How to Install and Configure pfSense

Installation and Configuration of pfSense 2.3.1 for Your Office/Home Network

pfSense is an open source firewall or router distribution based on FreeBSD. It is installed on a physical/virtual machine to make a dedicated firewall or router for a network. It can be configured and upgraded through a web-based interface. Configuration and installation process of pfSense 2.3.1 is discussed in this article.

Environment Setup

To Install and Configure pfSense

Visit the following link and download pfSense,
https://nyifiles.pfsense.org/mirror/downloads/pfSense-CE-2.3.1-RELEASE-amd64.iso.gz

Burn the image to DVD/CD media or else go to pfSense download page and grab the " Live CD with installer" . Choose USB console type before downloading.

To install pfsense press 1.

Press " I" to install pfsense.

To Configure, click " Accept these settings" to proceed with the installation process.

Select " Custom Install" to get advance options in installation.

Select a disk to install pfsense.

Format the selected disk.

Select " Use this Geometry" option to proceed further.

It shows you a warning about disk format, if there is no data proceed with the Format option.

Now start partition the disk.

Select partitions, size and partition type. Then click enter to partition the disk.

Next select " Accept and install Bootblocks" option to install the boot loader.

Select the partitioned hard disk and click Enter.

A warning message will be displayed, Hit on" Ok" to continue.

Create subpartition, select " Accept and Create" to create swap memory.

Now the installation process begins.

Select the option as non-vga or symetmetric multiprocessing kernel.

After the installation is completed, reboot the system.

To configure the network

Select " No" to setup VLAN later.

There are two interface' s em0 and le0. Here, we have assigned em0 as LAN for internal interface and le0 as WAN for external interface with firewall enabled.

Type Y and click enter to continue.

The pfsense menu appears as shown below.

Enter 2 to set interface ip address. Set LAN IP as 192.168.7.133(default IP), Subnet mask.

Disable DHCP and forward by selecting N. Finally press enter to continue.

It redirects to the main configuration page.

Navigate to the browser, type https://< IP_address> and enter the username and password as " admin" and " pfsense" respectively.

A setup wizard window appears, click Next to continue.

Enter the hostname , domain, Primary DNS server, secondary DNS and then hit Next.

Set the timezone and hit Next.

Configure WAN interface, choose " DHCP" or “ static” and hit " Next" to move forward.

Configure LAN and click " Next" .

Set the Admin password, to access the SSH and Web GUI.

Now click Reload to make changes.

Click the pfSense webconfigurator

The pfsense webconfigurator GUI Dashboard appears as shown below.