Successful Install on Watchguard Firebox X700!

Unubtanium

Has anyone tried installing pfSense on one of the later model X550e or X750e Fireboxes?
My X700 is still going strong, but I'm really starting to feel the need for a GbE firewall.

Have not yet, but as soon as my hands land on one of this i WILL give it a go. ;D

whaskes

hi all! sorry my englisgh…. ::)

i installed the FreeBSD whaskes.homedns.org 7.2-RELEASE-p5 FreeBSD 7.2-RELEASE-p5 #0: Sun Dec 6 23:20:31 EST 2009 sullrich@FreeBSD_7.2_pfSense_1.2.3_snaps.pfsense.org:/usr/obj.pfSense/usr/pfSensesrc/src/sys/pfSense_SMP.7 i386

i have a problem. when the system is booting, this messages wrote.

Dec 27 11:11:56 whaskes kernel: ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (1 retry left) LBA=38416719
Dec 27 11:12:01 whaskes kernel: ad0: TIMEOUT - READ_DMA retrying (0 retries left) LBA=38416719
Dec 27 11:12:06 whaskes kernel: ad0: FAILURE - READ_DMA timed out LBA=38416719
Dec 27 11:12:06 whaskes kernel: g_vfs_done():ad0s1a[READ(offset=19669319680, length=114688)]error = 5

the system is working. how shall I remove the messages?

intel stl-2 mainboard
2x512mb sdram ecc-reg
2x1ghz pentium cpu
maxtor 40gb winchester

wallabybob

It is not uncommon to see messages about disk errors during startup.

I'd be inclined to check if your hard drive has a bad spot around the block reported. If so, it might be time to replace the hard drive. Alternatively, if you are a bit more adventurous, you might be able to adjust the partitions to remove the bad block(s) out of any active partition. This would allow you to fairly safely continue using the drive until further bad blocks show up. As best I know, the startup doesn't methodically read the hard drive at startup so I suspect the reported block is in or close to some significant directory or home block.

tehtrk

@Dayblade:

@Sifter:

Again, has anyone upgraded the memory on these boxes and gotten it to see the additional? I placed a 512meg module in the box, and it still registers at 256meg. I tried 2 separate sticks.

Perhaps jumper settings somewhere on the board?

Upgraded it to 512 MB just this week:

Kingston KVR100x64C2/512 512MB PC100 CL2

Also changed out the heatsink and fan - that is the MAJORITY of the noise factor in the x700 - they use a fan designed by Y.S. Tech (?) that was pushing 7200+ RPM's. I switched and installed a lower/larger fan combo @ 5500 RPM's and temps dropped by 10C and the noise is SUBJECTIVELY quieter.
(Granted I did not test decibel levels prior to the fan switch out)

Hope that helps - <3 pfSense on my WatchGuard btw - still working on getting the LCD to do its thang…otherwise, it works like a champ.

Dayblade

Thanks for the detailed info man. I'm looking to upgrade both ram and heatsink. I think I'll just play it safe and go with the ram you mentioned. Do you have the model number for that YS tech HSF? Sounds like it's performing well.

Apart from low ram (when running snort lol) and that whine I'm loving this WG pfsense box!

lilrichie

Hey Everyone,

I am new here been looking into pfsense for some time now and getting a hombrew modification or something pre-built but then i ran accross this thread, is their a guide to installing pfsense on a firebox? if their is i am going to buy one.

Richard

hlouie

Now I got myself a WatchGuard x500 and would like to install m0n0 or pfsense. I see some are using CF (Compact Flash), Microdrives in the CF slot, DOM (Disk on modules), IDE Hard Drive, IDE SSD (Solid State Drive).

I want to start off with m0n0 because it a small load but I want to grow in to using pfsense and use the full complete load. I've read somewhere CF have limited writeback due to the bandwidth so it uses a ramdisk. Does this apply to the Microdrive in the CF slot? I really don't want to use a IDE Hard Drive due to noise and heat. In the IDE, I might use a DOM or SSD.

Because I'm starting fresh with this new firewall, what is the best media to use so I expand in to?

wallabybob

I've been running a full install (not embedded) on a 1GB Transcend DOM for nearly two years now without problems.

I believe a microdrive is a magnetic drive. A Compact Flash card uses semiconductor storage. Not all microdrives work with FreeBSD - search the forums for more information.

coldfire

Hi,
I sell my Firebox X700 (currently under m0n0, cause of 128MB CF) with standard components and a 512MB SDRAM (not tested).
I've only the box, screws, m0n0 CF and Watchguard CF (no CD, no license).

For more information : hotfire.fraggeur@free.fr

jonnytabpni

Was the watchdog timeout issue ever resolved? What about in the latest 2.0 BETA builds?

gpapaiko

Hi,

I have installed Pfsense 1.2.3RC on a Firebos X1000, on a 40Gb 2.5" IDE drive, got the LCD display working and now have some across a time out.
re1: watchdog timeout - this occures almost instantnousely wen I try to access the web interface. :(
Has any one sen this before and does any one have a resolution to it.
This slows all connection right down.
I putit into production and with in 2 day it shows up gain.

I have added a Broadcom BCM4318KFB9 wireless card, but it is not seen by pfsense - is ther any drivers for it?
What card is the best to user?

Does any one if the "Safenet" encrytption card is ued by pfsense - i know it is pickup on boot.

Thanks
George ;D

gpapaiko

Hi,

Made some changes and boot wiht "boot -v" option and now go this (more details):
re1: watchdog timeout
t_delta 16.0218ab2579e66da0 too long

Any ideas on how to resolve?

Thanks
George

iFloris

@gpapaiko, I think that t_delta might be connected to the harddrive rather than to the watchguard. I found this: http://old.nabble.com/Thinkpad-T23-60-second-stall-on-resuming-8.0-RELEASE-i386-td26765321.html which references the same timeout. Someone else also has the t_delta too long message on a completely different system here: http://kerneltrap.org/mailarchive/freebsd-current/2009/7/12/6182173.
Also, da0 is a bsd-reference for your harddrive.

jonnytabpni

So I got my x700, which looks perfect!

However, as soon as I access the web interface, watchdog timeouts are thrown all over the place :(

Anyone have a fix? Does using the embedded kernel or full kernel make a difference? I'm using BETA 2.0 on the embedded kernel

jlepthien

Awesome! Also got a working FBX700 here now. Will look for a WLAN card and a 512MB PC133 RAM. Does anyone know how many Watts this baby consumes?

dsprague2

OK, I am a total noob at this.
I have tried doing this as the instructions states but i must be doing something wrong.
Setup:
USB - Serial adapter (PL-2303 from Prolific)
Null modem cable (as per watchguard)
X700
Safenet m-PCI card
64 MB CF Card
2GB CF Card
Actiontec Wireless LAN 802MIP

What i have done….
I have flashed a new 2GB CF card with the current version of pfSense 2GB version.
put card into CF slot and turn on unit, goes through POST and then a blank LCD screen and Power is lit green and Arm/Disarm is red.
I then had the unit boot with no CF card and changed the baud setting to 9600 as some people say works. I have also tried the other 3 with no success. I have set it to 9600/8/n/1/hardware or none or xON xOFF, has not worked.
The terminal (tried Putty and Tera Term) sometimes displays a bunch of garble and doesnt stop and most of the time nothing.
I have also tried using m0n0wall with no success.
I have tried doing all this without the WLAN or SafeNet card.

I just cant seem to get anything to work and dont know what else to do.
If your wondering, Does It Work?. Yes it does i pulled it to get pfSense on it.

I need some help or need to know what i am doing wrong.

iFloris

@dsprague2 seems to me your pl-2303 isn't working right. Perhaps the cable has a defect or your drivers might be outdated or incompatible. I've had problems with that converter in the past, so I've opted for a keyspan (tripplite) connector instead: http://www.tripplite.com/en/products/model.cfm?txtSeriesID=518&EID=14862&txtModelID=3914
You could also try an older machine that still has a serial port to see if the null modem cable isn't the culprit.

Edit: typo

mrmyke

Great news I just took a Xcore 700 out of service and now i have a use for it. Did you get any feedback from others that may or may not have gotten anything going with the display or VPN cards???

Have you put this box to the test yet?

MrMyke

dr.diesel

@jlepthien:

Awesome! Also got a working FBX700 here now. Will look for a WLAN card and a 512MB PC133 RAM. Does anyone know how many Watts this baby consumes?

My Kill-A-Watt shows 35 watts with the stock fans and a 2G CF card.

teh

I'm also running pfsense, but on the what would have been x500!

Shame the web interface dies crashes the box when trying to do stuff!

X500, 4GB CF, 256MB Ram, BE 24mbps Broadband!

MarkProvanP

@teh

In case you get confused, the x500, x700 and a higher x number all have identical hardware; Watchguard just charged more since they had a more 'advanced' software level in them (i.e. the x500 was intentionally software crippled).