pfSense on KVM


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Hi Guys

 

I played about with Proxies last week and managed to get it working how i wanted to

 

So this week i am having a go with pfSense

 

I want to run it in a VM using KVM

 

and eventually use it as the router  for my network

 

am i right in saying i would need two NIC's in my server?

 

its a HP Microserver N54L

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I don't know about KVM specifically, but I think if you're wanting to do an inline proxy or firewall going to need a pNIC for your external connection and a pNIC that connects to your internal network, with a corresponding vNIC out of the VM on each side of the network. I have an Untangle firewall running on my home ESXi server that does exactly this. My cable modem connects to one NIC port, and the other connects to my home switch.

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ok so i woul dhave the incoming WAN connection into a Physical NIC on my server, then another Physcical NIC connected to my switch

 

yeah?

 

I got as far as it trying to detect my WAN and it failed so i assumed this would be the case

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Yeah you really need 2 physical nics - it could be done with vlans.. But no - min 2 physical nics.

Curious question why KVM vs ESXi ? To be honest I would prob go with esxi, since its supported and works and lots of people doing it. Then if you want after some experience with actually running your router/firewall on VM platform if you want to give it a go on KVM you will be more prepared, etc.

I have 4 pNics in my N40L - the one it came with and then I added a single and then a dual.. Can post the model numbers if you want. They were cheap!!!

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I use a pretty standard Intel desktop NIC in my N54L, in the PCIe x1 slot (the x8 slot has a RAID card in it).

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001CY0P7G/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

My WAN traffic comes in on the onboard NIC with the Intel NIC connecting to the rest of the LAN.

I have pfSense 2.1.3 64 bit running on ESXi 5.1.

 

Make sure the card you buy is low profile.

 

Edit: it just told me that 2.1.4 is now available.

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ok so i woul dhave the incoming WAN connection into a Physical NIC on my server, then another Physcical NIC connected to my switch

 

yeah?

 

I got as far as it trying to detect my WAN and it failed so i assumed this would be the case

 

Correct.

 

I've been meaning to play around with pfSense for a while now, going to get it downloaded and try it out tonight. Gives me something to look at until my home Meraki gear arrives from Cisco.

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yeah 2.1.4 has been out for couple days.

The nics I bought - and yes make sure you get the low profile versions.

I had emailed the amtech when I ordered the dual to make sure it was low profile.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J3OPOU

HP 412648-B21 NC360T PCI-Express DP GigaBit Adapter

I paid $41, looks like its $29 now..

here is single nic

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833106033

it comes with low profile bracket.

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http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000J3OPOU

HP 412648-B21 NC360T PCI-Express DP GigaBit Adapter

I paid $41, looks like its $29 now..

 

 

Nice find! Just picked up two of these myself. I've got a quad-port Intel in my main ESXi box, but it never hurts to have one of these around for other experiments.

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make sure you contact the seller for the low profile bracket.. That is not the seller I bought from - I bought from amtech.. Which contacted and they asked me my order number and made sure I got the low profile one.

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