pfSense CE · Firewall Rules · NAT · DHCP · Routing · VMware · Network Troubleshooting
This project demonstrates the full deployment and configuration of a pfSense firewall in an isolated virtual environment.
It simulates a real enterprise network with WAN/LAN segmentation, DHCP, NAT, and firewall rules — including a real troubleshooting scenario diagnosed and resolved during the lab, directly applicable to Network Administrator, IT Support, and Junior Sysadmin roles.
Internet (WAN)
|
[pfSense CE Firewall]
|
LAN — 192.168.56.0/24
|
Windows 10 Client
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Firewall | pfSense CE |
| Client Machine | Windows 10 |
| WAN Interface | NAT — Internet access |
| LAN Interface | Host-only — 192.168.56.1/24 |
| Virtualization | VMware Workstation |
pfSense CE · Firewall Rules · NAT · DHCP · Routing · VMware Workstation · Windows 10 · DNS (8.8.8.8)
Lab
├── Part 1 — Installation & Interface Configuration
├── Part 2 — System Initialization (Console)
├── Part 3 — Web Interface & Service Configuration
├── Part 4 — Firewall & NAT Configuration
└── Part 5 — Connectivity Validation + Troubleshooting
Deployed pfSense CE on VMware and configured both network interfaces:
| Interface | Type | IP Address |
|---|---|---|
| WAN | DHCP (NAT) | Assigned automatically |
| LAN | Static | 192.168.56.1 / 255.255.255.0 |
📸 Screen 1 — pfSense installer running on virtual machine
📸 Screen 2 — WAN interface selection
📸 Screen 3 — LAN static IP configuration
📸 Screen 4 — Installation completed successfully
Verified system readiness and interface status via pfSense console:
- WAN: active via DHCP
- LAN:
192.168.56.1— operational
📸 Screen 5 — pfSense console with active interfaces
Accessed pfSense dashboard via https://192.168.56.1 and configured core services:
| Service | Configuration |
|---|---|
| DHCP | Enabled on LAN — Range: 192.168.56.100 to 192.168.56.200 |
| Dashboard | Accessible and operational |
📸 Screen 6 — pfSense web dashboard
📸 Screen 7 — DHCP service configuration
Applied LAN outbound rule to enable controlled internet access:
- Rule: Allow LAN → Any (outbound traffic)
- NAT: Configured for WAN masquerading
📸 Screen 8 — Firewall rules applied on LAN interface
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
Ping 8.8.8.8 from client |
✅ Pass |
| Internet access from Windows 10 | ✅ Pass |
| DHCP lease assigned to client | ✅ Pass |
📸 Screen 9 — Client connectivity test (ping 8.8.8.8)
A connectivity issue was encountered and resolved during the lab:
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Issue | Client machine could not access the internet |
| Root Cause | Missing default gateway configuration on the client |
| Fix Applied | Manually set Gateway: 192.168.56.1 — DNS: 8.8.8.8 |
| Result | ✅ Full connectivity restored |
This troubleshooting scenario reflects real-world diagnostic and problem-solving skills.
- Deployed and fully configured a pfSense CE firewall from scratch
- Implemented WAN/LAN network segmentation with NAT
- Configured DHCP service with defined IP address pool
- Applied firewall rules for controlled outbound traffic
- Diagnosed and resolved a real network connectivity issue
- Validated end-to-end communication from client to internet
| Category | Skills |
|---|---|
| Network Security | Firewall rule management, pfSense CE, traffic filtering |
| Network Services | NAT, DHCP, Routing, DNS |
| Troubleshooting | Root cause analysis, gateway/DNS configuration |
| Virtualization | VMware Workstation, VM network design |
This project directly demonstrates skills required for:
- Network Administrator
- IT Support Technician
- Junior System Administrator
Lab built in an isolated VMware environment — all configurations documented with screenshots and test results.