Install pfSense on VMware ESXI 7 (Standalone ESXI)

Install pfSense on VMware ESXI 7 and configure Vlans, firewall rules and install open VM tools. in this video we will focus on the installation process on a standalone ESXI server.

Our recommendation is simple, don't wait! Install pfSense on VMware ESXI 7 and take your network security to the next level. With pfSense your options are almost endless from IPS to adblocking. If you are already using VMware ESXI, go ahead and Install pfSense on VMware ESXI 7, you'll thank us!

pfSense is a firewall/router computer software distribution based on FreeBSD. pfSense Community Edition (CE) is the partially open source version while pfSense Plus has moved to a closed source model. It is installed on a physical computer or a virtual machine to make a dedicated firewall/router for a network. It can be configured and upgraded through a web-based interface, and requires no knowledge of the underlying FreeBSD system to manage.

Installing pfSense on VMware ESXI 7 is not only really easy, it is also a great path for a robust home or office network and when configured correctly, the pfsense virtual machine can even be migrated (vmotion) if needed without loosing a single packet.

Although Installing pfSense on VMware ESXI 7 is almost similar to installing it on previous version of VMware ESXI, there are still several changes we need to keep our eye on. in pfSense 2.5 upwards, the underlying FreeBSD version has been upgraded to version 12.

#VMware #vSphere #pfSense

Video Index:
0:00 intro
1:00 Prerequisites
3:40 ESXI Configurations
7:42 Create pfSense VM
11:00 Post Install Configurations
14:45 Launch pfSense Initial Wizard
17:15 Create Vlans in pfSense
22:10 Create Firewall Rules in pfSense
26:30 Install Open VM Tools
27:25 Summary

[TechMeOut]

*Are you running pfSense as virtual machine? let us know in the comments*

[hottroddinn]

Thank you SO MUCH for such a simple video! I don't know why I was struggling so much to get some good written documentation. Considering my networking skills is rusty, I was extremely apprehensive. Also, just the interface setup was getting messed up for some reason. I started out fresh with 2.6.0 and followed your guide and I am ready to rock already! I hope to put my lab to good use from now. Thank you again!!!

[jdfire]

I don't know how much I can thank you!! I've been through hell configuring pfSense for the past 2 days. I had everything working when I had just one router. My layout was
ISP Modem -> VMWare ESXI -> pfSense (running as VM on VMWare ESXI) -> Router (in Access Point mode)
The moment I introduced a second router, I think I messed up a lot of the settings trying to give the second router an internet connection. I ended up having both routers act finicky where the internet was slow or completely stopped working. For some reason, my VMWare ESXI ended up receiving an IP address from pfSense (the VM running on itself) when it's supposed to get one from the ISP modem. So I ended up losing access to the web GUI for both pfSense and VMWare ESXI. It's VERY frustrating when something like that happens and your entire household requires an internet connection. I had to spend MANY hours resetting VMWare ESXI's network configuration just so that I can log in and delete pfSense. After deleting pfSense, I watched your tutorial as I can't find another one that has a similar setup as mine. Your tutorial has helped me understand how to set things up properly and understand the connection between a Port Group and a Virtual Switch (on VMWare ESXI). I'm so glad you explained about VLANs because I thought I had to enable that on my router. I ended up wasting a lot of time trying to configure my router's VLAN to connect with pfSense. I NOW understand how VLANs work with VMWare ESXI and how to set it up along with some firewall rules. Now when I wake up in the morning, I'm going to see if I can add another router as a second LAN to pfSense to facilitate a guest network. Even if that ends up not working, I don't really care as I'm just so happy that I can have at least one router in access point mode and VLANs working without any issue. Thank you so much!!

[renzjerromedelvalle]

Out of all youtube videos regarding installing pfsense in esxi, this is the most well explained. Thank you!

[bryansteele]

Wow, Thanks! I finally got it working. The hardest part is understanding the ESXI network interfaces and how they work (of course if you are new to ESXI). I just used the default VM Network & vSwitch0 as my LAN switch and port group, for now. will work with some VLANS once, I am complete. Using this to run my whole house, wifi and lab, so I still have to keep security in mind.

[shatteredmatrixincorporate]

Didn't realized I needed to put the lan leg of PFSENSE into trunk mode in addition to my phys switch port. Thanks man.

[sinaiyema-osango]

I had a big problem for that aspect of making my VLANS passing-through trunk, and i think your video solved it ! Thank you very very very much man.

[kroy]

Thank you very much for this video. I've been looking everywhere for a few days on how to setup a firewall like an appliance on ESXi, using my ISP and physical LAN and using VLANs from my Cisco switch. I'm installing Palo Alto VM (for work training), but will look to do pfSense also. This is so helpful and just what I needed. Thanks again!

[thomasfaust]

Thanks for the video. I configured the crap out of my pfsense and Unifi AC for days, just to see the VLAN 4095 "trick" in this video. Awesome. Keep it coming.

[MatteoMartini]

You are TOP. Thanks a lot. I was lost with my first installation of ESXi and you helped me out. THANKS!

[zippi]

Well done!
Waiting for more videos on pfSense on ESXi 7!
Thank you!

[GeckoTDFarg]

Thank you very much I was not able to understand the portgroup for VLAN, and the taggin.

[johnstechworld]

Very well demonstrated and explained! Good work!

[ishanshah]

Excellent Video... helped me a lot !! Thanks..

[kassosouleymane]

The only thing i didn’t understand, it’s when you said you will connecte the ips to a physical exsi server…. How please?

[Shakeel_]

Thanks for the video. I don't have any external switch. I have VM's tagged with vlans and one VM untagged. all of them get IP via DHCP from pfsense VM. only untagged VM has internet access, tagged VM's have the IP from pfsense but no internet traffic.

[gee_training]

wonder full video... thanks a lot for such a good video., explained very nicely

[daveher]

great video. btw, pls explain why you setup LAN port group? doesn't appear to connect to anything. You are only using ALL + ISP for your two NICs? what do you use the LAN port group for?

[Portpirietunes]

5:13 Add standard virtual switch. I am missing the uplink 1 option, do I need more Physical adapters?

[derekowusubekoe]

How were you able to make all the vmnic work show up and active. I have a desktop machine

processor: i5
cpu: 3.2GHz
ram: 32BG
nic1: Realtek (connected and active)
nic2: Intel (connected and active)

with esxi 6.5 installed. When I try to create a virtual switch and connect to another physical nic, I get the message, "There is no freww physcal adapters to attach to this virtual switch" Please assist. Thanks.