Wifi as wan pfsense

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EDIT: This is for using the pfSense box as a CLIENT to an AP, not as a bridge or repeater.

First off, I thought it was simple, I was wrong. If anyone ever needs this odd scenario, here’s how to do it.

Install a fresh pfSense OS as normal and accept an Ethernet port (lan0, alc0, or eth0) as a WAN port initially to let it stop complaining. I did this without an actual internet connection, it still complained. I left the LAN blank.
Log into pfSense web interface. I had to use the magic of auto-DHCP from a different source (Windows shared connection for instance). Having an intelligent Ethernet switch works wonders too.
Navigate to Interfaces -> Assignments -> Wireless; make sure your Wireless adapter or embedded WiFi is recognize and set it up as «Infrastructure (BSS)»

4a) Navigate to Interfaces -> Assignments; add your WiFi as LAN, initially. save. then flip them: xxx_wlan0 as WAN and alc0/eth0 as LAN

4b) Make sure your private subnet, mask, and DHCP server is setup on LAN before or during these sequence of events, I forgot to document when I actually did this, it could have been before I flipped the WAN and LAN assignments.

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5) Navigate to Interfaces -> WAN; Configure your Wireless settings and enter all information to CONNECT to the wireless Access Point. It may seem it is being setup as an Access Point, don’t worry, it’s not.

6) We’re not even close to being done. Mine might be buggy, so I needed a way to auto-connect on boot because it derps. So I created a file called «wifi.sh» in the folder «/usr/local/etc/rc.d» and had just two lines:

ifconfig _wlan0 down ifconfig _wlan0 up

Replace with the actual interface prefix.

Notes: I did try the way with «wpa_supplicant» and configuring, but it either worked half the time, or just threw continuous errors on the prompt.

7) Make some adjustments to the WAN wireless settings for quicker connection on boot (like setting the channel number to a fixed value if your wifi router will never change its channel).

What I have right now works 100% and I’m enjoying my firewall that is connected to a wireless access point and using that adapter as a WAN port while the Ethernet port goes directly to my switch and serving+protecting the internet to all my racks and devices connected via Ethernet.

If you’re too lazy like I was for over three years, you can always use Windows internet connection sharing (easy in 7/8.1/10/2008). :p I finally got the chance to re-purpose gear into a 1U just to pull this off. It would have been overkill before as pfSense on a 2U hosting a mid-high range CPU with a compliment of hard drives is kinda silly. It was easier just to enable ICS and have Wifi be the shared adapter at the time.

Источник

Wireless¶

pfSense® software includes built in wireless capabilities that allow a firewall running pfSense software to be turned into a wireless access point, to use a wireless 802.11 connection as a WAN connection, or both. This chapter covers how to configure pfSense software for these roles as well as suggested means of securely accommodating external wireless access points and how to securely deploy a wireless hotspot. In-depth coverage of 802.11 in general is outside the scope of this documentation. For those seeking such information, see other works such as 802.11 Wireless Networks: The Definitive Guide.

Hangouts Archive to view the May 2015 Hangout on Wireless Access Points.

For assistance in solving software problems, please post your question on the Netgate Forum. If you see anything that’s wrong or missing with the documentation, please suggest an edit by using the feedback button in the upper right corner so it can be improved.

This page was last updated on Jul 06 2022.

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Wireless WAN¶

A wireless card in a firewall running pfSense® software can be used as the primary WAN interface or an additional WAN in a multi-WAN deployment.

Interface assignment¶

If the wireless interface has not yet been assigned, there are two possible choices: Add it as an additional OPT interface or reassign it as WAN.

Before starting, create the wireless instance as described in Creating and Managing Wireless Instances if it does not already exist. When working as a WAN, it must use Infrastructure mode (BSS).

To add the interface as a new OPT interface:

fa-plus

Browse to Interfaces > Assignments
Select the wireless interface from the Available network ports drop-down below the other interfaces
Click Add to add the interface as an OPT interface

To reassign the wireless interface as WAN:

Browse to Interfaces > Assignments
Select the wireless interface as WAN
Click Save

Figure Wireless WAN Interface Assignment shows an Atheros card assigned as WAN.

Wireless WAN Interface Assignment ¶

Configuring the wireless network¶

Most wireless WANs need only a handful of options set, but specifics vary depending on the Access Point (AP) to which this client interface will connect.

Browse to the Interfaces menu for the wireless WAN interface, for example Interfaces > WAN
Select the type of configuration (DHCP, Static IP, etc.)
Scroll down to Common Wireless Configuration
Set the Standard to match the AP, for example 802.11g
Select the appropriate Channel to match the AP
Scroll down to Network-specific Wireless Configuration
Set the Mode to Infrastructure (BSS) mode
Enter the SSID for the AP
Configure encryption such as WPA2 (Wi-Fi Protected Access) if in use by the AP
Review the remaining settings if necessary and select any other appropriate options to match the AP
Click Save
Click Apply Changes

Checking wireless status¶

Browse to Status > Interfaces to see the status of the wireless interface. If the interface has successfully associated with the AP it will be indicated on the status page. A status of associated means the interface has connected to the AP successfully, as shown in Figure Associated Wireless WAN Interface

Associated Wireless WAN Interface ¶

If the interface status shows No carrier, it was unable to associate. Figure No carrier on wireless WAN shows an example of this, where the antenna was disconnected so it could not connect to a wireless network that was some distance away.

No carrier on wireless WAN ¶

Showing available wireless networks and signal strength¶

The wireless access points visible by the firewall may be viewed by navigating to Status > Wireless as shown in Figure Wireless Status .

A wireless interface must be configured before this menu item will appear.

Источник

Wifi as wan pfsense

Setting up wifi as WAN interface