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    Unable to connect pfSense to a 3G card

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    • A
      AlexMex
      last edited by

      Hello,

      I am trying to connect pfSense to internet through a 3G card. 3G card can work on my pc directly through USB or through WIFI. Unfortunately pfSense doesn't recognize it automatically so I am trying to connect through a usb wifi card. My usb card is a ralink 2860 and is recognized without problem after I add runfw_load="YES" in the /boot/loader.conf.local

      In the interfaces menu (wireless tab), I have created an interface run0_wlan1 with infrastructure mode. Then I have assigned the run0 (I have also tried to set the run0_wlan1) port to interface WAN

      On the WAN interface I set parameters like that
      Type DHCP
      Mode: Infrastructure(BBS)
      WPA: Enable WPA
      WPA mode: WPA2
      WPA key Management Mode: Pre Shared Key
      I entered the preshared key and the 3G's SSID

      When I go the status / interface screen, sometimes it says down, no carrier or associated but I never got an IP. I'm not seeing anything that can help in the system logs.

      Any help is welcome.

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      • A
        AlexMex
        last edited by

        Hello,

        After reading more posts on the forum, I thought that maybe my problem is with WPA2 but I have no way to change 3G card configuration to check if it can works with WEP. I have downloaded pfSense-LiveCD-2.1-RC0-amd64-20130717-1017.iso.gz but it doesn't help me because when pfSense dectect my USB card I got the message
        runfw: root not mounted yet, no way to load image.
        run0: failed loadfirmware of file runfw
        run0: could not load 8051 microcode

        I'm completely lost  :(

        Any help would be appreciated

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        • W
          wallabybob
          last edited by

          @AlexMex:

          because when pfSense dectect my USB card I got the message
          runfw: root not mounted yet, no way to load image.
          run0: failed loadfirmware of file runfw
          run0: could not load 8051 microcode

          I presume this message occurs during startup in which case you need to
          @AlexMex:

          add runfw_load="YES" in the /boot/loader.conf.local

          I have not used these devices with pfSense in Infrastructure mode so I can't vouch they work in that mode. Do you have another AP (perhaps in a smart phone) you could try to associate with? Or do you have another WiFi client (perhaps in a phone) that you can use to verify your AP is working with parameters you expect?

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          • A
            AlexMex
            last edited by

            Hello,

            Thanks for your answer, regarding the runfw_load parameter, I put it but since I forgot to install the 2.1RC, after reboot live cd was loosing it. It is now ok  :)

            I have tried with another AP and WEP is associated. But I don't get an IP in DHCP mode, well it is showing an ipv6 in status / interfaces but my AP doesn't support ipv6 so I don't know where it comes from. I have tried with two others USB cards (I have SMC, 3COM and Linksys) but I have same result with all of them. All have a ralink chip.

            I have to find another way to connect to my 3G card :(

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