Install PfSense 1.2Beta1, Quick Overview

Pfsense is web based firewall designed special for PC, based on FreeBSD 6.x

Version 1.2Beta1 using 6.2 release as base, PfSense features from author site :

pfSense changes implemented (subject to change daily):

  • FreeBSD 6.1 – CURRENT with ALTQ
  • Wireless a/b/g wpa_supplicant, turbo, WEP, WPA-E/PSK and WPA2 (TKIP)
  • Incoming load balancing pools
  • PPPoE Server
  • Themes
  • New system->afterfilterchangeshellcmd xml tag which is executed on the system after each filter change (or other networking related changes)
  • All of the GREAT m0n0wall features, some improved
  • setup wizard using xml -> web gui toolkit
  • package xml -> web gui toolkit. RAPIDLY create packages and GUI’s
  • rebootless changes of settings
  • multiple WAN Support
  • outgoing load balancing pool
  • pf (openbsd’s packet filter)
  • failovercapable DHCP-Server with advanced settings (specify gateway, DNS, WINS)
  • advanced support for wireless devices (including WEP, WPA, HostAP-mode, hardware-encryption if supported by driver, mac-filtering, hide SSID, …) with by freeBSD6 supported wireless devices (atheros recommended for full functionality)
  • Systemstatus with realtimegraphs including SWAP usage monitor
  • ALTQ traffic shaping with integrated magic shaper wizard
  • Queuegraphs for Trafficshaper
  • Edit file option
  • Execute command now in menu
  • enhanced configuration-system featuring a configuration history and partial config down-/uploads
  • a lot of small “helpers” that make admins life easier
    • pfflowd – converting PF-status-massages to Cisco NetFlow-Datagrams
    • PFStat – Graphing
    • NTOP – Enhanced network history data
    • STunnel – wrap standard ports with SSL
    • Squid Transparent Proxy
    • arpwatch – watch ethernet/ip-adress-pairings
    • assp – Anti-Spam-Proxy
    • freeradius – Radiusserver
    • mtr – enhanced traceroute
    • nmap – networkscanner for security auditing
    • siproxd – proxy/masquerading for SIP-protocol
    • spamd – fake SMTP-Server as Spam-Tarpit
    • iperf – bandwidth-measuring
    • netio – bandwidth-measuring

Watch this video for quick overview how installation looks like.