Install pfSense Firewall and Router in VirtualBox 🌱

  1. Download pfSense Download
  2. Extract the downloaded pfSense .gz
  3. Launch Virtualbox
  4. Create a New VM by selecting Machine > New

    Name: pfSense
    Machine Folder: C:\VMs
    Type: BSD
    Version: FreeBSD (64-bit)
    Memory Size: 1024 MB
    Hard disk: Create a virtual hard disk now

  5. Click Create
  6. On the Create Virtual Hard Disk dialog

    Name the virtual disk image pfSense.vdi
    File size: 8 GB
    Hard disk file type: VDI
    Storage on physical hard disk: Dynamically Allocated

  7. Click Create
  8. Select the VM and Click Settings
  9. Select Display
  10. Slide the Video Memory to 128 MB
  11. Select Storage
  12. Click on the CD-ROM drive
  13. Select the disc dropdown to the right > Choose a virtual optical disc file...
  14. Browse to and select the downloaded pfSense .iso file
  15. Click OK
  16. Select Network
  17. Set the attached to dropdown to Bridged Adapter
  18. Click the Adapter 2 tab
  19. Check the Enable Network Adapter and set the attached to dropdown to Bridged Adapter
  20. Click OK
  21. Make sure the pfSense VM is selected and click Start > Normal
  22. Press Enter to Accept the Copyright and distribution notice
  23. Select Install pfSense > Press Enter
  24. Select the keyboard mapping to use > Press Enter
  25. Select Auto (UFS) Guided Disk Setup > Press Enter
  26. Wait for pfSense to copy files and install
  27. At the Manual Configuration prompt select No > Press Enter
  28. Select Reboot > Press Enter
  29. From the VirtualBox menu select Devices > Optical Drives > Remove disk from virtual drive
  30. Reset the VM by selecting Machine > Reset from the VirtualBox menu
  31. Welcome to the pfSense terminal

Configuring Network Interfaces and Web UI

  1. At the pfSense menu, select Set interface(s) IP address by typing 2 and pressing Enter
  2. Enter the number that corresponds to the LAN interface > Press Enter
  3. Enter a LAN IP address on the same subnet as your LAN
  4. At the bit count prompt type 24 > Press Enter
  5. Leave the IPv4 upstream gateway blank press Enter
  6. Leave the IPv6 address blank and press Enter
  7. At the DHCP server prompt type n > Press Enter
  8. At the revert to HTTP prompt type y > Press Enter
  9. The http address of the pfSense Web UI will be displayed
  10. Press Enter to return to the main menu
  11. Minimize the pfSense VM and open a web browser
  12. Navigate to the web UI http address
  13. Log into the web UI with the username admin and password pfsense
  14. Select System > User Manager from the top navigation
  15. Click the edit icon across from the admin user
  16. Setup and confirm a new password for the admin user
  17. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the Save button
  18. Click the Logout icon in the top right of the page
  19. Log back into the web UI using the new password
  20. Enjoy exploring pfSense