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    Setting Up PfSense in Vmware Workstation 12

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved Virtualization
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    • B
      blupie
      last edited by

      I am trying to create a Virtual lab using Vmware Workstation 12 with pfSense. I have installed the pre configured .ova image of pfSense 2.24 on one of my network pc's that is running windows 8 so I can test pfSense packages before installing on my pfSense router/Firewall.

      My network  consists of:  Cable Modem–>PfSense router/Firewall-->Switch-->Wifi router-->Media Server-->Several Pc's and Macs.

      I have successfully installed the pfSense .ova image in VMware workstation 12 but am a bit confused on how to assign interfaces.

      I am presently at the*** Welcome to pfSense release-pfSense (amd64) on pfSense***

      Wan (wan)        -> em0      ->v4/DHCP4: 10.0.1.218/24
      Lan  (lan)          -> vmx1    ->

      choices of 0-16

      When I look in the VMware virtual network editor I get this:
      VMnet1  Host Only        Connected    DHCP Enabled  subnet address 192.XXX.XXX
      VM net8  Nat      Nat      connected    DHCP Enabled  subnet address 192.XXX.yyy

      Under Virtual Machine settings I get this:
      network adapter  Host only
      Network  adapter 2  Nat
      Network  adapter 3  Bridged (automatic)

      In windows 8 Under network connections I get this:
      Ethernet network 2 intel
      VMware network adapter VMnet1
      VMware network adapter VMnet8

      On the host PC running VMware I only have one Nic card and the Ethernet cable is connected to the switch. I am sure thatn I have made quite a few errors is setting this up.

      Any help or suggestions on how to proceed  would be greatly appreciated.

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      • B
        Boredom
        last edited by

        pfsense is only concerned with the NICs you present to it in VMWare.

        Under Virtual Machine settings I get this:
        network adapter  Host only
        Network  adapter 2  Nat
        Network  adapter 3  Bridged (automatic)

        I have found that the order / number they are present is not always the order they will appear in pfsense:
        It looks like, for you, the bridged NIC is WAN interface in pfsense, and possibly the host only is LAN.  If you are just testing install of packages, they likely will work for you, but if you want to put traffic through this VM, that may be tough with only one NIC.

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        • B
          blupie
          last edited by

          @Boredom:

          pfsense is only concerned with the NICs you present to it in VMWare.

          Under Virtual Machine settings I get this:
          network adapter  Host only
          Network  adapter 2  Nat
          Network  adapter 3  Bridged (automatic)

          I have found that the order / number they are present is not always the order they will appear in pfsense:
          It looks like, for you, the bridged NIC is WAN interface in pfsense, and possibly the host only is LAN.  If you are just testing install of packages, they likely will work for you, but if you want to put traffic through this VM, that may be tough with only one NIC.

          Thank you Boredom for your help. As soon as I have a chance I will give your suggestion a try and post back. Yes , all I want to do is test different packages before I install on my pfSense router/ firewall.

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