Setup Free Firewall at Home or Office, Install and Configure pfSense

by SinaOnline Network Training
  1. Download pfSense:
    • Go to the pfSense website (https://www.pfsense.org/download/) and download the appropriate installation image for your hardware. Choose between the Community Edition (CE) or pfSense Plus.
  2. Create Installation Media:
    • Burn the downloaded image to a CD/DVD or create a bootable USB drive using software like Rufus (for Windows) or dd (for Linux).
  3. Boot from Installation Media:
    • Insert the installation media into the computer where you want to install pfSense and boot from it. You may need to change the boot order in the BIOS settings.
  4. Install pfSense:
    • Follow the on-screen instructions to install pfSense. You’ll be asked to select the installation mode (e.g., Quick/Easy Install, Custom Install), configure network interfaces, set up disk partitions, and create an admin password.
  5. Reboot:
    • Once the installation is complete, remove the installation media and reboot the computer.

Configuration:

  1. Initial Setup:
    • After rebooting, pfSense will start up and present you with a console menu.
    • Use the keyboard to select ‘1’ to boot pfSense in multi-user mode.
  2. Access the Web Interface:
    • Open a web browser on a computer connected to the same network as pfSense.
    • Enter the IP address of the pfSense firewall in the address bar (default is 192.168.1.1).
    • Log in with the username ‘admin’ and the password you set during installation.
  3. Initial Configuration Wizard:
    • The first time you access the web interface, you’ll be guided through the initial configuration wizard.
    • Set the WAN and LAN interfaces, configure the LAN IP address, set the time zone, and configure the admin password.
  4. Configure Interfaces:
    • Navigate to ‘Interfaces’ in the web interface to configure additional interfaces if needed (e.g., DMZ, OPT interfaces). Assign interfaces and configure IP addresses.
  5. Firewall Rules:
    • Set up firewall rules under ‘Firewall’ > ‘Rules’ to allow or block traffic between interfaces. Configure rules for the WAN, LAN, and any additional interfaces.
  6. NAT (Network Address Translation):
    • Configure NAT rules under ‘Firewall’ > ‘NAT’ to translate private IP addresses to public IP addresses. Set up Port Forwarding, 1:1 NAT, or Outbound NAT rules as needed.
  7. DHCP Server:
    • If you want pfSense to act as a DHCP server, configure DHCP settings under ‘Services’ > ‘DHCP Server’. Set up the range of IP addresses to lease, DNS servers, and other DHCP options.
  8. VPN:
    • Set up VPN connections (e.g., OpenVPN, IPsec) under ‘VPN’ > ‘IPsec’ or ‘OpenVPN’. Configure VPN settings, certificates, and user authentication.
  9. Packages:
    • Install additional packages for extra functionality under ‘System’ > ‘Package Manager’. Popular packages include Snort (for Intrusion Detection/Prevention), Squid (for web caching), and HAProxy (for load balancing).
  10. Save Configuration:
    • Click on ‘Apply Changes’ to save your configuration.
  11. Final Steps:
    • Test your configuration to ensure everything is working as expected.
    • Consider setting up backups of your pfSense configuration under ‘Diagnostics’ > ‘Backup & Restore’.