pf sense with one Nic? I have questions! (2024)

FAQs

Can you run pfSense with one NIC? ›

If your ISP has a network bridge port on it's router, and you plug that into a NIC on your hypervisor, bind that NIC to a vSwitch which only has the pfSense's WAN vNIC connected to it, then yes, that will work fine (assuming you also have a separate vSwitch bound to a different NIC for LAN access).

In this small office scenario, the firewall that we have diagrammed clearly meets the definition of a perimeter firewall, which is the most common of pfSense deployments. A perimeter firewall becomes the gatekeeper of all traffic flowing between interfaces. ...

You can run 300 users a on pfsense just fine. The limit here is the throughput you need not the number of users behind the firewall. Unless you had such a small amount of RAM that the states were exhausted maybe but that's very unlikely.

pfSense® software enables these simple deployments, but also accommodates much more advanced and complex NAT configurations required in networks with multiple public IP addresses. NAT is configured in two directions: inbound and outbound.

Challenging web GUI setup and management: Non-expert users may find it challenging to set up and manage the web GUI, particularly when it comes to assigning WAN and LAN interfaces. Limited API and scripting capabilities: Some reviewers have highlighted the lack of an API for making changes in pfSense.

Out of the box, pfSense software does not log any passed traffic and logs all dropped traffic. This is the typical default behavior of almost every open source and commercial firewall.

If you want high customizability and a large support community, pfSense is a good option. If you prioritize an easy-to-use interface and frequent updates, instead, OPNsense may be better. Ultimately, pfSense offers more flexibility for seasoned users, but OPNsense provides a more polished out-of-box experience.

Around the world in 2024, over 2811 companies have started using pfSense as Perimeter Security And Firewalls tool.

pfSense® software also enables the installation of third-party open-source programs like Snort or Squid via a built-in Package Manager, making it the preferred option of many network administrators. Popular usage areas can be listed below: LAN/WAN Router: pfSense® software can function as both a LAN and a WAN router.

pfSense is mostly used as a router and firewall software, and typically configured as DHCP server, DNS server, WiFi access point, VPN server, all running on the same hardware device.

Why do people use pfSense? ›

pfSense firewall traffic data is collected and analyzed to get granular details about the traffic across each firewall.

NordVPN is our top pick for a pfSense VPN. It dwarfs many other VPNs when it comes to network size, with over 5,400 servers to choose from in 60+ countries, and is one of the fastest VPNs we've reviewed.

Floating Rules are a special type of advanced rule that can perform complicated actions not possible with rules on interface or group tabs. Floating rules can act on multiple interfaces in the inbound, outbound, or both directions.

pfSense doesn't offer full DNS server capabilities. However in your case, these probably aren't even required. What you need is something that will resolve your internal IP addresses - without having to edit hosts files on each and every device (while some don't even offer you that option).

If you want to connect your home or business LAN to another network or the Internet, you will need at least one router.

The hardware requirements for pfSense are as follows: CPU: A 64-bit amd64 (x86-64) compatible CPU is required. RAM: A minimum of 512 MB of RAM is needed. Storage: At least 8 GB of free hard disk space is required.

pfSense software installation

When the VM starts it will boot into the installer automatically. From there, follow the installation steps as usual, and reboot when finished.