# OPNsense ###### guide-by-example ![logo](https://i.imgur.com/3ROLmaz.png) # Purpose Firewall, router, dhcp server, recursive DNS, VPN, traffic monitoring. * [Official site](https://opnsense.org/) * [GitHub](https://github.com/opnsense) * [Subreddits](https://www.reddit.com/r/opNsenseFirewall+opnsense/) Opensource.
Backend is FreeBSD with its packet filter `pf` and `configd` for managing daemons, services and templates.
For web gui it uses lighttpd web server, PHP/Phalcon framework and custom services built in Python. Can be installed on a physical server or in a virtual machine. # Installation and Hardware choice If you can, **avoid** machines with realtek/broadcom network cards as their driver in FreeBSD is bad and you can have lots of problems.
If you have such a machine then the best way is to install hypervisor on the metal and install opnsense as a virtual machine. But it can turn in to a lot of work and learning and worse NICs performance. General install: * [Download](https://opnsense.org/download/) the latest opnsense - amd64, dvd. * Extract it and make a bootable usb, I use ventoy. * Boot from it and go through the install. * Recommended way is to go with uefi and zfs for the snapshot feature.
In virtual machines you want to go uefi too but with ufs. Depending on the deployment, during the setup and testing you might want to allow webgui access from the wan side. Theres chapter on that later... it can help a lot in the initial setups.

Install in various hypervisors

VMware ESXi

 This setup is running on the free version of ESXi 7.0 U3
#### Network setup Two physical network cards - NICs ![esxi-network](https://i.imgur.com/xvjyF3a.gif) * the default `vSwitch0` will be used for LAN side * create new virtual switch - `vSwitch1-WAN` * create new port group - `WAN Network`, assign to it `vSwitch1-WAN` If plannig VLANs port groups need them assigned, trunk needs vlan 4095 set. #### Virtual machine creation * Guest OS family - Other * Guest OS version - FreeBSD 13 or later versions (64-bit) * CPU - 2 cores * RAM - 2GB, for basic functionality, later can assign more * SCSI Controller 0 - LSI Logic SAS * VM Options > Boot Options > Firmware - EFI Afterwards, edit the VM, add network adapter connected to `WAN Network` [Download](https://opnsense.org/download/) the latest opnsense - amd64, dvd, extract iso, upload to ESXi datastore, mount it in to the VMs dvd, check connect on boot #### OPNsense installation in VM Disconnect your current router and plug stuff in to the ESXi host. * let it boot up * login `root/opnsense` * set interfaces, in ESXi VM overview you can see networks and MAC addresses * set IPs, wan is usually left alone with dhcp,
static ip for LAN and enable dhcp server running and give it range * afterwards you should be able to access web gui * log out * log in as `installer/opnsense` * click through installation leaving stuff at default except for password * done After the initial setup, install plugin `os-vmware`
System > Firmware > Plugins
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Hyper-V

 Tested in windows 11 pro, v10.0.22621
#### Network setup Two physical network cards - NICs ![esxi-network](https://i.imgur.com/WnVQiZC.gif) * the Default Switch will not be used. * create new virtual switch - `WAN`
`external`, unchecked - *Allow management operating system to share this network adapter*
set correct physical NIC * create new virtual switch - `LAN`
`external`, set correct physical NIC
A cable with a live device at the end must be connected to LAN NIC for that LAN part of setup to start working. #### Virtual machine creation [Download](https://opnsense.org/download/) the latest opnsense - amd64, dvd, extract * generation 2 * firmware > security > turn off secure boot * SCSI Controller add DVD and mount opnsense iso * 2 cores, 2GB ram, for basic functionality, later can assign more * add two virtual NICs, assign WAN and LAN virtual switches * firmware boot order change * turn off automatic checkpoints * automatic stop action - shutdown Start the VM #### OPNsense installation in VM Disconnect your current router and plug stuff in to the ESXi host. * let it boot up * login `installer/opnsense` * click through the install process * UFS * disk * 8GB for swap * keep default password for now * set the interfaces, in hyperv you can check mac addresses * set IPs, wan is usually left alone with dhcp,
static ip for LAN and enable dhcp server running and give it range * afterwards you should be able to access web gui * log out * done No need to install some hyperv plugin after the installation, its included automaticly. **In case of disconnect of LAN side cable/switch, the hyperv host also loses connection**
Even if one might think it should work - WAN side is there, firewall is running, but it's the way hyperv external vswitches work. The physical NIC must be alive.
If the switch would be `internal` then it would be entirely virtual and independent of physical NIC state, but in host windows network connections, one cant bridge internal and external, switches nor NICs.
One way to solve this mild annoyance is to have external WAN, internal LAN1, and external LAN2. LAN1 and LAN2 would be [bridged in opnsense](https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/how-tos/lan_bridge.html). But seems this is rather cpu intensive and not recommended.
So I guess its living with this.
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XCP-ng

 [Official xcp instructions.](https://docs.xcp-ng.org/guides/pfsense/)
Read the link above, dont skip it, might be newer info there! #### Network setup There are two ways to do the trunk port, **the easier one** will be used here, the one where opnsense is not doing anything with vlans as xcpng deals with them and each vlan is a separate network in xcpng and a separate interface in opnsense. Limitation is that you should **not go above 7**.
So again, **no touching vlans in opnsense**. * PIF - physical NIC * VIF - virtual NIC * Network in XO - basicly a virtual switch to which stuff connects The network setup is done under **the pool** section, not host or a VM.
Decide on WAN and LAN interfaces for opnsense, any additional vlan you want, create a new networks with that VLAN tag. * New > Network > your-pool * Type - leave both settings off - bonded and private * Interface - pick physical interface if using it or if doing VLANs. Leave empty if creating a new virtual one to which only VMs will connect * Name it * MTU leave default 1500 * VLAN tag if desired * Create network You are done when you have your LAN, WAN and VLANs ready. #### Virtual machine creation [Download](https://opnsense.org/download/) the latest opnsense - amd64, **dvd**, extract iso. * New > VM > your-pool * Template - Other install media * name; description; vcpu; ram; topology; iso * Interfaces - create new interafaces for LAN, WAN, and VLANs
* add virtual disk * button - Show advanced settings * Boot firmware - **uefi** * Create #### Disable TX Checksum Offload Head to the "Network" tab of your opnsense VM now
advanced settings (click the blue gear icon) for each adapter
disable TX checksumming.
Restart the VM. Note the warning in the official docs, no need to do this in opnsense or anywhere else, just on the xcpng virtual interfaces of that VM and only TX. #### Updates After the fresh install run the updates. #### Xen guest additions `System: Firmware : Plugins`
Install `os-xen` plugin. Restart the opnsense VM. If all goes well in xcpng you see that the agent is detected for the VM.
Manual installation
 In a case the plugin would not work. * enable ssh on the opnsense
`System: Settings: Administration` > Secure Shell * ssh in * `pkg install xe-guest-utilities` * `echo 'xenguest_enable="YES"' >> /etc/rc.conf.local` * `ln -s /usr/local/etc/rc.d/xenguest /usr/local/etc/rc.d/xenguest.sh` * `service xenguest start` The package will have some notice in the webGUI, but that is because it was installed manually using pkg. --- ---
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Proxmox

 # Networking * Datacenter > Your host (node) > Network * See physical interfaces, label them LAN and WAN * Crete a new `Linux Bridge` for interfaces planed to be used
fill the `Bridge ports` with the name of physical nic you see in the main interface like `enp2s0` and also give description LAN and WAN * click apply at the top Now theres a complication. You create a new VM for opnsense and connect both linux bridges to it and you start making changes in opnsense with the IP addresses.. you are risking losing the ability to connect to proxmox webgui. So now the plan is to assign secondary static IP to the LAN bridge.
Can't be done through gui, need to ssh on to proxmox and edit a file, adding the post-up line to your LAN side linux bridge as shown below, where 10.200.200.10/24 is added. `/etc/network/interfaces` ``` auto vmbr0 iface vmbr0 inet static address 10.0.19.75/24 gateway 10.0.19.2 bridge-ports enp2s0 bridge-stp off bridge-fd 0 dns-nameservers 1.1.1.1 8.8.8.8 post-up ip addr add 10.200.200.10/24 dev vmbr0 ``` # opnsense create VM [Youtube](https://youtu.be/VcTGKBHcqmk) * Create VM * General * check advanced checkbox * Name; Start at boot; Start-shutdown order - 1; Delay - 5 * OS * Iso image - opnsense * Type - Linux * Version - 6x * System * Machine - q35 * Bios - UEFI * EFI Storage - the default local-lvm * Qemu Agent - check * Disks * Disk size set * SSD emulation check * the rest is default * CPU * set number of cores * Type - Host * AES - enable * Memory * set desired size * Networks * can only pick one interface so whatever LAN or WAN * Model - VirtIO paravirtualized * firewall - uncheck * Multiqueue - same as the number of cpu vCores * Confirm * do not start boot yet, just confirm * VM - opnsense * hardware - add network device * Breidge - the other ones created before * firewall - disable * Multiqueue - 4 * Start - Console - Esc key * Device Manager - Secure Boot - Attempt secure boot - disable - F10 - reset After the initial setup and updates, install qemu agent plugin `os-qemu-guest-agent`
System > Firmware > Plugins --- ---
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# First login and basics * click through wizzard, keep mostly defaults * hostname, DNS use 8.8.8.8 and/or 1.1.1.1 * timezone and ntp server * WAN - DHCP , defaults * LAN - set network and mask, I prefer 10.0.X.1
maybe uncheck DHCP setup if you know you want to set dnsmasq later * root password * Update; Restart Afterwards you have a working router/firewall with WAN side and LAN side, Unbound for DNS and ISC or KEA for DHCP.
The default NAT and firewall enforces basic stuff. ### Some extra settings * If runnig in a hypervisor dont forget guest agent. ### Disable ipv6 To not see unnecessary options and info.
But at the time of writing there seems to be a bug that requires extra work. * `Interfaces: Settings`
Allow IPv6 - uncheck * `Interfaces: [WAN]`
IPv6 Configuration Type - None * `Interfaces: [LAN]`
IPv6 Configuration Type - None * Possibly in `Services` disable IPv6 in any and all DHCP services #### The bug When trying to disable IPv6 on LAN side you get - *"The DHCPv6 Server is active on this interface and it can be used only with a static IPv6 configuration. Please disable the DHCPv6 Server service on this interface first, then change the interface configuration"* Some bug prevents GUI from actually properly showing the real state or registering changes of unchecking... what's needed is deletion of ipv6 addresses on the loopback interface and then setting a static address on LAN interface. * `System: Settings: Administration`
enable SSH, enable root login, enable password login * SSH in and get to shell * `ifconfig | grep ::1` - check if the address is assigned * `ifconfig lo0 inet6 ::1 delete` - delete * `ifconfig lo0 inet6 fe80::1 delete` * `Interfaces: [LAN]`
IPv6 Configuration Type - Static IPv6 IPv6 address - `::1` / `128` * `Services: ISC DHCPv6: [LAN]`
Enable DHCPv6 server on LAN interface - uncheck Now we are able to set IPv6 to none on LAN. # Users Good practice is to create a new administrator user and disable the root account. * Add a new user - `System: Access: Users` * username ideally named sometething not common; password * Login shell - `/bin/sh` * Group membership - `admins` * Privileges - `All pages` If the user should also be able to SSH in and sudo * `System: Settings: Administration` * Secure Shell Server - Enable * Authentication Method - Permit password login * Sudo - `Ask password`; `wheel, admins` Now disable the login for the root. Be aware it will also disable console login not just webGUI. * `System: Access: Users` * root; edit; disable; save tip - when ssh or console in, `sudo su` will switch you to the root user that shows that custom menu # DHCP [Official docs](https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/dnsmasq.html) 2022 Internet Systems Consortium stopped development of ISC DHCPD that was widely used in favor of working on Kea DHCP.
Opnsense needed to make a decision what to use next as the default, Kea or dnsmasq. As of mid 2025, the default is still ISC and recommendatin from opnsense is for small and medium networks under 1000 devices, it is recommended to go with dnsmasq. For larger deployments its Kea. A simple **dnsmasq setup**. * Disable all other DHCP, check the dashboard for listed services.
* `Services: Dnsmasq DNS & DHCP`
General tab * Enable - check * Interfaces - select your LAN and VLANs interfaces on which dhcp should run * DNS Listening Port - `0` this disables the DNS functionality. * DHCP authoritative - check * DHCP register firewall rules - check * DHCP ranges tab * Add * set the interface * set the `Start address` and the `End address` * Lease time, I like 10 days - `864000` for small number of devices networks With dnsmasq theres also an option to pass leases to unbound DNS, [here's the setup](https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/dnsmasq.html#configuration-examples)

VLANs

 * [general info on vlans](https://github.com/DoTheEvo/selfhosted-apps-docker/blob/master/_knowledge-base/vlans.md) * [opnsense video](https://youtu.be/LMJeIUDlrHo) * [pfsense video but applicable](https://youtu.be/SsaGeXx2qh0) The basics Will be creating vlan for security cameras.
vlan tag will be `30`, the subnet will be `10.30.30.0/24` * `Interfaces: Devices: VLAN`
Create a VLAN * Device - leave empty, it will be generated, custom names require to follow a scheme * Parent - physical interface it is associated with * VLAN tag - the vlan tag, usually 20, 30, 40,... * VLAN priority - default * Description - purpose, for example cameras, or guest wifi * apply * Assign the new VLAN interfaces - `Interfaces: Assignments`
It should be listed at the bottom, you just put in description and add it * Enable and configure the new interface - `Interfaces: [vlan30cameras]` * enable it * IPv4 Configuration Type - Static IPv4 * IPv4 address, let's say `10.30.30.1/24`
really don't forget to change that 32 to 24 * apply * `Services: Dnsmasq DNS & DHCP : DHCP ranges`
Enable DHCP for the new VLANs * General > Interfaces - add vlans * DHCP ranges > Add * select the interface * Range - `10.30.30.50` to `10.30.30.200` * Save * in lobby dashboard Services - `Dnsmasq DNS/DHCP` should be running
If running opnsense as a virtual machine.
 ### xcpng If running opnsense as a VM under xcpng then vlans are presented as regular interfaces. Xcpng is doing tagging and untagging, for opnsense they are just NICs. * Assing them * Assign them static IPv4 address ### proxmox If nothing else runs on the proxmox just opnsense VM and proxmox itself does not need to be vlan aware - to have some other vm on specific vlan... then nothing really needs changing - lan wan interface, default vlan aware off, opnsense will be in charge. ### ESXI ![esxi](https://i.imgur.com/uvpF8KC.png) For VLAN aware devices on the network to get through * Edit the port group with the opnsense VM LAN interface and add VLAN ID = `4095`
This will allow all VLANs to get through For a virtual machine on that ESXI host should be on that VLAN * Add new port group, to the virtual switch that opnsense uses for LAN
Name = `vlan20`; VLAN ID = `20` Now you can edit a VM or create new one, set its Network Adapter to `vlan20` and it should get ip address from the vlan 20 dhcp pool. This is a good test if stuff works as it should before diving in to configuration of VLANs on switches.
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DNS - Unbound

 Build in DNS server, enabled by default, listening at port 53 Services: Unbound DNS: General
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Web GUI access from WAN side

 For example in cases where the only thing under protection of opnsense are some VMs on a hypervisor, but managment is easier done from the host.
Or if the risk is acceptabale,hoping random port, long password for a non-root user, and maybe some IP restrictios will be enough. - `pfctl -d` disables firewall and allows immediate web gui access on the WAN IP.
A restart of opnsense will always re-enable packet filtering - **be aware** it also disables NAT, so the machines on the LAN side wont be getting out, just so that you dont spend time troubleshooting that while pf is disabled. - Disable `Block private networks` in `Interfaces: [WAN]`. - Set up a firewall rule that allows WAN traffic in `Firewall: Rules: WAN`
Add new rule; everything is left default except the `Destination` is set to `This Firewall`.
Can also enable `Log packets that are handled by this rule` if use of this rule should be visible in `Firewall: Log Files: Live View`. - Turn on `Disable reply-to` in `Firewall: Settings: Advanced`,
otherwise connections made from the same network will not get through.
Some [read on this.](https://forum.opnsense.org/index.php?topic=15900.0) - Reboot.
Afterwards opnsense should be accessible on WAN IP, without the need for `pfctl -d`. For some harderining of security. * Change the default web gui port in `System: Settings: Administration`.
From `443` to something random in range of 1024-65k, something like 32179.
Afterwards to access opnsense the port must be added to the url `:32179` * Turn off `HTTP Redirect` in `System: Settings: Administration`.
This only allows https encrypted communication. * Create a new user; add to administrators; disable `root` user in `System: Access: Users`.
Brute forcing username and password is more difficult than brute force password for a known user `root`. * Adjust the firewall WAN rule to be more restrictive.
Instead of `source` being `any`, setting a specific single machine IP.
Either right in the rule with `Single host or Network` and `192.168.1.200/32`,
or setting up an alias in `Firewall: Aliases`, setting IP in the `Content` field
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Port fowarding and NAT reflection(hairpin/loopback)

 [source](https://forum.opnsense.org/index.php?topic=8783.0) ### NAT reflection When you write `a.example.com` in to your browser, you are asking a DNS server for an IP address. When selfhosting that `a.example.com` it will give you your own public IP, and most consumer routers don't allow this loopback, where your requests should go out and then right back.
So a solution for above-consumer-level routers/firewalls is to just have checkboxes about NAT reflection, also called hairpin NAT or a NAT loopback. `Firewall: Settings: Advanced` - Reflection for port forwards: `Enabled` - Reflection for 1:1: `Disabled` - Automatic outbound NAT for Reflection: `Enabled` *extra info:*
Many consider NAT reflection to be a hack that should not be used.
That the correct way is split DNS, where you maintain separate DNS records for LAN side so that `a.example.com` points directly to some local ip. Reason being that this way machines on LAN side that use FQDN(a.example.com) to access other machine on LAN are not hitting the firewall with traffic that goes between them. But IMO in small scale selfhosted setup its perfectly fine and it requires far less management. ### Port Forwarding: a host with IP 192.168.1.200, with port 3100 open TCP
want to port forward from the outside 3200 to 3100 - set up Aliases in `Firewall: Aliases`
- name: A short friendly name for the IP address you're aliasing. I'll call it "media-server" - type: Host(s) - Aliases: Input 192.168.1.200 - register the portforwarding in `Firewall: NAT: Port Forward`
- Interface: `WAN` - TCP/IP Version: `IPv4` - Protocol: `TCP` - Under `Source > Advanced`:
- Source / Invert: `Unchecked` - Source: `Any` - Source Port Range: `any to any` - Destination / Invert: `Unchecked` - Destination: `WAN address` - Destination Port range: `(other) 3200 to (other) 3200` - Redirect target IP: `Alias "media-server"` - Redirect target Port: `(other) 3100`
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Switch to https

 Not really needed. More like an exercise. But hey, its extra protection from someone snooping who is already on the LAN side I guess. ### on cloudflare * create dns record `fw.example.com` * get user ID - its in the url when you are on cloudflare dashboard, looks like 0122db3h3824893914169c9c4f919747f * in My Profile > Api Tokens > get Global API Key * in My Profile > Api Tokens > create token that looks [like this](https://i.imgur.com/pRelkUu.png) * zone/zone/read * zone/dns/edit * include all zones ### in opnsense acme plugin * download acme plugin * Services: ACME Client: Accounts - create account with your email where notifications about certs can go * Services: ACME Client: Challenge Types - create new dns challange with info you gathered from cloudflare, looks something [like this](https://i.imgur.com/bYZ6pTj.png) * Services: ACME Client: Certificates - create new certificate, stuff is just picked from the drop down menus, [looks like this](https://i.imgur.com/MC1kBCV.png) * now check logs if request went through on its own, or just click small icon to force renew the certificate, in logs in matter of a minute there should be some either success or fail ### in opnsense Services: Unbound DNS: General * add an override - so that the fw.example.com points to your local ip instead of going out, [looks like this](https://i.imgur.com/vqT9t3Y.png) ### in opnsense System: Settings: Administration * Alternate Hostnames - add your fw.example.com * SSL Certificate - pick from dropdown menu your certificate * apply changes * switch radio buttons at the top from http to https if its not already.
The previous steps should be done as opnsense will want to reload gui ### automatic renewal * `Services: ACME Client: Settings` - click tab - `Update Schedule`
opens `System: Settings: Cron` where renewal schedule in cron format is set
* everything is left default, only changing hours=`3` and months=`*/2`
this sets schedule to every other month at 3 after midnight. * cant tell yet if its working or not, got to wait few months and check now from local LAN side one can access web gui with https://fw.example.com and its an encrypted communication between the browser and the firewall
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Geoblock

 Lock out the entire world from your network, except for your own country. Great security benefits, but if you dont use [dns challenge](https://github.com/DoTheEvo/selfhosted-apps-docker/tree/master/caddy_v2#caddy-dns-challenge) you might have issues with https certificates renewal and other stuff that initiates connection from the outside. Following [the official documentation](https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/how-tos/maxmind_geo_ip.html) ### on maxmind.com * register account on [maxmind.com](https://www.maxmind.com/en/geolite2/signup), this will give access to info which IP ranges belong to which country * in the freshly created maxmind account generate new license and note accountID * in this url replace `AccountID` and `LicenseKey` with your info
`https://AccountID:LicenseKey@download.maxmind.com/geoip/databases/GeoLite2-Country-CSV/download?suffix=zip` * paste it in browser, if its working it should download zip file with the IP info ### in opnsense * Firewall: Aliases: GeoIP tab - paste the url, click apply
should see last update and range change to some values * switch to Aliases tab, create new geoip alias and select your own country
[something like this](https://i.imgur.com/vu2slRd.png) * Firewall: Rules: WAN - create new rule
block; source invert; source geoip alias we created; enable log packets that are handled by this rule; add description
[something like this](https://i.imgur.com/qi7sL9J.png) * move the new rule at the top of your rules, before any port opens Observe it in action in Firewall: Log Files: Live View If you host anything with a website **you can test** if its working by using opera build in vpn, or by using some [online web site testers](https://www.webpagetest.org/) or [port open checker](https://portchecker.co). Assuming you are not in the country from which these run their test.
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Wireguard

 [The official docs](https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/how-tos/wireguard-client.html) Tested this once, following [random](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuXvSkGy_as) video from 2025 and it just worked.
I am usually on wg-easy deployment in docker, but might start using this soon... * **new wireguard instance**
`VPN: WireGuard: Instances`
* Name - Wireguard1 * Generate new keys - gear icon * Listen port - 51820 * Tunnel address - 10.51.51.0/24 * save * **add peers** that will be connecting
`VPN: WireGuard: Peer generator`
* Name - roadwarrior1 * Allowed IPs - 10.0.0.0/24
this setting tells road warrior OS which IPs/subnet route through the tunnel. * DNS Servers - if want to use DNS at the other side of the tunnel * copy config, as it will be lost once saved * **Assign wireguard interface**
`Interfaces: Assignments` * should be at the bottom of the page, just add description * open it and enable it, no other changes * **Firewall rules** * `Firewall: Rules: WAN`
New rule - Pass | WAN | In | IPv4 | UDP | Destination - WAN address | Destination Port range - Other - 51820 to 51820 | Log | Description * `Firewall: Rules: wireguard1`
New rule - basicly all default and all pass
Pass | wireguard1 | In | IPv4 | Any | Destination - any | Port range - any | Description * **Normalization** - MSS clamping to prevent large frames
`Firewall: Settings: Normalization` * Add new rule * Interface - WireGuard (group) * direction - Any * Protocol - Any * Description * Max mss - 1360
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Snaposhots on ZFS

 [The official docs](https://docs.opnsense.org/manual/snapshots.html) are great. Boot process interupt key is space.
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Monitoring

 ### ARP table Interfaces: Diagnostics: ARP Table
### live view of connections Firewall: Log Files: Live View
Great tool to investigate settings and behavior with it's filter and autorefresh on/off and up to 20k last entries.
Must **enable logging** for a rule to be visible there. * checking out a specific firewall rule latest use
`label` `contains` `some string from the rules description`
* targeting specific ip on the LAN, for example docker host
`dst` `is` `192.168.19.200`
or ip address of a reverse proxy in docker, for me it was `10.36.44.8` * or specific port, like for minecraft port is 25565 * controlling for direction and understanding the concept - 🡪 IN means in to a firewall, 🡨 OUT means out of a firewall - the interfaces WAN/LAN, give the meaning to these IN/OUT directions - IN on LAN interface means traffic is leaving LAN and heading out through firewall - IN on WAN interface means traffic is coming in to - OUT on LAN means its leaving firewall and heading to LAN - OUT on WAN means its leaving firewall and heading to the WAN side ### checking traffic from a local device * `Firewall: Rules: LAN` * enable logging for the `Default allow LAN to any rule` * `Firewall: Log Files: Live View` * set interface to lan * set source for the desired ip
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Plugins

 [zenarmor](https://www.zenarmor.com/docs/guides/best-practices-for-zenarmor-deployment) * os-vnstat to have some general idea about traffic
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Grafana dashboard monitoring

 ![dashboard](https://i.imgur.com/SFd8773.png) [bsmithio/OPNsense-Dashboard](https://github.com/bsmithio/OPNsense-Dashboard) seems like amazingly well done thing that everyone would want.. if it was easy. Annoying thing is that I invested time and effort in to monitoring my [caddy reverse proxy](https://github.com/DoTheEvo/selfhosted-apps-docker/tree/master/caddy_v2#monitoring) and learning prometheus, loki, promtail,... and literaly the moment I was done I started to think about why not do that for firewall instead of reverse proxy and so I found now bsmithio project that uses completely different stack - mongo, elasticsearch, graylog, influxdb. Well, [the documentation](https://github.com/bsmithio/OPNsense-Dashboard/blob/master/configure.md) seems to be excelent so lets try this shit out. Though still I learn best by step by step documenting shit as I try it, and make adjustments to my prefernce... so lets try again here. ``` services: mongodb: image: mongo:6.0.4 container_name: opns-mongo hostname: opns-mongo restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env volumes: - ./mongodb_data:/data/db elasticsearch: image: docker.elastic.co/elasticsearch/elasticsearch-oss:7.10.2 container_name: opns-elasticsearch hostname: opns-elasticsearch restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env volumes: - ./elasticsearch_data:/usr/share/elasticsearch/data graylog: image: graylog/graylog:5.0.2 container_name: opns-graylog hostname: opns-graylog restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env volumes: - ./graylog_data:/usr/share/graylog/data depends_on: - mongodb - elasticsearch ports: - "9000:9000" # Graylog web interface and REST API - "1514:1514/udp" # Syslog UDP # - "1514:1514" # Syslog TCP Optional influxdb: image: influxdb:2.6.1 container_name: opns-influxdb hostname: opns-influxdb restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env ports: - "8086:8086" volumes: - ./influxdb_data:/var/lib/influxdb2 grafana: image: grafana/grafana:9.4.3 container_name: opns-grafana hostname: opns-grafana user: root restart: unless-stopped env_file: .env volumes: - ./grafana_data:/var/lib/grafana depends_on: - influxdb ports: - '3003:3000' networks: default: name: $DOCKER_MY_NETWORK external: true ``` ``` # GENERAL DOCKER_MY_NETWORK=caddy_net TZ=Europe/Bratislava # ELASTICSEARCH http.host=0.0.0.0 transport.host=localhost network.host=0.0.0.0 ES_JAVA_OPTS=-Xms512m -Xmx512m # GRAYLOG ROOT_TIMEZONE=Europe/Bratislava GRAYLOG_TIMEZONE=Europe/Bratislava # CHANGE ME (must be at least 16 characters)! This is not your password, this is meant for salting the password below. GRAYLOG_PASSWORD_SECRET=ZicwMzt3NTE4ZzIwM # Username is "admin" # Password is "admin", change this to your own hashed password. 'echo -n "password" | sha256sum' GRAYLOG_ROOT_PASSWORD_SHA2=8c6976e5b5410415bde908bd4dee15dfb167a9c873fc4bb8a81f6f2ab448a918 GRAYLOG_HTTP_EXTERNAL_URI=http://127.0.0.1:9000/ # GRAFANA GF_SECURITY_ADMIN_USER=opnsense GF_SECURITY_ADMIN_PASSWORD=opnsense # GF_INSTALL_PLUGINS=grafana-worldmap-panel ```
--- --- ### Extra info and encountered issues * Health check - `System: Firmware` Run an audit button, Health * got error notice:
*opnsense and PHP Startup: Unable to load dynamic library 'mongodb.so'*
seems its some remnant of zenarmor. [Heres](https://forum.opnsense.org/index.php?topic=29721.0) the talk on it.
`pkg list | grep mongo` to get exact package name.
`pkg remove php74-pecl-mongodb` to remove the package zenarmor that was disabled caused an error notification
links * [12 Ways to Secure Access to OPNsense and Your Home Network](https://homenetworkguy.com/how-to/ways-to-secure-access-to-opnsense-and-your-home-network/) * [Beginner's Guide to Set Up a Home Network Using OPNsense](https://homenetworkguy.com/how-to/beginners-guide-to-set-up-home-network-using-opnsense/) * [M920q Router](https://github.com/ianhaddock/m920q-router) * [redirect-all-dns-requests-to-local-dns-resolver](https://homenetworkguy.com/how-to/redirect-all-dns-requests-to-local-dns-resolver/)