Another great use case for pfSense is for a virtual router as part of, for example, a VMWare virtual home lab with multiple VMs and multiple virtual networks. You can simulate a whole little office for purposes such as cyber security training. I tried a number of options and pfSense works well in this scenario.
Great video perfect amount of detail for pfsense setup. Wondering if you would consider doing future videos for some of the advanced options and maybe touch on the security of PFsense itself? As always thank you for the great videos, keep up the great work and enjoy your day!
Sorry Gary if you’ve already done this but I’d love to see a video of you breakdown the various networking components that regular consumers have and then what prosumers/IT professionals have in their own homes and what each additional network appliance does and if most of these can be combined etc. Like I’m a networking geek but haven’t fully got into all the network appliance stuff yet but I’m thinking I’d like to have a solid router/firewall something like pfSense and then a NAS which could also do other functions besides storage and maybe a RPi doing something but don’t want to over-complicate it because I don’t want all my own stuff to become a huge IT headache all the time (probably wouldn’t surprise you that I’m an Apple guy lol). Also looking forward to more reviews of suitable hardware to run these network appliances (like the Odyssey Blue etc.) 👍🏻
I've been using the J4025 and J4125 models of the Odyssey Blue with pfsense for several years. You have to press F7 to get into the BIOS. I hate change, but I was pissed when they started making us press F2 instead of Delete. Other than that, the Odyssey Blue with pfsense works very well. Recommended for not-big networks. I'll be using this setup again.
Great vid as usual Gary! I've got my little Ubiquiti Edgemax and it's really sweet having a secure network, especially as I work from home a lot, and therefore also use my work computer on my network. Keep the good work up 😁
Great video, you might want to add a short video hooking up a wifi to this pfsense router. I believe one needs to connect the normal WiFi router, reconfigure as an access point. In my particular case I would connect an 8 port unmanaged switch to the LAN port of the pfsense, and the connect my Netgear mesh system to a port on the switch, after setting it up as an access point.
I've tinkered with routers/access points and read/followed documentations and tutorials left and right... It took me until today to realise why static IP wasn't working, since I would assign an address within the range of the DHCP 🤣 Thanks professor ! Sometimes things considered common knowledge are rarely mentioned. That and the router OS should probably always prevent or issue warning upon trying to assign a static IP withing DHCP range >.>
Hi Younes, This question is more interesting why you can’t use static ip within a dhcp address range, because you actually can. It depends on the implementation and what vendor you’re dealing with. It is a security feature called DAI (Dynamic Arp Inspection) which checks traffic L3 and L2 headers address against the DHCP Snooping binding database. And if it finds that the sender’s ip and mac address combo doesn’t correlate with the mentioned database, then it’ll drop the packet and log it.
Great timing Gary as I was just looking at Ipfire as an option to use Raspberry pi as a firewall between my router and network. I've heard mixed reports about both pfsense and Ipfire so any thoughts about hardware requirements/performance on each software? I am aiming to use as inexpensive hardware as possible e.g. a Pi4 with a USB 3 ethernet port.
I'm not sure where you're living but I've got a Fritz!Box from AVM over the Telekom Germany and I'm quite happy with it. It does basically all the stuff pfsense does
Great video! I found this really interesting for home but I was wondering how is the performance compared to the Netgate line of routers? Is it comparable with a Netgate 2100?
From a CPU point of view the Odyssey is faster, but from a packet switching stand point it looks like the Netgate 2100 would be faster as it has a built-in 4-Port 1 GbE Marvell switch. But I haven't done any real world performance testing to compare the two as I don't have access to a Netgate device.
Hi Gary, what is the power rating of the Odyssey Blue? I suppose if you are running it 24x7 (as you probably would with your internet connection) this will be significant. How hot does it get? Had thought about a Protectli or one of those Topton jobbies on AliExpress. Thanks for all the time your pour into these videos by the way, particularly the Raspberry Pico stuff...
For people who want to setup VPN next, you have two options: 1. set your ISP's router in transparent mode where it simply works as a modem 2. configure port forwarding on your ISP's router
people should also look at the free Sophos XG home edition - which is the full commercial product but just limited to 50 devices. Would be interesting to know of XG will run on that hardware
I ran pfSense on an old netbook until they stopped support for 32-bit CPU's. Since then, I've used OpenWRT on an old router, a Pi with my own routing rules, a new router with stock software (not great), and OpenWRT on a Pi. Nothing is as good as pfSense. The netbook was convenient because of the display, low power, and battery backup. I think I need to look for new hardware.
I have had similar experience and use cases. pfSense is terrific except for not being an option for reuse of older SOHO routers, in which case OpenWRT is usable.
Shouldnt primary and secondary DNS be the pfsense itself or a domain controller/local DNS server? Or can Google resolve private IP addresses such as for your printer? :P
You can pick up a USB -> Ethernet dongle 2nd hand off eBay for not much money and it's unlikely to affect your Internet speed unless you're on a Gigabit link or similar. Alternatively as "Let's Go Brandon" says you could configure your one Ethernet port as a router on a stick (two different logical networks off one physical interface) but the only potential issue with this is if your ISP-provided router gets compromised it could potentially be used to snoop in all your LAN traffic.
Man, looks like Gary is really embracing American culture, waving those guns around with reckless abandon. I knew computer hardware was getting heavier in general but it looks like it's working out for all the hardware reviewers.
Came because of the thumbnail. Stayed for the good info.
Same
As an alternative to pfSense there is also OPNSense. It’s a fork, but with modern UI (and some other enhancements).
Another great use case for pfSense is for a virtual router as part of, for example, a VMWare virtual home lab with multiple VMs and multiple virtual networks. You can simulate a whole little office for purposes such as cyber security training. I tried a number of options and pfSense works well in this scenario.
Great video perfect amount of detail for pfsense setup.
Wondering if you would consider doing future videos for some of the advanced options and maybe touch on the security of PFsense itself?
As always thank you for the great videos, keep up the great work and enjoy your day!
Well. That thumbnail certainly caught my attention.
Sorry Gary if you’ve already done this but I’d love to see a video of you breakdown the various networking components that regular consumers have and then what prosumers/IT professionals have in their own homes and what each additional network appliance does and if most of these can be combined etc.
Like I’m a networking geek but haven’t fully got into all the network appliance stuff yet but I’m thinking I’d like to have a solid router/firewall something like pfSense and then a NAS which could also do other functions besides storage and maybe a RPi doing something but don’t want to over-complicate it because I don’t want all my own stuff to become a huge IT headache all the time (probably wouldn’t surprise you that I’m an Apple guy lol).
Also looking forward to more reviews of suitable hardware to run these network appliances (like the Odyssey Blue etc.) 👍🏻
Legendary thumbnail. 👌
😉
I've been using the J4025 and J4125 models of the Odyssey Blue with pfsense for several years. You have to press F7 to get into the BIOS. I hate change, but I was pissed when they started making us press F2 instead of Delete. Other than that, the Odyssey Blue with pfsense works very well. Recommended for not-big networks. I'll be using this setup again.
Excellent video and thumbnail was awesome hahah love how you brit/au/nz folks say *rooter* makes our pronunciation *rOUTer sound animalistic lol
Great vid as usual Gary!
I've got my little Ubiquiti Edgemax and it's really sweet having a secure network, especially as I work from home a lot, and therefore also use my work computer on my network.
Keep the good work up 😁
Great video, you might want to add a short video hooking up a wifi to this pfsense router. I believe one needs to connect the normal WiFi router, reconfigure as an access point. In my particular case I would connect an 8 port unmanaged switch to the LAN port of the pfsense, and the connect my Netgear mesh system to a port on the switch, after setting it up as an access point.
Respect for this awesome thumbnail! 😂😂😂😂
Love the thumbnail!
I've tinkered with routers/access points and read/followed documentations and tutorials left and right...
It took me until today to realise why static IP wasn't working, since I would assign an address within the range of the DHCP 🤣
Thanks professor !
Sometimes things considered common knowledge are rarely mentioned.
That and the router OS should probably always prevent or issue warning upon trying to assign a static IP withing DHCP range >.>
Hi Younes,
This question is more interesting why you can’t use static ip within a dhcp address range, because you actually can.
It depends on the implementation and what vendor you’re dealing with.
It is a security feature called DAI (Dynamic Arp Inspection) which checks traffic L3 and L2 headers address against the DHCP Snooping binding database. And if it finds that the sender’s ip and mac address combo doesn’t correlate with the mentioned database, then it’ll drop the packet and log it.
@@davidbeszeda6894 thanks for insight x)
Great timing Gary as I was just looking at Ipfire as an option to use Raspberry pi as a firewall between my router and network.
I've heard mixed reports about both pfsense and Ipfire so any thoughts about hardware requirements/performance on each software? I am aiming to use as inexpensive hardware as possible e.g. a Pi4 with a USB 3 ethernet port.
ASAIK pfSense doesn't run on a Raspberry Pi.
@@GaryExplains x86/x64 only? Shame. How about a tutorial on Ipfire on arm?
@@samaitcheson7057 Only 64-bit. 32-bit no longer supported.
It does run on some arm machines - but only the smaller netgate firewalls
@@JohnPMiller Thanks John. I'm in the same boat - need new hardware. I'm wondering if it's cheaper and easier to buy a Firewalla Blue Plus...
I'm not sure where you're living but I've got a Fritz!Box from AVM over the Telekom Germany and I'm quite happy with it. It does basically all the stuff pfsense does
Is it possible to run something like pfSense and a media server on the same box?
Great video! I found this really interesting for home but I was wondering how is the performance compared to the Netgate line of routers? Is it comparable with a Netgate 2100?
From a CPU point of view the Odyssey is faster, but from a packet switching stand point it looks like the Netgate 2100 would be faster as it has a built-in 4-Port 1 GbE Marvell switch. But I haven't done any real world performance testing to compare the two as I don't have access to a Netgate device.
Hi Gary, what is the power rating of the Odyssey Blue? I suppose if you are running it 24x7 (as you probably would with your internet connection) this will be significant. How hot does it get? Had thought about a Protectli or one of those Topton jobbies on AliExpress. Thanks for all the time your pour into these videos by the way, particularly the Raspberry Pico stuff...
Beautiful thumbnail
For people who want to setup VPN next, you have two options:
1. set your ISP's router in transparent mode where it simply works as a modem
2. configure port forwarding on your ISP's router
people should also look at the free Sophos XG home edition - which is the full commercial product but just limited to 50 devices. Would be interesting to know of XG will run on that hardware
Have you considered opnsense? community version opnsense is updated regularly vs pfsense.
I ran pfSense on an old netbook until they stopped support for 32-bit CPU's. Since then, I've used OpenWRT on an old router, a Pi with my own routing rules, a new router with stock software (not great), and OpenWRT on a Pi. Nothing is as good as pfSense. The netbook was convenient because of the display, low power, and battery backup. I think I need to look for new hardware.
I have had similar experience and use cases. pfSense is terrific except for not being an option for reuse of older SOHO routers, in which case OpenWRT is usable.
Any recommendations on ADSL modem for the wan connection?
Can it replace router os(mikrotik)? Does it have same capabilities? What is easier to learn, pfsense or routeros?
Shouldnt primary and secondary DNS be the pfsense itself or a domain controller/local DNS server? Or can Google resolve private IP addresses such as for your printer? :P
Crazy, Linus Tech Tips just uploaded a video on this too
Thanks.
What about computers with only 1 ethernet port ? Would USB to ethernet converter be usable (minus some performance downgrade) ?
Router on a stick. 😉
You can pick up a USB -> Ethernet dongle 2nd hand off eBay for not much money and it's unlikely to affect your Internet speed unless you're on a Gigabit link or similar.
Alternatively as "Let's Go Brandon" says you could configure your one Ethernet port as a router on a stick (two different logical networks off one physical interface) but the only potential issue with this is if your ISP-provided router gets compromised it could potentially be used to snoop in all your LAN traffic.
@@loc4725 yes, that's a big potential issue
Nice thumbnail 😀
No links?
Ah, sorry about, I added some links to the description. Thx.
Gary can meme
Man, looks like Gary is really embracing American culture, waving those guns around with reckless abandon. I knew computer hardware was getting heavier in general but it looks like it's working out for all the hardware reviewers.
eh?
@@GaryExplains It's a joke. Over here, we like to flex our arms and say dumb stuff like "which way to the gun show?"
Hmmm... ok... I still don't get it.
@@GaryExplains ‘the gun show’ is when someone flexes their biceps/shows off their ‘guns’.
Ah, OK, I see... I think... But I don't particularly have prominent or large biceps. All very confusing.
Ewww double NAT. If you want to do this you should look into setting your ISPs router/modem in bridge mode.
My cheap wifi extender has farther signal than my ISP's
Great video but not 100% accurate, using the 'router on a stick' method plus a basic vlan enabled switch you can use a device with 1 port.
I was wondering the same, thanks for pointers
Rough throat, red eyes… not completely well? Get healthy soon.