Setting Up pfSense: A Step-by-Step Guide

🧱 Part 2 – pfSense Setup & Configuration

In this module, we’ll install and configure pfSense, the open-source firewall that segments and secures your home lab network.

Go to the official download page:
pfSense CE Download

The downloaded file will have the extension .iso.gz. Use a tool like 7-Zip to extract the .iso image.

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🖥️ Create pfSense VM

1. Open VirtualBox → Click Tools → New
2. Set:
   • Name: pfSense
   • Type: BSD
   • Version: FreeBSD (64-bit)
   • Choose the extracted .iso as the ISO image
3. Click Next

1. Accept the default memory/CPU settings → Click Next

1. Set disk size to 20GB → Click Next

1. Review → Click Finish

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🗂️ Organize VM into Group

1. Right-click pfSense VM → Move to Group → [New]
2. Right-click New Group → Rename to Firewall

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⚙️ Configure pfSense VM Settings

Select pfSense VM → Click Settings

🧠 System

• System → Motherboard
  • Boot Order: Hard Disk, then Optical
  • Uncheck Floppy

🔇 Disable Unused Hardware

• Audio: Uncheck Enable Audio
• USB: Uncheck Enable USB Controller

🌐 Network Adapters

Configure 4 adapters:

• Adapter 1 (NAT):
  • Attached to: NAT
  • Type: Paravirtualized Network (virtio-net)

• Adapter 2 (LAN 0):
  • Attached to: Internal Network
  • Name: LAN 0
• Adapter 3 (LAN 1):
  • Attached to: Internal Network
  • Name: LAN 1
• Adapter 4 (LAN 2):
  • Attached to: Internal Network
  • Name: LAN 2

Note: VirtualBox only supports 4 adapters via UI. We’ll add more using CLI later.

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🔧 Install pfSense

1. Select pfSense VM → Click Start
2. Wait for the license screen → Press Enter
3. Begin install → Auto (ZFS) → Proceed with Installation

1. Choose: Stripe - No Redundancy
2. Select disk (ada0) → Spacebar → Enter
3. Confirm → Highlight YES → Enter

1. Reboot after install completes

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🔌 Assign Interfaces

When prompted about VLANs → type n

Assign:

• WAN: vtnet0
• LAN: vtnet1
• OPT1: vtnet2
• OPT2: vtnet3

Type y to confirm

The WAN IP will be different on your system (set by VirtualBox DHCP).

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🛠️ Configure Interfaces

🔐 LAN (vtnet1)

• Press 2 → then 2 again
• Use static IP: 10.0.0.1/24
• Enable DHCP:
  • Start: 10.0.0.11
  • End: 10.0.0.243
• Decline HTTP switch: n

⚔️ OPT1 (vtnet2)

• IP: 10.6.6.1/24
• DHCP Range: 10.6.6.11 – 10.6.6.243
• Decline HTTP switch: n

🧬 OPT2 (vtnet3)

• IP: 10.80.80.1/24
• DHCP: Disabled
  (AD Domain Controller will handle DHCP)

Final Interface IPs:

• LAN: 10.0.0.1
• OPT1: 10.6.6.1
• OPT2: 10.80.80.1

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⏹️ Shutdown pfSense

When you’re done:

Enter an option: 6
Do you want to proceed?: y

This halts the system safely.

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🧽 Post-Install Cleanup

1. Go to Settings → Storage
2. Select .iso image → Click the disk icon → Remove Disk from Virtual Drive

You can delete the .iso and .iso.gz files if you don’t plan to reuse them.

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🔜 What’s Next?

We’ll now set up Kali Linux on the LAN interface. This VM will be used to:

• Access the pfSense Web UI
• Configure network rules
• Launch attacks on the CYBER_RANGE

👉 Next → Installing Kali Linux for Your Lab