NIC to WRT54G issues
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I have a nic installed just for connection with the WRT54G. I want it to be an access point to access only a small segment of the network. I cannot seem to get the pfsense opt1 which would be the access point to obtain an ip with dhcp and even when I set a static ip it doesn't connect. Any tips/help would be greatly apprectiated.
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The Linksys in that case should not be doing any kind of NAT or IP assignment. Follow this:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Use_an_existing_wireless_router_with_pfSense
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An aggravation with the stock LinkSys firmware is that the internal LAN/WAN connection to the internal web server can only be a /24 or smaller network making access to the configuration pages a pain in the neck.
I have mine set up for a LAN address of 192.168.1.1 and a mask of 255.255.255.0 but it is plugged into my local LAN that is on 172.16.0.0 with a mask of 255.255.252.0 so none of my DHCP configured machines can see it. To administer it I have two options, change a local machine to the 192.168.1.0 network or connect the WAN port to my LAN with a second cable and let it pick up a 172.x range DHCP address from my local LAN. Using the WAN port like this you'll need to both allow remote administration and create a firewall rule in the WRT to block all traffic between the LAN and WAN side.
I'm looking into aftermarket firmware or a different router that won't have this silly restriction but for now it was quick, easy and free.
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Or add an IP alias VIP to your LAN inside 192.168.1.x and make sure you pass traffic to that subnet, then switch to manual outbound NAT and do NAT out LAN from 172.x.x.x to 192.168.1.x and have it NAT to the VIP so it appears to originate from the same subnet.
Not exactly neat/clean, but it works.
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@cmb:
The Linksys in that case should not be doing any kind of NAT or IP assignment. Follow this:
http://doc.pfsense.org/index.php/Use_an_existing_wireless_router_with_pfSenseI followed the steps for this but I am continuing to have an issue. It seems as if the router is not communicating with the pfsense box. I am running it in a virtual environment. When I try to connect to the wireless it tries to connect but never gets a connection/ip. I have pfsense providing dhcp. Not sure if I have configured something improperly. Again thanks for the help in advance and the help given so far.
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What IP and mask do you have for pfSense LAN port and what is set in the LAN section of the WRT setup? The IPs must be in the same network but different and the subnet masks must match exactly.
If you configure a computer with a third IP address in the same network as pfSense and the WRT and the same network mask you used in both of them, what happens when you connect the computer directly to a WRT LAN port? Can you see the WRT from it?
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What IP and mask do you have for pfSense LAN port and what is set in the LAN section of the WRT setup? The IPs must be in the same network but different and the subnet masks must match exactly.
If you configure a computer with a third IP address in the same network as pfSense and the WRT and the same network mask you used in both of them, what happens when you connect the computer directly to a WRT LAN port? Can you see the WRT from it?
I am using the 192.168.5.x/24. When I connect to the WRT by cable I can access the configuration page for WRT but I must set a static ip. I cannot get to the pfsense page when connected. If there's anything else I can provide to help please let me know.
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What IP is the wrt54g config page using?
It sounds very likely that the Linksys router is still involved somehow when it shouldn't be.Steve
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What IP and mask do you have for pfSense LAN port and what is set in the LAN section of the WRT setup? The IPs must be in the same network but different and the subnet masks must match exactly.
I am using the 192.168.5.x/24. When I connect to the WRT by cable I can access the configuration page for WRT but I must set a static ip. I cannot get to the pfsense page when connected. If there's anything else I can provide to help please let me know.
So you have your:
pfSense LAN port set to 192.168.5.1 /24
WRT WAN port set to DHCP (it won't get an address but it also won't conflict with the LAN network)
WRT LAN port set to 192.168.5.XXX /24 - where XXX is from 002 to 254 (a manual setting as the WRT LAN doesn't do DHCP)
Your PC set to 192.168.5.XXX /24 - where XXX is from 002 to 254 but not the same as the WRT LAN
If you configure a computer with a third IP address in the same network as pfSense and the WRT and the same network mask you used in both of them, what happens when you connect the computer directly to a WRT LAN port? Can you see the WRT from it?
You do have the Ethernet cable from the pfSense box going to one of the LAN ports on the WRT and the computer plugged into another of the LAN ports?
pfSense LAN –-> WRT LAN 1
WRT LAN 2 ---> PC
WRT WAN disconnected
If you have this setup and the addresses above you should be able to see and set the WRT settings from the computer with or without the connection to the pfSense box.
You should be able to see the pfSense box once you connect it to the WRT LAN port since that is a simple switch and the WRT router/firewall is not involved in the process.
If you don't have anything else hooked to the pfSense box try these static IPs and masks and see if they work for you. This takes the pfSense DHCP server out of the loop for assigning the PC an address and is as simple a setup as you can try.
pfSense LAN port set to 192.168.5.1 /24
WRT LAN port set to 192.168.5.10 /24
WRT WAN port set to DHCP
Your PC set to 192.168.5.20 /24
Once you can see the WRT and pfSense confirm that the WRT DHCP server is turned off and set the PC to use DHCP and pfSense should assign it an address and all should work as before. At this point the other LAN ports and wireless should also be operational as far as connection and DHCP functions.
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What IP and mask do you have for pfSense LAN port and what is set in the LAN section of the WRT setup? The IPs must be in the same network but different and the subnet masks must match exactly.
I am using the 192.168.5.x/24. When I connect to the WRT by cable I can access the configuration page for WRT but I must set a static ip. I cannot get to the pfsense page when connected. If there's anything else I can provide to help please let me know.
So you have your:
pfSense LAN port set to 192.168.5.1 /24
WRT WAN port set to DHCP (it won't get an address but it also won't conflict with the LAN network)
WRT LAN port set to 192.168.5.XXX /24 - where XXX is from 002 to 254 (a manual setting as the WRT LAN doesn't do DHCP)
Your PC set to 192.168.5.XXX /24 - where XXX is from 002 to 254 but not the same as the WRT LAN
If you configure a computer with a third IP address in the same network as pfSense and the WRT and the same network mask you used in both of them, what happens when you connect the computer directly to a WRT LAN port? Can you see the WRT from it?
You do have the Ethernet cable from the pfSense box going to one of the LAN ports on the WRT and the computer plugged into another of the LAN ports?
pfSense LAN –-> WRT LAN 1
WRT LAN 2 ---> PC
WRT WAN disconnected
If you have this setup and the addresses above you should be able to see and set the WRT settings from the computer with or without the connection to the pfSense box.
You should be able to see the pfSense box once you connect it to the WRT LAN port since that is a simple switch and the WRT router/firewall is not involved in the process.
If you don't have anything else hooked to the pfSense box try these static IPs and masks and see if they work for you. This takes the pfSense DHCP server out of the loop for assigning the PC an address and is as simple a setup as you can try.
pfSense LAN port set to 192.168.5.1 /24
WRT LAN port set to 192.168.5.10 /24
WRT WAN port set to DHCP
Your PC set to 192.168.5.20 /24
Once you can see the WRT and pfSense confirm that the WRT DHCP server is turned off and set the PC to use DHCP and pfSense should assign it an address and all should work as before. At this point the other LAN ports and wireless should also be operational as far as connection and DHCP functions.
Thanks for the help I did try this setup and it continued to give me issues so I figured it might be hardware related and not configuration related. It turns out I was correct. I returned the NIC and got another one and I have to admit it gave me a fight for a moment but now it is up and running and working beautifully. The previous NIC I had was a TRENDnet. I now am running an ASUS card. I just would like to thank every one for their help in trying to get me up and running.
