OPNsense is an open-source, easy-to-use, and easy-to-build FreeBSD-based firewall and routing platform. It includes most of the features available in expensive commercial firewalls, and more in many cases. OPNsense is a fork of pfSense and m0n0wall.
- Firewall: Stateful firewall with support for IPv4 and IPv6.
- Routing: Static and dynamic routing with support for OSPF, BGP, and RIP.
- VPN: Support for IPsec, OpenVPN, and PPTP.
- Proxy: Web proxy with content filtering and antivirus capabilities.
- IDS/IPS: Intrusion Detection and Prevention System using Suricata.
- Traffic Shaping: Bandwidth management and Quality of Service (QoS).
- High Availability: CARP, pfsync, and configuration synchronization.
- Reporting and Monitoring: Real-time and historical traffic analysis.
- Download the OPNsense ISO from the official website.
- Create a bootable USB drive using tools like Rufus or Etcher.
- Boot from the USB drive and follow the installation wizard.
- Configure the basic settings such as LAN and WAN interfaces.
After installation, you can access the OPNsense web interface via the LAN IP address. The default username is root and the password is opnsense. It is recommended to change the default password immediately.
- Wizard: Follow the initial setup wizard to configure the basic settings.
- Interfaces: Assign and configure LAN, WAN, and optional interfaces.
- Firewall Rules: Create firewall rules to control traffic flow.
- NAT: Configure Network Address Translation for your network.
- VPN Setup: Configure IPsec or OpenVPN for secure remote access.
- IDS/IPS: Enable and configure Suricata for intrusion detection and prevention.
- Traffic Shaping: Set up traffic shaping rules to manage bandwidth.
¶ Maintenance
- Updates: Regularly check for and install updates to keep the system secure.
- Backups: Create and manage configuration backups.
- Logs: Monitor system logs for any unusual activity.
OPNsense is a powerful and flexible firewall and routing platform suitable for both small and large networks. Its open-source nature and active community support make it a great choice for network security.