pfSense is a free, open source customized distribution of FreeBSD tailored for use as a firewall and router. The project started in 2004 as a fork of the embedded firewall software package called m0n0wall. pfSense is focused towards full PC installations rather than the embedded hardware focus of m0n0wall.<\/p>\n
This is one of the most powerful, yet simple software firewalls. It can stand it’s ground to any hardware firewall on the market, and it’s very easy to install.<\/p>\n
Get a copy today and start playing – www.pfsense.org<\/a><\/p>\n It’s also available as a VMWare appliance…<\/p>\n There are numerous tutorials<\/a> available.<\/p>\n PaulDotCom did a awesome mini tech segment –<\/p>\n Installing pfSense on an Alix.6e1<\/strong><\/p>\n The ALIX.6e1<\/a> hardware platform:<\/p>\n 2 10\/100 LAN \/ 1 miniPCI \/ 1 miniPCI Express \/ AMD LX800 \/ 256 MB \/ 2 USB \/ DB9 serial port \/ CF Card slot \/ Board size: 6 x 6<\/p>\n First Step: Get a ALIX 6E1<\/strong><\/p>\n link to Netgate’s ALIX 6E1<\/a>. Netgate’s ALIX 6E1 Costs $175.<\/em><\/p>\n The kit includes:<\/p>\n You will also need a Compact Flash card writer for installing the pfSense operating system. The one they used costs $10.00<\/em><\/p>\n Next you will need the pfSense & physdiskwrite<\/a> Software, Cost: FREE!<\/em><\/p>\n Second Step: Download the necessary packages<\/strong><\/p>\n They needed the embedded version specifically created for the 2GB CF card size. The embedded version performs only reads from the flash card, with read\/write file systems as RAM disks as compact flash cannot handle many write operations. The embedded versions can be found on pfSense’s mirror list<\/a><\/p>\n Third Step: Install the pfSense operating system on our CF card pfSense’s documentation<\/a> does a good job. We used a Windows PC as all our other boxes were busy umm analyzing pr0n, so we opted for the physdiskwrite method.<\/p>\n WARNING: Follow the documentation’s advice and be sure you are not overwriting the wrong disk!<\/strong><\/p>\n Fourth Step: Find a desktop PC for a serial connection to the Alix<\/strong><\/p>\n You’ll need either a USB to serial converter cable or a desktop PC to connect the serial cable. In OS X I’ve used the USB to Serial cable and software called “Zterm”. You can also use the command line utility called “screen”, or several other free programs.<\/p>\n Fifth Step: Bootup the device and fire up Window’s hyperterminal<\/strong><\/p>\n Use the following settings for the connection:<\/p>\n Now we boot into pfSense. As the bootloader comes there are 7 options listed. The first choice you will be asked is<\/p>\n Then you are asked to<\/p>\n We used ‘fxp1’. Next,<\/p>\n We entered ‘fxp2’. Next,<\/p>\n here we used ‘fxp0’.<\/p>\n pfSense is now running in RAM and almost fully functional. If you wish you may plug your LAN interface into a hub or switch and connect via the web interface. pfSense is by default assigned an ip of 192.168.1.1. Open your browser and navigate to http:\/\/192.168.1<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\nC:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDocuments>physdiskwrite.exe pfSense-1.2.3-2g\n-20091207-1914-nanobsd.img\n\nphysdiskwrite v0.5.2 by Manuel Kasper <mk@neon1.net>\n\nSearching for physical drives...\n\nInformation for \\.PhysicalDrive0:\n Windows: cyl: 19452\n tpc: 255\n spt: 63\n C\/H\/S: 16383\/16\/63\n Model: ST3160812AS\n Serial number: 9LS0V1FC\n Firmware rev.: 3.ADH\n\nInformation for \\.PhysicalDrive1:\nDeviceIoControl() failed on \\.PhysicalDrive1.\n\nInformation for \\.PhysicalDrive2:\n Windows: cyl: 244\n tpc: 255\n spt: 63\n\nInformation for \\.PhysicalDrive3:\nDeviceIoControl() failed on \\.PhysicalDrive3.\n\nInformation for \\.PhysicalDrive4:\nDeviceIoControl() failed on \\.PhysicalDrive4.\n\nWhich disk do you want to write? (0..2) 2\nAbout to overwrite the contents of disk 2 with new data. Proceed? (y\/n) y\n2001194496\/2001194496 bytes written in total\n\nC:Documents and SettingsAll UsersDocuments><\/span>\n<\/pre>\n\n
\u201cDo you want to set up VLAN's now [y|n]?\u201d select no or 'n'. <\/span> <\/span>\n<\/pre>\n\u201cEnter your LAN interface name\u201d, <\/span>\n<\/pre>\n\u201cEnter your WAN interface name\u201d <\/span>\n<\/pre>\n\u201cEnter the Optional 1 interface name\u201d, <\/span> <\/span>\n<\/pre>\nUsing the above examples, you'd see \u201cThe interfaces will be assigned as follows:\u201d\nLAN -> fxp1\nWAN -> fxp2\nOPT1 -> fxp0\n<\/span><\/pre>\nDo you want to proceed [y|n]? (make sure you enter 'y' here).<\/span>\n<\/pre>\n