were created in the GUI. The only unusual step was restoring config.xml from the shell (cp to /cf/conf/config.xml, delete /tmp/config.cache) after an SSD replacement and fresh install. Before that, the box had a failed upgrade and a 26.03 reinstall, so I can't say exactly when the <vlanif> lines disappeared.
Tailscale is not assigned. The assignments are WAN (igb0), LAN (ix0), MGMT (ix0.10), IOT (ix0.20), CAMERAS (ix0.30) and OOB (igb1). The only Tailscale interface reference is the interface group the package creates.

What's the recommended fix? Will opening each VLAN under Interfaces > Assignments > VLANs and clicking Save rewrite the <vlanif> element, or should I add it to config.xml manually?

stephenw10

Yup it should have the vlanif tags in each vlan section in order to be seen as a VLAN like:

		<vlan>
			<descr><![CDATA[VLAN100]]></descr>
			<if>igc2</if>
			<pcp></pcp>
			<tag>100</tag>
			<vlanif>igc2.100</vlanif>
		</vlan>

That's definitely what's causing the error. You should just be able to manually add them.

Unclear how that happened though. Is it possible you restore just a section of the config? Or restored a new config version into an older pfSense?
Both those would prevent the config upgrade scripts running and could conceivably create a bad config. Though I don't think we've had a config without those tags for years.