pfSense • Virtual Firewall/Router

pfSense Setup on Proxmox Inspiron Server

This guide walks you through installing and configuring pfSense as a virtual firewall/router on your Proxmox homelab Inspiron server.

Prerequisites

• Proxmox VE installed and running
• pfSense ISO downloaded from pfSense.org
• At least two virtual NICs (WAN/LAN)

Step 1: Create pfSense VM in Proxmox

1. Log in to Proxmox web UI.
2. Click Create VM.
3. Name: pfSense.
4. OS: Select the pfSense ISO as the CD/DVD.
5. System: Default (Q35, SeaBIOS/UEFI).
6. Hard Disk: 10GB+ (VirtIO SCSI recommended).
7. CPU: 2 cores minimum.
8. Memory: 2GB+.
9. Network: Add two NICs (one for WAN, one for LAN), use VirtIO.

Step 2: Install pfSense

1. Start the VM and open the console.
2. Follow pfSense installer prompts:
   • Accept defaults for most options.
   • Assign WAN/LAN interfaces (usually vtnet0/vtnet1).
   • Set admin password.

Step 3: Initial Configuration

1. Access pfSense web UI via LAN IP (e.g., http://192.168.1.1).
2. Login with admin credentials.
3. Run the setup wizard:
   • Set hostname, domain, DNS.
   • Configure WAN (DHCP/static as needed).
   • Set LAN IP/subnet.
   • Change admin password.

Step 4: Basic Firewall Rules

• Allow LAN to any (default)
• Block WAN to LAN
• Add rules for VPN, port forwarding as needed

Step 5: Optional Enhancements

• Enable pfBlockerNG for ad/malware blocking
• Set up OpenVPN server
• Configure VLANs for network segmentation

Troubleshooting

• If you lose LAN access, use Proxmox console to fix IP/rules.
• Check Proxmox network bridge settings if WAN/LAN not working.

References

• pfSense Documentation
• Proxmox Wiki: pfSense

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Result: pfSense Web UI

pfSense running successfully in Proxmox

Last updated: September 25, 2025