pfsense router

[TheBean]

I have heard many people talk about a pfsense router. what exactly is one?

I heard that you can replace your isp provided gateway and use a pfsense router instead. is that true? if so, how do I do that with at&t gateways?

[brwainer]

1 hour ago, Saksham said:

I have heard many people talk about a pfsense router. what exactly is one?

I heard that you can replace your isp provided gateway and use a pfsense router instead. is that true? if so, how do I do that with at&t gateways?

PFSense is an open source router OS/software that can be run on mainly x86 systems. You can buy it as a dedicated appliance from NetGate, the company that does the primary development of PFSense. You can also buy custom x86 computers that have multiple ethernet interfaces that are designed to be a router (with PFSense or otherwise), or you can install PFSense on any old computer or as a VM in a hypervisor.

 

PFSense does great as a router or firewall - but "router" in this case is in the true meaning of the term. A device that has wireless and a LAN switch built in is more properly called a "SOHO Router" (Small Office / Home Office). Some of the NetGate appliances include an ethernet switch but none include wireless - in fact wireless support in PFSense is almost nonexistant, so a PFSense router is best used in conjunction with an AP, or a router that has been turned into an AP by disabling its DHCP server and only using the LAN ports.

 

By "AT&T gateway" I am assuming you have a all-in-one box that combines a DSL Modem, a router, and wireless. This type of unit can commonly be turned into a modem only by putting it into "Bridge" mode, thus allowing you to use your own router - but you also have to replace the wireless as well, either by using a SOHO router or a router+AP.

 

If instead you have AT&T fiber service then your gateway likely gets its internet from an external ONT by either ethernet or MoCA over Coax. If its Ethernet, then you can likely replace the gateway outright (unless you have TV service over the fiber because then the gateway is providing internet access to your STB/DVR over MoCA). If its MoCA, then you need to find out if they can change your ONT to ethernet,

[Donut417]

9 hours ago, brwainer said:

from an external ONT by either ethernet or MoCA over Coax

No from what I read AT&T uses some god awful gateway which is difficult to bypass on their fiber service. They cant be nice like Verizon and Comcast and use an external ONT with Ethernet or Coax ports, or in the case of Comcast Ethernet and SFP+ ports. 

[TheBean]

@Donut417 @brwainer i do not have fibre service. I have dsl connection with the bgw210 router/modem combo. 

[Donut417]

7 hours ago, Saksham said:

@Donut417 @brwainer i do not have fibre service. I have dsl connection with the bgw210 router/modem combo. 

In that case you still need a DSL modem, then you run that in to the PFsense box. Im not an AT&T sub and I dont know what their modem policy is. 

[TheBean]

2 hours ago, Donut417 said:

In that case you still need a DSL modem, then you run that in to the PFsense box. Im not an AT&T sub and I dont know what their modem policy is. 

in that case it just becomes a regular router then? it cant replace the modem right?

[brwainer]

1 minute ago, Saksham said:

in that case it just becomes a regular router then? it cant replace the modem right?

That is correct, PFSense cannot perform the functions of a modem, as there is no hardware that would allow that. The modem/router unit you have now may be able to be set to bridge mode which makes it just act as a modem, or you can ask your ISP (there’s probably a page on their website that Google can help you find) what modem-only units they support.

[Donut417]

8 hours ago, Saksham said:

it cant replace the modem right?

Like I said. I dont know AT&T's modem policy. I have Xfinity and I own my own modem. I refuse to use their piece of shit box.