Behavior of the default gateway setting
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I'm running into some inconsistency regarding the default gateway setting.
I have a static IP on my WAN NIC and I have not configured a gateway for it under Interfaces. The only gateway I have is configured under Routing and 'default gateway' is checked. That gives me internet access on the pfsense box, as well as LAN clients who get their IPs by DHCP.
I'm trying the same thing on a newly installed pfsense system and it will only work (internet access) for the pfsense system, not for the LAN clients. The only way I get the LAN clients to access the outside world is by putting a gateway in the WAN interface under Interfaces –> WAN.
My understanding has been that I only need to have a default gateway under Routing and the system will use that gateway without explicitly specifying it for the interface. That's how it has been working on my one system just fine. But obviously it doesn't work on my new system. What could cause this inconsistency? And how should it be done?
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Whether or not a gateway is specified under Interfaces determines how the automatic outbound NAT functions. No gateway on the interface == not an Internet connection == no NAT will be applied.