Just two keys…

Let the Fun Begin

Selecting the hardware

Choose a minimalist hardware specifications, have a look pfSense Hardware Requirements to find the best option.

For this project the following specifications are being used:
  • CPU - Celeron 2.4 Ghz.
  • RAM - 2 Gig.
  • HDD - 30 Gig.
  • DVD - CD-ROM.
  • Main-board - With integrated 100 Meg and Gigabit ethernet ports.
  • NIC - Dual port Gigabit Ethernet PCI card.
This gives more than enough hard-drive storage, plenty of RAM with three Gigabit ethernet ports for the internal (LAN, DMZ etc) interfaces and a 100 Meg ethernet port for the external (WAN) port.


Installing the software

There is a detailed installation guide available on the pfSense document site Installing pfSense.

The basic steps are:
  • Download the ISO from Download pfSense.
  • Burn the ISO to CD.
  • Boot-up using the pfSense CD.
  • Follow the prompts.

Let The Fun Begin

Below are the options selected for this project (using pfSense 2.2):
  • Boot the PC from the pfSense CD.
  • When the “Welcome to pfSense!” screen is displayed select “1. Boot Multi User [Enter]” (or let the timer expire to install the default).
  • When prompted select “(I) Installer…” to install (if your not quick the timer will expire).
  • Graphical Installer Starts
  • Configure Console “Accept these Settings”.
  • Select Task “Custom Install”.
  • Select a Disk “ad0”
  • Format this Disk? “Format this Disk”.
  • Select Geometry “Use this Geometry”
  • ABOUT TO FORMAT! Proceed? “Format ad0”
  • Partition Disk? “Partition Disk”
  • Edit Partitions “Accept and Create”
  • Install Bootblock(s) “Accept and Install Bootblocks”.
  • Select a Partition “1:”.
  • Are you Sure? “OK”.
  • Select Subpartitions “Accept and Create”
  • Executing Commands (this could take a few minutes).
  • Install Kernel(s) “Standard Kernel”.
  • Reboot “Reboot”.
*** Remove the CD from the CD-ROM ***

  • The “Welcome to pfSense” menu should now be displayed, with the WAN (wan) set to em0 and the LAN (lan) set to em1 with the IP address 192.168.1.1/24.
  • Select “1) Assign interfaces”
  • Do you want to set up VLANs now [y|n] “y”
  • Enter the parent interface name for the new VLAN (or nothing if finished): Enter
  • Enter the WAN interface “fxp0”
  • Enter the LAN interface “em0”
  • Enter the Optional 1 interface “select nothing to finish: Enter
  • Do you want to proceed [y|n] “y”
*** Wait a minute or so and the menu will reappear ***

  • The “Welcome to pfSense” menu should now be displayed, with the WAN (wan) set to fxp0 and the LAN (lan) set to em0 with the IP address 192.168.1.1/24.
  • Setup the WAN and LAN interfaces:
  • Select “2) Set interface(s) IP address”
  • Select the WAN interface:
Configure IPv4 address WAN interface via DHCP? [y/n]: “n”
Set the WAN IPv4 to:
Address - 10.12.2.121
Subnet - 30 (255.255.255.252)
Gateway - 10.12.2.122
Configure IPv6 address WAN interface via DHCP? [y/n]: “n”
Enter the new WAN IPv6 address. Press for none: Enter
Do you want to revert to HTTP as the webConfigurator protocol? [y/n]: “n”
  • Press Enter to continue…

  • Select “2) Set interface(s) IP address”
  • Set the LAN interface:
Set the LAN IPv4 to:
Address - 192.168.36.121
Subnet - 27 (255.255.255.224)
Press Enter
Enter the new WAN IPv6 address. Press for none: Enter

Do you want to enable the DHCP server on LAN [y/n] “y”
Start - 192.168.36.97
End - 192.168.36.120
Do you want to revert to HTTP as the webConfigurator protocol? [y/n]: “n”
  • Press Enter to continue…
  • Select “5) Reboot system”.
That’s the basic installation completed, from this point onwards the keyboard and monitor can be removed as the rest of the configuration will be done from the web-interface.

Open a web-browser on any computer that has access to the LAN port of this pfSense installation “https://192.168.36.121” and logon on to the web-interface (Username: admin with the Password: pfsense).

  • Select “next” when presented with the setup wizard and then make the following changes:
  • Hostname: pfSense (no changes needed).
  • Domain: utm-domain.net
  • Primary DNS Server: 208.67.222.222
  • Secondary DNS Server: 208.67.220.220
  • Override DNS: “Deselect this”
  • Select “Next”
  • Set the Timezone.
  • Select “Next” for the Time Server Information (no changes needed).
  • Select “Next” for WAN information (no changes needed).
  • Select “Next” for LAN information (no changes needed).
  • Set and Admin password (don’t forget this)
  • Select Reload.
  • Continue on to the pfSense web-interface…
  • Check for Updates
  • From the web-interface menu select Status - Dashboard
  • Check the Version
  • If it displays Update Available, select Click Here to view the update.
  • Select Auto Update then Invoke Auto Upgrade.
  • This will take the system to the latest version available if any updates are available.
Note: Now is a good time to enable the Secure Shell Server (it will allow you to establish an SSH connection to this host). To do this navigate to System - Advanced and ‘check’ the Secure Shell Server check box.
  • Select Save