Common pfSense Issues and Solutions

• Verify that you're using the correct IP address
• Check if the management interface is assigned correctly
• Ensure that your computer is on the same subnet as pfSense's LAN interface
• Try accessing via HTTPS instead of HTTP
• Check if the webConfigurator service is running:

  service lighttpd status

• Verify WAN interface settings (DHCP, Static IP, PPPoE)
• Check DNS settings under System > General Setup
• Ensure NAT is enabled under Firewall > NAT
• Check for conflicting firewall rules
• Verify gateway settings under System > Routing

• Check CPU and memory usage under Status > System
• Disable hardware offloading if using incompatible NICs
• Adjust MTU settings for WAN and LAN interfaces
• Verify that State Table size is appropriate for your hardware
• Consider upgrading hardware if consistently at capacity

• Identify resource-intensive services using top command in shell
• Disable unnecessary packages or services
• Adjust Firewall Maximum States setting
• Check for and block potential DDoS attacks
• Consider hardware upgrades if consistently at capacity

• Verify firewall rules allow OpenVPN traffic
• Check OpenVPN server and client configurations match
• Ensure correct certificates are being used
• Try different encryption settings
• Check OpenVPN logs for specific error messages:

  cat /var/log/openvpn.log

• Verify Phase 1 and Phase 2 settings match on both ends
• Check firewall rules allow IPsec traffic (ESP, IKE)
• Ensure NAT-T is enabled if behind NAT
• Verify pre-shared keys or certificates
• Check IPsec logs for specific errors:

  cat /var/log/ipsec.log

• Verify DNS servers are correctly set under System > General Setup
• Check if DNS Resolver or DNS Forwarder is enabled and configured correctly
• Ensure firewall rules allow outbound DNS traffic
• Try using different DNS servers (e.g., 8.8.8.8, 1.1.1.1)
• Check DNS Resolver logs:

  cat /var/log/resolver.log

• Ensure your pfSense has a valid internet connection
• Check available disk space under Status > System
• Try updating via console if web update fails
• Verify update settings under System > Update
• Check update logs for specific errors:

  cat /var/log/system.log | grep update

• Verify internet connectivity and DNS resolution
• Check available disk space under Status > System
• Ensure pfSense version is compatible with desired package
• Try reinstalling the package
• Check package logs for specific errors:

  cat /var/log/pkg.log

• Verify physical connections and cable integrity
• Check if NICs are recognized under Interfaces > Assignments
• Try disabling hardware offloading under System > Advanced > Networking
• Update NIC drivers if possible
• Check system logs for NIC-related errors:

  cat /var/log/system.log | grep em

• Review firewall rules under Firewall > Rules
• Check the firewall logs under Status > System Logs, Firewall tab
• Temporarily disable rules to isolate the issue
• Verify that rules are in the correct order (remember, first match wins)
• Use packet capture to analyze traffic:

  tcpdump -i igb0 host 192.168.1.100

Conclusion

This guide covers some of the most common issues you might encounter while using pfSense.
Remember, thorough logging and systematic troubleshooting are key to resolving complex networking issues.
If you're still facing problems after trying these solutions, consider seeking help from the pfSense community forums or professional support.

For more advanced pfSense topics, check out our other guides:

• Pfsense Emergency Reinstall
• Advanced Routing in pfSense
• pfSense High Availability Setup
• Setting up VPNs with pfSense