Initial Setup - Interface Name
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Hello all! I am trying to setup PfSense and am having trouble with the interface names. I am completely new to this and need somewhat of an explanation as to how this works. The WAN interface name seems to work as re0, but I am at a loss with LAN. I assume the WAN interface is the motherboard's integrated network card and LAN is the network card I installed in the machine (a quad port sun microsystems card). I also have a external wireless access point from Netgear that I plan to use for WiFi. How do I set this up? I understand that this is the hardest part, as after this is the web UI that is a little friendlier than the console. Don't hate me; I'm just trying to learn. ;D
Thanks - any responses are appreciated.
Notes -
I only installed one network card (does it matter?) -
I only installed one network card (does it matter?)
It definitely matters…
The interface names in pfSense, WAN, LAN, OPT1, etc. are aliases for the actual physical device used to connect to your networks.
In the simple case of WAN and LAN on a home network, you would typically use one physical NIC card for each interface.
In your case you have one built into the motherboard which shows up by the hardware driver shorthand "re0". Once you've assigned that to WAN, pfSense moves on to LAN and wants to know what hardware you want to assign. If you have only one interface, your stuck as you can't use a physical interface for more than one network without resorting to VLANS and a VLAN capable switch attached.
If you install another network card, pfSense will recognize it and give you the option of assigning "re1" or "em0" or whatever device driver it finds for the new card.
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Can I not just use the card I already have installed? If PfSense is using the motherboard's onboard ethernet controller as WAN, then why can't my PCIe network card be used as a LAN interface?
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It most definitely can be used - as long as pfSense (FreeBSD) recognizes it.
You should have a list of available adapters: re0 is presumably the onboard Realtek NIC, there should be another sk0,sk1,sk2,sk3 in your list of adapters on the console screen.
If you show only the re0 adapter in the list, is it possible that your Sun card is not being recognized.
You can check with FreeBSD to see if that make/model of card has drivers available.
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I believe that is the case, as there are no other listed controllers besides "re0". If I were to buy a two port card, could I use an ethernet switch to expand the allotted ports? I presume so, unless there is something with PfSense that prevents someone from doing that…
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It's all standard ethernet hardware once you get the NIC recognized and working. You can and should use a switch to distribute the connection just like you would in any other environment with any other firewall/router system.
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If you were planning on using the 4 port card as an internal switch for your LAN, take kpa's advice and get a real switch instead.
pfSense interfaces work best to control traffic between different subnets/networks (WAN, LAN, OPT1, etc.)
Switches are the best solution to connect devices on each of those networks (desktop, laptop, server, NAS, printer, etc.)
Trying to use those spare Nic ports as a switch is slower, inefficient and increases complexity with very little gain.
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Before I return the network card, I tried booting PfSense without it plugged into the PCIe slot, and it wouldn't boot. I assume this means that PfSense needs a network card to even boot. If the card wasn't being recognized before (I doubt it's recognized as a RealTek device), why isn't PfSense booting?
Note -
It is bootlooping after the console gives itself a reset command…