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    *NEWB* After Install it won't boot !

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Problems Installing or Upgrading pfSense Software
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    • stephenw10S
      stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
      last edited by

      Ok. Several things come to mind here.
      First off really only for information:
      @nathan715:

      For the "ifconfig grep ral"
      It simply tells me

      ifconfig: interface grep does not exist

      This is because you omitted the | symbol from Wallabybob's request. The pipe symbol, |, instructs pfSense to pipe the output of ifconfig to the grep command. The grep command takes that data and only shows lines containing 'ral'.

      You have given all the information anyway so no worries there.

      Secondly, since you have removed the gigabit interface I assume you are now initially setting up the box with only one interface, WAN. In single interface mode pfSense will allow access from the WAN connection as it's the only one. As soon as you apply the changes after adding another interface pfSense will default to a two interface setup in which all access from WAN is blocked by default. Hence you are disconnected.

      To prevent yourself being locked out your can leave the gigabit NIC installed, enable that as LAN first and use that to access the GUI. Alternatively you can add a firewall rule to the WAN interface to allow access after you enable the wifi NIC. Since this is all internal and security is not an issue at this point just add a rule to allow all traffic, you can always change it to a more restrictive rule later. Your rule should be something like:
      Protocol: any
      Source: any
      Destination: any
      Port: any

      The ethernet over firewire interfaces are simply confusing matters but aren't causing a problem. You can probably disable them later for completeness.

      Steve

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      • W
        wallabybob
        last edited by

        @nathan715:

        Wallabybob: I didn't use any commands for it, I used WinSCP and just used the I.P and account info, the error was simply could not connect, I now know it couldn't connect because SSH is not enabled,

        As far as I know, WinSCP doesn't have a mechanism for interactive login. PuTTY does. So as well as needing SSH enabled you needed to use the correct tool.

        @nathan715:

        I'm sorry if I am scarce on detail, I have only started learning about pfSense yesterday, The only other operation system that is based on FreeBSD that I know is FreeNAS and I barely know how to use it, so again i'm sorry if I don't include many details, I'm not sure what to include,

        I'm sympathetic. I think a good guide is to describe what you did, how the system responded and how you expected it to respond.

        @nathan715:

        For the "ifconfig grep ral"

        You left out the "|" character from the command. On the two keyboards in front of me "|" is produced as SHIFT-\  (hold down the SHIFT key and tap the \ key.)

        The "|" character is a direction to the Unix shell to "pipe" the output of the command on the left ("ifconfig") to the command on the right ("grep ral").
        @nathan715:

        I thought that it would be worth noting that my PuTTY instance has turned inactive, I was gonna retry it from the beginning to get the error, but it gave me another error, well a warning, " Warning: Invalid argument supplied for each() in /etc/inc/util.inc on line 646",

        I don't know what you would have done to get the Unix shell to report that, but this is probably a distraction from the main game.

        @nathan715:

        Now to setup the Wifi.

        I am now gonna include all the settings I choose.

        Interfaces -> Assign,
        add interface button, It makes a Lan interface with the Wifi card selected, So I save the changes,
        I now move to the Wireless tab, add wireless interface button,

        Parent Interface : ral0 (00:12:17:9a:96:15)
        Mode : Access Point
        Description : Wifi

        Move to
        Interfaces -> Lan,
        (I'm only going to write what I change or set)
        Enable Interface, Check,
        Description : Wifi
        Mode : access point
        SSID : Test
        WEP : Enable WEP, Check
              : Key 1: EXAMPLE123 ( the TX Key box is automatically checked after I press save )
        Save.


        After I hit save I lost connection, same as before. I hope I have provided you with enough information and detail, I really would like this box up and running the way it is supposed to,

        Thanks for the additional information.

        In this state does the system respond to typein on the console? (Perhaps the system has "hung", perhaps it is working fine but you lost connection because you messed with the LAN interface.) I presume you are accessing the pfSense GUI through the WAN interface.

        I suggest you put back the Gigabit interface and on reboot, from the console reset to factory defaults (in case your previous changes will cause ongoing problems), re-assign interfaces assigning the onboard and Gigabit interfaces to WAN and LAN respectively and reboot. (This should mean you can access the pfSense GUI while messing with the wireless interface. Once the wireless interface is working the interface assignments can be changed if desired.)

        Then access the pfSense GUI and do what you did previously EXCEPT assign the wireless interface to OPT1 rather than LAN, DON'T go through the Interfaces -> (assign), Wireless tab, fill in your Wireless details on the Interfaces -> OPTx page, Save and Apply. Does the web GUI still respond? Are you able to detect the wireless network you configured?

        Edit: A couple of further bits of information might be useful:
        1. What build of pfSense are you using? (Its on the home page of your pfSense box.)
        2. What is the brand and model of your wireless card?

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        • N
          nathan715
          last edited by

          Well guys, I'm sorry If I am going to be information scarce here, my power went out, I had a reply half way made up then everything spun down, I really don't want to have to write all that again, but I'll do my best.

          Steve: From what I can read, you don't need me to get the other info from the ifconfig with the"|" ?
          and as for the rule, I don't think i will use it, thanks for the thought though,

          Bob: I have started to use PuTTY as WinSCP could not connect properly, about the ifconfig | grep ral do you need me to do that ?

          The error about PuTTY was in Windows, you had said to include detail so I was trying to get it again,

          Linksys wmp54g is the wireless card,
          3.0.1-RELEASE(i386) is the build I believe

          From there I can use the console so I think it was when I messed with the LAN interface, I was using WAN to connect, Well I have done everything you have said, but I got a different message
          on the console it's telling me : ral0: need multicast update callback x2

          I'm sorry if I didn't include a lot of info, I hope I did provide enough, If I did not just tell me what you need and I will try to get it,

          Thanks

          Nathan

          EDIT : I found the type field in general configuration and set it to DHCP then on the console I saw the "ral0: need multicast update callback" again, then a crap load of the weird text that no one can understand then the system rebooted,

          EDIT : It now says "ral0: device timeout" and keeps sending the message

          EDIT : I can not connect to it again, I'm sorry, I'm gonna smash this piece of **** soon if I can't get it to work

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          • W
            wallabybob
            last edited by

            @nathan715:

            Bob: I have started to use PuTTY as WinSCP could not connect properly, about the ifconfig | grep ral do you need me to do that ?

            The error about PuTTY was in Windows, you had said to include detail so I was trying to get it again,

            Thanks.

            @nathan715:

            Linksys wmp54g is the wireless card,
            3.0.1-RELEASE(i386) is the build I believe

            "3.0.1" probably should be "2.0.1"

            @nathan715:

            From there I can use the console so I think it was when I messed with the LAN interface, I was using WAN to connect, Well I have done everything you have said, but I got a different message

            I presume "you" means Steve since my instructions didn't involve messing with the LAN interface.

            @nathan715:

            on the console it's telling me : ral0: need multicast update callback x2

            Don't worry about that message.

            @nathan715:

            EDIT : I found the type field in general configuration and set it to DHCP

            Why set the type to DHCP?

            @nathan715:

            then on the console I saw the "ral0: need multicast update callback" again, then a crap load of the weird text that no one can understand then the system rebooted,

            I suspect the "weird text" was a crash report.  Crash reports can be deciphered by suitably skilled people.

            @nathan715:

            EDIT : It now says "ral0: device timeout" and keeps sending the message

            What message - "ral0: device timeout"? "ral0: need multicast update callback"? something else?

            @nathan715:

            EDIT : I can not connect to it again, I'm sorry, I'm gonna smash this piece of **** soon if I can't get it to work

            I understand your sense of frustration. However attempting to relieve the frustration in that way will likely only add to the frustration.

            I presume you didn't follow my suggestion of keeping the pfSense LAN interface tied to a "wired" interface so you could continue to access the web GUI while you tinkered with the wireless interface. Correct?

            I have a device supported by the ral driver in my test pfSense. I have never needed to activate it. I have just attempted to do so. The console contains a number of additional reports of

            ral0: only 1 vap supported

            I have actually managed to configure two APs on the interface (presumably one "real" AP and one Virtual AP) and seen the two corresponding SSIDs recognized on my laptop. This pfSense box is running a snapshot build of pfSense 2.1. Unfortunately there have been reports that recent snapshot builds of pfSense 2.1 are broken so I suggest you stick with your current software, at least for the time being. Your report of what I suspect was a crash report leads me to suspect you might have encountered a bug in the ral driver in pfSense 2.0.1. pfSense 2.1 (not yet officially released) uses more up to date device drivers but there have been problems in recent snapshot builds.

            It is probably confusing being new to pfSense and getting different suggestions from me and the very capable stephenw10. I certainly find it difficult to guess what you have done to the system to get where you are.

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            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              @wallabybob:

              It is probably confusing being new to pfSense and getting different suggestions

              I agree. I'll hold back unless I see something obvious.  :)

              Steve

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                nathan715
                last edited by

                Bob, I do mean it to be 2.0.1 not 3.0.1, The part where I said "I have done everything you said was to you,
                @wallabybob:

                I suggest you put back the Gigabit interface and on reboot, from the console reset to factory defaults (in case your previous changes will cause ongoing problems), re-assign interfaces assigning the onboard and Gigabit interfaces to WAN and LAN respectively and reboot. (This should mean you can access the pfSense GUI while messing with the wireless interface. Once the wireless interface is working the interface assignments can be changed if desired.)

                Then access the pfSense GUI and do what you did previously EXCEPT assign the wireless interface to OPT1 rather than LAN, DON'T go through the Interfaces -> (assign), Wireless tab, fill in your Wireless details on the Interfaces -> OPTx page, Save and Apply. Does the web GUI still respond? Are you able to detect the wireless network you configured?

                Edit: A couple of further bits of information might be useful:
                1. What build of pfSense are you using? (Its on the home page of your pfSense box.)
                2. What is the brand and model of your wireless card?

                I did follow that, I had the cards all setup asyou wrote there, but I lost connection still, I'm not sure if I am doing something wrong, it could be me just not seeing some obvious setting that I might have to change but I'll try it again and add results, here:, Well I didn't have to do it all again, I got access after 2 or 3 reboots, I recorded the output of the screen, It doesn't look like much but I thought it would help place why the errors are occurring,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRwgjpBlnXY&feature=youtu.be, When I got in to the GUI the first thing I was confronted with was a crash report, so Ill paste that in here now,http://www.mediafire.com/view/?4wao8amophe5oo5

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                • W
                  wallabybob
                  last edited by

                  http://www.mediafire.com/view/?4wao8amophe5oo5 is not very informative: All it shows me is an an almost blank page with "Sheet1" near the top, "Page 1" near the bottom and something like "ypC" below "Sheet1".

                  I get the impression your system might be crashing soon after you enable the WiFi interface. Does that seem to fit what you are seeing?

                  If you still have the crash report file you could paste it into a reply or attach it to a reply by clicking on the Additional Options link below the textbox in which you compose a forum post.

                  The report at http://forum.pfsense.org/index.php/topic,54979.0.html suggests the problems with the snapshot builds of pfSense 2.1 dated 23-Oct-2012 are OK so I suggest you try one of those. Ask if you are not sure what to do.

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                  • W
                    wallabybob
                    last edited by

                    I need to retract my earlier report which suggested I had two APs concurrently active on ral0. My laptop has for some time reported only one of the two SSIDs I configured on ral0. I suspect ral0 transmitted one briefly and that was superseded by the other and my laptop reported both because it hadn't yet timed out the first.

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                    • N
                      nathan715
                      last edited by

                      The link I gave was supposed to have the crash report in it, I don't know why it's not working, I put it there because It could not be pasted here, It was simply to long, also the system crashes when I change the Type, in the Interface Configuration. I think I got the "crashreport.txt" attached, I should have done that in the first place, I now have the 2.1 version, It was a pain in the arse to find but I got it so I'll try that, I think burning this stupid DVD is the most time consuming part for me, always takes a while, oh well.

                      Results,

                      Well I'll be damned, I can see the network on my iPod but I cannot connect to it, It simply says "Unable to join the network "Test""

                      I am also getting the "ral0: device timeout" message on the console which is the reason I can't connect I presume,

                      It appears my crash report file is about 279KB to big, Do you really need to see it ? I could find a way but if you don't want to see it, I won't bother with it.

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                        nathan715
                        last edited by

                        Well I'm not sure what has changed, I haven't changed a thing but I can nolonger see the network,

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                        • W
                          wallabybob
                          last edited by

                          @nathan715:

                          I can nolonger see the network,

                          Which network? - the WiFi network?

                          Can you still access the web GUI through the wired interface?

                          Does the pfSense uptime suggest it hasn't crashed?

                          Please retain the crash report a little longer. But there probably won't be any point looking at it if pfSense 2.1 doesn't crash.

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                            nathan715
                            last edited by

                            Yes I can nolonger see the Wifi network on the Available network list, I can still use the GUI yes, The uptime clearly shows that its hasn't crashed the system has been running for about an hour or so 55 minutes to  be exact, I still have the crash report saved, honestly unless I go through my 1.5 TB of junk I'll probably always have it, I am getting the error or warning, "ral0: device timeout"

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                              wallabybob
                              last edited by

                              There have been some posts about problems with ral interfaces and some users have swapped them for other devices.

                              On one of my pfSense boxes I use a TP-Link WN651GD PCI card with Atheros chipset. This is no longer available and I have seen at leat one report of trouble with its apparent successor, the WN350GD.

                              On my other pfSense box I have had good results from a Tenda W311U USB WiFi NIC but this seems to be no longer available in retail shops in Australia. The TP-Link WN321G reportedly uses the same chipset as the W311U and costs around the local equivalent of US$12 at my local retail computer parts shop.

                              It might be better use of your time to abandon your current WiFi NIC and try another.

                              The W311U and WN321G (and other devices using the Ralink RT3020 chipset or similar) require a small tweak to work correctly if present at system startup: add the line

                              runfw_load="YES"

                              to /boot/loader.conf.local.

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                                nathan715
                                last edited by

                                I have a D-Link AirPlus G (DWL-G510) I am going to try, I'm not 100% sure on the chipset I have read it is an atheros chipset or a ralink, I am going to try it though results down below.

                                Well it is an atheros 2413, I have followed the previous steps,
                                Quote,
                                "I suggest you put back the Gigabit interface and on reboot, from the console reset to factory defaults (in case your previous changes will cause ongoing problems), re-assign interfaces assigning the onboard and Gigabit interfaces to WAN and LAN respectively and reboot. (This should mean you can access the pfSense GUI while messing with the wireless interface. Once the wireless interface is working the interface assignments can be changed if desired.)

                                Then access the pfSense GUI and do what you did previously EXCEPT assign the wireless interface to OPT1 rather than LAN, DON'T go through the Interfaces -> (assign), Wireless tab, fill in your Wireless details on the Interfaces -> OPTx page, Save and Apply. Does the web GUI still respond? Are you able to detect the wireless network you configured?"

                                I got a little further, I am able to see it, I can still use the GUI connected to the PCI Nic, but when I connect to it, the loading wheel just spins, until it gives up, There is no sign's what so ever on the console, so here I am stuck,

                                ask for any more info, I cannot think of anything else to add, I can't think to much really, I'm extremely tired, I hope I gave enough,

                                Thanks

                                Nathan

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                                • W
                                  wallabybob
                                  last edited by

                                  @nathan715:

                                  I got a little further, I am able to see it, I can still use the GUI connected to the PCI Nic, but when I connect to it, the loading wheel just spins, until it gives up,

                                  ts not clear what you mean by "connect to it" - get your laptop to use its WiFi interface then point a browser to the IP address of the pfSense WiFi interface?

                                  @nathan715:

                                  There is no sign's what so ever on the console, so here I am stuck,

                                  What were you expecting to see on the console? No news can be good news!

                                  I think I mentioned earlier that there would still be some tweaks to perform once you could see the the WiFi network name you had configured.

                                  Did you laptop successfully receive an IP address, and IP address for default gateway and DNS from pfSense over the WiFi link? If so, as Stephenw10 suggested earlier you probably need to add a firewall rule to allow "open access" on the WiFi interface. After adding the rule you will need to reset firewall states (see web GUI Diagnostics -> States, click on Reset states tab then click Reset States button). Then check you should be able to access the Internet over the WiFi link. (Default configuration for the firewall is LAN can access everything, access through other interfaces is blocked.)

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                                    nathan715
                                    last edited by

                                    I'm using, an iPod , I ment that my iPod touch could not connect to the Wifi it will just sit there trying but it gives up, as for the console I thought it would have shown me similar errors as to before, about the tweaks, I could have read it wrong but it seemed like you had to do that only if you had the 2 adapters,

                                    @wallabybob:

                                    It might be better use of your time to abandon your current WiFi NIC and try another.
                                    The W311U and WN321G (and other devices using the Ralink RT3020 chipset or similar) require a small tweak to work correctly if present at system startup: add the line

                                    runfw_load="YES"

                                    to /boot/loader.conf.local.

                                    Correct me if I'm wrong, I could have misunderstood the sentence as I am very tired,

                                    I have found the Firewall Rules, but it is unclear to me as to what I should choose for the settings, could you give me a generic setting so that it will have "open access"

                                    Thanks

                                    Nathan

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                                      wallabybob
                                      last edited by

                                      Forget the loader.conf.local tweak. It applies only to USB devices with particular Ralink chipsets.

                                      @nathan715:

                                      I'm using, an iPod , I ment that my iPod touch could not connect to the Wifi

                                      OK step by step:
                                      1. Is DHCP server enabled on the WiFi interface?
                                      2. Do you see a DHCPDISCOVER from your iPod (did you mean iPad? I though iPods were portable music players) in the DHCP server log - see Status -> System Logs, click on DHCP tab.

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                                      • stephenw10S
                                        stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                                        last edited by

                                        IPod touch is like an iPhone with no phone. It has wifi.  ;)

                                        Steve

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                                          nathan715
                                          last edited by

                                          Right is what you are steve, Bob, I have now enabled the DHCP server after a hunt for it, the only thing is,
                                          is that I can't think the appropriate I.P addresses for the range, I chose 192.168.1.132 > 192.168.1.134
                                          but I get an error saying "The specified range lies outside of the current subnet." The subnet is 192.168.1.135

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                                            wallabybob
                                            last edited by

                                            @nathan715:

                                            I have now enabled the DHCP server after a hunt for it, the only thing is,
                                            is that I can't think the appropriate I.P addresses for the range, I chose 192.168.1.132 > 192.168.1.134
                                            but I get an error saying "The specified range lies outside of the current subnet." The subnet is 192.168.1.135

                                            Please provide the output from pfSense shell command```

                                            /etc/rc.banner

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