DHCP not assogning IP address on WAN if

subfire91

Hi guys,

i just did a fresh install of pfsense on a custom created router. Process was smooth all recognised by pfsense (a dual port pci card and the onboard motherboards). My problem is that WAN if is not assigned an ip address from my ISP (DHCP). i just need help to make it work. Do i need to set rules in firewall options in order to get internet access? if yes what rules? do i need to change any options? if yes what? When it is needed to bridge wan with lan interfaces?
This is my first attempt on pfsense so i need help in order to configure a nice firewall. Furthermore what firewall rules are needed to be set in order to get a full working network? (for example do i need to configure WAN to LAN interface access?) Finally what other settings need to be changed?

I made screenshots of my settings and i provide the links below:

http://img109.imageshack.us/i/fwwan.jpg/
http://img709.imageshack.us/i/fwlan.jpg/
http://img687.imageshack.us/i/lanif.jpg/
http://img709.imageshack.us/i/wanif.png/

If these screenshots are not enough please specify what else you need.
Any help will be greatly appreciated.

GruensFroeschli

@http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic:

If you don't get an answer within 5 minutes don't be demanding ("anyone?")! If you don't get one there is possibly a reason (noone ever had the problem / no time to answer / no clue / language barrier / something more important to do / … ).

The default settings allow access from LAN to WAN.
If you plug in the WAN do you get a link up?
Does your ISP require a name from the DHCP client?
Have you tried to TCP-dump on the WAN to see if the DHCP request actually goes out and if you get an answer?

subfire91

@GruensFroeschli:

The default settings allow access from LAN to WAN.
If you plug in the WAN do you get a link up?
Does your ISP require a name from the DHCP client?
Have you tried to TCP-dump on the WAN to see if the DHCP request actually goes out and if you get an answer?

hi man thnx for the answer :

yes it shows the interface as "up" 100Mbits full duplex but no ip.
i have cable internet. not a clue. nothing is listed in their site. if it does what this name should look like? i mean is it possible to be the domain name ? like cablenet.com.cy
havent though about it. can i perform tcpdump from the webgui or do i have to go hardcore?

GruensFroeschli

If you have cable-internet: did you powercycle the modem after connecting the pfSense?
Cable modems are basically a ethernet_to_docsis bridge.
These bridges usually have a MAC filter built in to only allow a certain number of MACs.

subfire91

@GruensFroeschli:

If you have cable-internet: did you powercycle the modem after connecting the pfSense?
Cable modems are basically a ethernet_to_docsis bridge.
These bridges usually have a MAC filter built in to only allow a certain number of MACs.

if powercycle is restart then yes numerous times. i contacted my isp's network admin and asked if they have to release/clear anything from their side. he said to me that restarting the modem releases everything. i ve also tried the mac spoof option in wan intrface settings and copied my old linkys wan port mac address. none of these worked.

GruensFroeschli

You can do a tcp dump from the webgui: "Diagnostics –> Packet Capture".
Can you run such a capture when you plug the ethernet cable in?

If that isn't conclusive:
Can you put a hub between your modem and the pfSense and capture with another computer with wireshark to see what goes over the cable when requesting an IP?

pablo

I am having almost exactly the same problem as the OP. It's been driving me crazy. Apart from that and the install from USB everything has been smooth. It just kills me to be stuck at this. One additional symptom (in my case) is that once in a while I will get an IP address (Comcast, Docsis 3) and I might have a WAN connection for 10-15 sec before it goes down again. It's getting the DNS servers and those are correct but the IP address is in a completely different range (24.x.x.x) than what I usually get. When I swap out my pfsense machine with my old DI-604 everything is back to normally. I've been through all the the resets, MAC address changes etc.

danswartz

There are other threads related to this (IMO.) Keep in mind pfsense uses freebsd. I have seen issues reported where freebsd dhcp clients occasionally can't get an IP from various ISP's (including comcast.) Never saw a resolution unfortunately.

pablo

Thanks for the update. I spent a few hours going through old threads here and elsewhere and I posted a follow-up because, as you wrote, there doesn't seem to be a solution. I had my mind set on using pfSense but I've spent way too much time on this already.

cmb

The system logs would probably help to determine why. And a packet capture of all WAN traffic.

chpalmer

There are many - many of us getting a dhcp supplied address from our cable ISP… I kind of wonder if you were to try a 100mbps interface if that wouldn't connect...

Ive seen modems freak out with gig cards once in a while...

pablo

Thanks! I'll give it a shot. I do indeed have gigabit NICs so maybe that's the problem. I also tried two different DOCSIS 3.0 modems (Motorola and Ubee). I'm also wondering if there's any chance that it could be related to the modem giving itself a LAN IP of 192.168.100.1 and my LAN being 192.168.0.xx…

EddieA

@pablo:

I'm also wondering if there's any chance that it could be related to the modem giving itself a LAN IP of 192.168.100.1 and my LAN being 192.168.0.xx…

Doubtful, as that describes my setup exactly.

Cheers.