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pfSense 2.x Cookbook
pfSense 2.x Cookbook

pfSense 2.x Cookbook: Manage and maintain your network using pfSense , Second Edition

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pfSense 2.x Cookbook

Essential Services

In this chapter, we will cover the following topics:

  • Configuring the DHCP server
  • Configuring the DHCP6 server
  • Configuring static DHCP mappings
  • Configuring the DHCP relay
  • Specifying alternate DNS servers
  • Configuring the DNS resolver
  • Configuring a stand-alone DNS server
  • Configuring dynamic DNS
  • Adding a wireless access point

Introduction

At this point, we have installed pfSense and performed much of the basic configuration. We have already done the following:

  • Determined our hardware requirements
  • Installed pfSense
  • Assigned and configured interfaces
  • Set up SSH access
  • Added VLANs, if necessary

Now we are ready to configure several of the essential services that our pfSense system will provide:

  • The DHCP/DHCP6 service will enable clients to obtain IP addresses automatically.
  • The DNS server will enable clients to resolve hostnames to IP addresses.
  • The dynamic DNS service will allow pfSense to update a host’s DNS record when that host’s IP address changes.

Configuring the DHCP server

This recipe describes how to configure the DHCP server. The DHCP server assigns an IP address to anyone who requests one.

Getting ready

In order to enable the DHCP server on an interface, that interface must have a static IP address. If you have followed the recipes in order, you should have at least one interface with a static IP address (the LAN interface). This example will show how to configure the DHCP server on the LAN interface.

How to do it...

  1. Navigate to Services | DHCP Server.
  2. Click on the LAN tab, if it isn’t selected already...

Configuring the DHCP6 server

This recipe describes how to configure the DHCP6 server. The DHCP6 server accepts DHCP6 requests from clients and assigns them IPv6 addresses from the pool of available addresses.

Getting ready

In order to enable the DHCP6 server on an interface, you must have at least one interface configured with a static IPv6 address. This was an option in the Configuring the LAN interface and the Configuring an optional interface recipes. If you did not configure any of the non-WAN interfaces with a static IPv6 address, you must first reconfigure at least one of them. If necessary, use the recipes in Chapter 1, Initial Configuration, as a guide. In this recipe, we will describe how to enable the DHCP6 server...

Configuring static DHCP mappings

This recipe describes how to add a static (IPv4) DHCP mapping in pfSense. A static mapping ensures that a client always receives the same IP address from the DHCP server.

Getting ready

In order to create a static DHCP mapping, you must have at least one interface on which the DHCP server is enabled. (You can only create static DHCP mappings on interfaces using the DHCP server).

How to do it...

There are two ways of creating a static DHCP mapping.

  1. Navigate to Services | DHCP and click on the LAN tab, if it isn’t selected already...

Configuring the DHCP relay

This recipe describes how to configure pfSense to relay DHCP request between broadcast domains. This serves as an alternative to pfSense acting as a DHCP server.

Getting ready

pfSense can only be configured as a DHCP relay if the DHCP server has been disabled on all interfaces. If necessary, disable the DHCP server first. To disable the DHCP server, do the following:

  1. Navigate to Services | DHCP Server.
  2. Click on the tab for the interface on which the DHCP server is enabled (for example, LAN).
  3. Uncheck the Enable DHCP Server on the interface checkbox.
  4. Click on the Save button.
  5. Repeat Steps 2 through 4 for each interface on which the DHCP server is enabled.
...

Specifying alternate DNS servers

This recipe describes how to configure pfSense to use DNS servers other than the ones provided by your WAN connection.

Getting ready

In most environments, routers rely on DHCP servers specified by the ISP through their WAN connection. For this reason, by default, pfSense has the Allow DNS server list to be overridden by DHCP/PPP on WAN option enabled. To specify alternate DNS servers manually, we will have to disable this option, which we will do in the following recipe.

How to do it...

  1. Navigate to System | General Setup.
  2. In the DNS Servers...

Configuring the DNS resolver

This recipe describes how to configure the DNS resolver in pfSense. The DNS resolver allows pfSense to act as a DNS server.

Getting ready

The DNS resolver allows pfSense to resolve DNS requests using hostnames obtained by the DHCP service, statically obtained DHCP mappings, or manually obtained information. The DNS resolver can also forward all DNS requests for a particular domain to a server specified manually.

Prior to pfSense Version 2.2, DNS forwarder was the default DNS server for pfSense. Version 2.2 and later iterations use Unbound (DNS resolver) as the default DNS server; however, DNS forwarder is still available.

...

Configuring a stand-alone DHCP/DNS server

This recipe describes how to configure pfSense as a stand-alone DHCP and DNS server.

How to do it...

  1. Configure pfSense as a DHCP server. See the Configuring the DHCP server recipe for details.
  2. Create DHCP mappings for every device in the system that will obtain its IP address automatically through DHCP. See the Creating static DHCP mappings recipe for details.
  1. Navigate to System | General Setup.
  1. Ensure that no other DNS servers are specified.
  2. Check the Allow DNS server list to be overridden by DHCP/PPP on WAN checkbox. This will enable pfSense to resolve external addresses using the DNS servers provided by your ISP through your WAN connection.
  3. Click on the Save button.
  4. Navigate...

Introduction


At this point, we have installed pfSense and performed much of the basic configuration. We have already done the following:

  • Determined our hardware requirements
  • Installed pfSense
  • Assigned and configured interfaces
  • Set up SSH access
  • Added VLANs, if necessary

 

Now we are ready to configure several of the essential services that our pfSense system will provide:

  • The DHCP/DHCP6 service will enable clients to obtain IP addresses automatically.
  • The DNS server will enable clients to resolve hostnames to IP addresses.
  • The dynamic DNS service will allow pfSense to update a host’s DNS record when that host’s IP address changes.

Configuring the DHCP server


This recipe describes how to configure the DHCP server. The DHCP server assigns an IP address to anyone who requests one.

Getting ready

In order to enable the DHCP server on an interface, that interface must have a static IP address. If you have followed the recipes in order, you should have at least one interface with a static IP address (the LAN interface). This example will show how to configure the DHCP server on the LAN interface.

How to do it...

  1. Navigate toServices | DHCP Server.
  2. Click on the LAN tab, if it isn’t selected already.
  3. Under General Options, check the Enable DHCP server on LAN interface checkbox:
  1. In theRangeedit boxes, enter a range of IP addresses for the DHCP server to assign to clients. The range must be contiguous and within the range listed next toAvailable range.
  2. If you do not need more than a single range of IP addresses, proceed to Step 6. Otherwise, perform the following steps to add multiple IP address pools:
    • UnderAdditional Pools, click on...
Left arrow icon Right arrow icon

Key benefits

  • Build a high-availability fault-tolerant security system with pfSense 2.x
  • Leverage the latest version of pfSense to secure your cloud environment
  • A recipe-based guide that will help you enhance your on-premise and cloud security principles

Description

pfSense is an open source distribution of the FreeBSD-based firewall that provides a platform for ?exible and powerful routing and firewalling. The versatility of pfSense presents us with a wide array of configuration options, which makes determining requirements a little more difficult and a lot more important compared to other offerings. pfSense 2.x Cookbook – Second Edition starts by providing you with an understanding of how to complete the basic steps needed to render a pfSense firewall operational. It starts by showing you how to set up different forms of NAT entries and firewall rules and use aliases and scheduling in firewall rules. Moving on, you will learn how to implement a captive portal set up in different ways (no authentication, user manager authentication, and RADIUS authentication), as well as NTP and SNMP configuration. You will then learn how to set up a VPN tunnel with pfSense. The book then focuses on setting up traffic shaping with pfSense, using either the built-in traffic shaping wizard, custom ?oating rules, or Snort. Toward the end, you will set up multiple WAN interfaces, load balancing and failover groups, and a CARP failover group. You will also learn how to bridge interfaces, add static routing entries, and use dynamic routing protocols via third-party packages.

Who is this book for?

This book is intended for all levels of network administrators. If you are an advanced user of pfSense, then you can flip to a particular recipe and quickly accomplish the task at hand; if you are new to pfSense, on the other hand, you can work through the book chapter by chapter and learn all of the features of the system from the ground up.

What you will learn

  • Configure the essential pfSense services (namely, DHCP, DNS, and DDNS)
  • Create aliases, firewall rules, NAT port-forward rules, and rule schedules
  • Create multiple WAN interfaces in load-balanced or failover configurations
  • Configure firewall redundancy with a CARP firewall failover
  • Configure backup/restoration and automatic configuration-file backup
  • Configure some services and perform diagnostics with command-line utilities
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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Dec 17, 2018
Length: 298 pages
Edition : 2nd
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781789806427
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Publication date : Dec 17, 2018
Length: 298 pages
Edition : 2nd
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781789806427
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Table of Contents

12 Chapters
Initial Configuration Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Essential Services Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Firewall and NAT Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Additional Services Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Virtual Private Networking Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Traffic Shaping Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Redundancy, Load Balancing, and Failover Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Routing and Bridging Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Services and Maintenance Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Backing Up and Restoring pfSense Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Determining Hardware Requirements Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Other Books You May Enjoy Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

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Robert P. Dec 25, 2023
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Greatest book on pfsense on the internet. The author really knows what he’s talking about and makes it easy to understand. Would recommend for anyone to read interested in this topic
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