Techs and Me: How to install and setup PFSense Server via VirtualBox

PFSense

pfSense is a free and open source firewall and router that also features unified threat management, load balancing, multi WAN, and more. -https://www.pfsense.org-

Follow these step on how to setup PFSense 2.3 server with captive portal

First thing you need to prepare.

Desktop / Laptop (Need atleast 1GB RAM)
Virtualbox installed
2 LAN Ports (You can use your built-in LAN Port for LAN1)
1 Router/Switch (In my Tutorial I used Tenda router for Captive Portal)
Extra Ethernet cable for the router.
Download PFSense ISO

Step 1
Create virtual machine for PFSense server
>Open Virtualbox then Click NEW button
Name: PFSense-Test
Type: BSD
Version: FreeBSD (32-bit/64-bit)
Memory Size: 946MB (it depends on you but not less than 512)

Step 2
>Set File size (Recommended: 20gb and above)
Hard disk file type: Select VDI (VirtualBox Disk Image)
Storage on Physical hard disk: Select Dynamically allocated

Step 3
Select your VM Name then Click Settings

>Go to System
>Uncheck Floppy

Step 4

>Go to Storage

>Click Empty

>Click Disk Icon

>Click Choose Virtual Optical Disk file and find the PFSense ISO file.

Step 5
>Go to Audio
>Uncheck Enable Audio

Step 6
>Go to Network
>Click Adapter 1
>Check Enable Network Adapter
Attached to: Bridged Adapter
Name: [Chose your LAN1(Device name) for WAN]

Step 7
>Go to Adapter 2
>Check Enable Network Adapter
Attached to: Bridged Adapter
Name: [Chose your LAN2(Device name) for LAN]

Step 8

>Go to USB

>Uncheck Enable USB controller
Click OK button

>Click Start button to Startup PFSense server.

Step 9

Install PFSense Server and configure.

>Press #1 - (Boot Multi user).

Step 10

>Press I key to install PFSense and wait.

Step 11
>Select Accept these Settings.

Step 12
>Select Quick/Easy Install.

After installation
>Press Enter / Select Reboot.

Note: While rebooting you need to force unmount immediately the PFSense ISO or you can pause the VM State and force unmount ISO to avoid reinstallation/boot error

Step 13
>Go to Devices
>Optical Drives
>Click your PFSense ISO to unmount

>Click Force Unmount

Step 14
>Wait for PFSense starting and configuring until the PFSense Menu will appear.

>Press #1 to enter the Assign Interfaces

Step 15
>Check the mac address of em0 and em1, see Step 6 and Step 7.
>Should VLAN's be set up now [y|n]? n
>Type em0 for WAN

Step 16
>Type em1 for LAN
>Do you want to proceed [y|n]? y

Step 17
Select Set interface(s) IP address
>Enter an option: 2
>Now select #2 to set LAN (em1 - Static) - This is your PFSense server IP address.
>Enter the number of the interface you wish to configure: 2
>Enter the new LAN IPv4 address. Press for none: 192.168.2.1 (you can chose you want)

Step 14
>Enter the new LAN IPv4 subnet bit count (1 to 31): 24
>Do you want to enable the DHCP server on LAN? (y/n) y
>Enter the start address of the IPv4 client address range: 192.168.2.100
>Enter the end address of the IPv4 client address range: 192.168.2.254
>Do you want to revert to HTTP as the webConfigurator protocol? (y/n) n