How to Migrate from pfSense to OPNsense? - zenarmor.com (2024)

If you're a network administrator or IT enthusiast, chances are you've encountered pfSense, a popular open-source firewall software. However, for various reasons, you might be considering a switch to OPNsense, another open-source firewall solution.

pfSense and OPNsense are both popular open-source firewall software packages. pfSense is the older of the two, and it has a larger community and more support resources. However, OPNsense is a newer project that is gaining popularity due to its focus on security and performance. While both pfSense and OPNsense share similarities in terms of features and capabilities, there are several financial advantages of using OPNsense over pfSense.

If you're considering transitioning from pfSense to OPNsense, you'll be pleased to know that configuring OPNsense is straightforward and user-friendly. In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through the process of configuring various features in OPNsense, illustrating just how easy it can be.

The following steps provide a comprehensive guide for transitioning from pfSense software to OPNsense and configuring various network features and services on OPNsense. Transitioning from pfSense software to OPNsense may seem daunting, but with this guide, you can see how easy it is to configure key features such as network interfaces, firewall rules, NAT port forwarding, WireGuard VPN, and Zenarmor NGFW. With OPNsense's user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, you'll have your network up and running in no time. Enjoy the enhanced security and functionality OPNsense has to offer!

1. Interface Configuration​

One of the initial steps you'll want to take when configuring OPNsense is setting up your network interfaces. Here's how to do it:

1. Access the OPNsense web interface.
2. Navigate to the Interfaces menu.
3. Assign a physical interface by clicking Assignments.
4. Enter a description (e.g., "DMZ Network") and click Add and Save.
5. Configure the interface settings, such as "Static IPv4" and address range.
6. Click Save and Apply changes to create your first interface.
7. To create VLANs, go to "Other Types" and click on "VLAN".
8. Select a parent interface and enter a VLAN tag and description.
9. Click Save and then Apply.
10. Assign the VLAN interface just like a physical one.
11. Configure the VLAN interface settings and apply changes.

2. Firewall Rule Configuration​

Configuring firewall rules is crucial for safeguarding access to different parts of your network. While specific rule configurations depend on your security requirements, let's create a firewall rule:

1. Navigate to Firewall → Rules.
2. Select an interface (e.g., "guest" interface).
3. Click "Add" to create a new rule with the "pass" action.
4. Configure the source, destination, and description.
5. Click "Save" and "Apply Changes".

3. NAT Port Forwarding Configuration​

OPNsense comes with NAT (Network Address Translation) firewall capabilities. Here's how you can set up NAT port forwarding:

1. Go to the Firewall → NAT → Port Forward page.
2. Click "Add" and select the WAN interface.
3. Configure protocol, destination, port range, and redirect target.
4. Choose "Add Associated Filter Rule" and select "Pass" if needed.
5. Click Save and Apply Changes to create a NAT port forward rule.

4. WireGuard VPN Configuration​

For secure network access, you might want to set up a VPN server using WireGuard. Here's a step-by-step WireGuard installation and configuration tutorial:

1. Install the WireGuard plugin from the "System → Firmware → Plugins" page.
2. Go to the "VPN" menu and select the WireGuard page.
3. Click "Add" to create a new WireGuard instance.
4. Enter a name and other details, and click "Save".
5. Configure peers and select those with access.
6. Enable WireGuard and click "Apply" to set up the VPN.

5. Zenarmor NGFW Installation and Initial Configuration​

If you're migrating from pfSense and used the pfBlockerNG plugin or Zenarmor, here's how to install and configure Zenarmor on OPNsense:

1. Install Zenarmor via the OPNsense web interface by navigating to the "System → Firmware → Plugins" page and add the third-party repository os-sunnyvalley for Zenarmor.
2. Search for and install "os-sensei" plugin.
3. Access the Zenarmor configuration wizard.
4. Agree to the terms, check hardware compatibility, and proceed.
5. Choose a database for reporting and install it (Elasticsearch, MongoDB, or SQLite).
6. Select the deployment mode (native or emulated).
7. Choose the interfaces to protect with Zenarmor.
8. Activate your subscription if you have one, or choose the free version.
9. Finish the setup and refresh the page.
10. Configure policies on the "Policies" page to customize your network protection.

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