# pfSense Documentation - Firewall and VPN Setup Guides

> pfSense documentation - installation, firewall rules, NAT, VPN (IPsec, OpenVPN, WireGuard), Wazuh integration, packages, and security best practices

Source: https://opennix.org/en/docs/pfsense/


pfSense is an open-source firewall and router based on FreeBSD, used for perimeter security, NAT, VPN (IPsec, OpenVPN, WireGuard), and network segmentation. This documentation covers installing, configuring, and administering pfSense and is written for experienced network administrators, including those migrating from Cisco ASA, FortiGate, and MikroTik.

## Sections

### Installation and Upgrading

- [System Requirements](/docs/pfsense/installation/pfsense-system-requirements/) - minimum and recommended hardware, virtualization compatibility
- [Installation Guide](/docs/pfsense/installation/pfsense-installation-guide/) - step-by-step installation from media preparation to initial setup
- [Upgrading pfSense](/docs/pfsense/installation/pfsense-upgrading/) - version upgrades, backup, and rollback procedures

### Firewall

- [Firewall Rules](/docs/pfsense/firewall/pfsense-firewall-rules/) - rule creation, processing order, floating rules, state tracking
- [Aliases](/docs/pfsense/firewall/pfsense-firewall-aliases/) - grouping hosts, networks, ports, and URL tables
- [Schedules](/docs/pfsense/firewall/pfsense-firewall-schedules/) - time-based rule activation and deactivation
- [Best Practices](/docs/pfsense/firewall/pfsense-firewall-best-practices/) - rule organization, common mistakes, migration from other platforms

### NAT

- [Port Forwarding](/docs/pfsense/nat/pfsense-port-forwarding/) - redirecting inbound traffic to internal servers
- [1:1 NAT](/docs/pfsense/nat/pfsense-one-to-one-nat/) - bidirectional static address translation
- [Outbound NAT](/docs/pfsense/nat/pfsense-outbound-nat/) - automatic, hybrid, and manual modes

### VPN

- [IPsec Site-to-Site](/docs/pfsense/vpn/ipsec/pfsense-ipsec-site-to-site/) - inter-site tunnels, connecting to third-party equipment
- [IPsec Mobile Clients](/docs/pfsense/vpn/ipsec/pfsense-ipsec-mobile-clients/) - IKEv2 VPN for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android
- [IPsec Troubleshooting](/docs/pfsense/vpn/ipsec/pfsense-ipsec-troubleshooting/) - log analysis, common Phase 1 and Phase 2 errors
- [OpenVPN Remote Access](/docs/pfsense/vpn/openvpn/pfsense-openvpn-remote-access/) - VPN server for remote workers
- [OpenVPN Site-to-Site](/docs/pfsense/vpn/openvpn/pfsense-openvpn-site-to-site/) - SSL VPN tunnels between offices
- [OpenVPN Client Export](/docs/pfsense/vpn/openvpn/pfsense-openvpn-client-export/) - generating client configs and installers
- [WireGuard VPN](/docs/pfsense/vpn/wireguard/pfsense-wireguard-setup/) - tunnel setup and client configuration

### Routing and Networking

- [Static Routes](/docs/pfsense/routing/pfsense-static-routes/) - configuring static routes and gateways
- [Policy Routing](/docs/pfsense/routing/pfsense-policy-routing/) - policy-based routing through firewall rules
- [VLANs](/docs/pfsense/vlans/pfsense-vlan-setup/) - creating VLANs, trunk configuration, and inter-VLAN routing
- [Multi-WAN Load Balancing](/docs/pfsense/multi-wan/pfsense-multi-wan-load-balancing/) - distributing traffic across ISPs
- [Multi-WAN Failover](/docs/pfsense/multi-wan/pfsense-multi-wan-failover/) - automatic switchover on link failure

### High Availability

- [CARP and Virtual IPs](/docs/pfsense/high-availability/pfsense-carp-setup/) - HA cluster with CARP
- [Configuration Sync](/docs/pfsense/high-availability/pfsense-config-sync/) - XMLRPC sync and pfsync between nodes
- [Failover Scenarios](/docs/pfsense/high-availability/pfsense-failover-scenarios/) - designing HA clusters for different topologies

### Traffic Management

- [Limiters](/docs/pfsense/traffic-shaper/pfsense-limiters/) - per-IP and per-subnet bandwidth limiting
- [Traffic Shaper Wizard](/docs/pfsense/traffic-shaper/pfsense-shaper-wizards/) - QoS setup via wizards and manual configuration

### Services

- [DHCP Server](/docs/pfsense/services/pfsense-dhcp/) - DHCP server configuration, static mappings, and DHCP Relay
- [DNS (Resolver and Forwarder)](/docs/pfsense/services/pfsense-dns/) - Unbound DNS Resolver, DNS Forwarder, and host overrides
- [Dynamic DNS](/docs/pfsense/services/pfsense-dynamic-dns/) - updating DNS records with dynamic WAN addresses
- [NTP Server](/docs/pfsense/services/pfsense-ntp/) - time synchronization for network devices

### Management and Security

- [Certificates](/docs/pfsense/certificates/pfsense-certificate-management/) - CA management, certificates, and ACME/Let's Encrypt
- [Users and Authentication](/docs/pfsense/users/pfsense-user-management/) - local users, LDAP, RADIUS
- [Backup and Recovery](/docs/pfsense/backup/pfsense-backup-recovery/) - configuration backup, restore, and AutoConfigBackup

### Monitoring

- [Monitoring Graphs](/docs/pfsense/monitoring/pfsense-monitoring-graphs/) - RRD graphs, traffic, system resources
- [System Logs](/docs/pfsense/monitoring/pfsense-system-logs/) - log management, remote syslog, filtering
- [Diagnostics Tools](/docs/pfsense/monitoring/pfsense-diagnostics/) - ping, traceroute, packet capture, pfInfo

### Packages and Extensions

- [Package Management](/docs/pfsense/packages/pfsense-package-management/) - installing, updating, and removing packages
- [Suricata IDS/IPS](/docs/pfsense/packages/pfsense-suricata/) - intrusion detection and prevention system
- [pfBlockerNG](/docs/pfsense/packages/pfsense-pfblockerng/) - IP and DNS blocking, GeoIP filtering
- [HAProxy](/docs/pfsense/packages/pfsense-haproxy/) - reverse proxy and load balancing

### Network Interfaces and Protocols

- [Interface Types](/docs/pfsense/interfaces/pfsense-interface-types/) - PPPoE, GRE, GIF, LAGG, QinQ, and wireless
- [Bridging](/docs/pfsense/bridging/pfsense-bridge-setup/) - network bridges and transparent firewall
- [Captive Portal](/docs/pfsense/captive-portal/pfsense-captive-portal-setup/) - authentication portal for guest networks
- [IPv6](/docs/pfsense/ipv6/pfsense-ipv6-setup/) - IPv6 configuration, dual-stack, DHCPv6, SLAAC, and NPt

### Virtualization and Operations

- [Virtualization](/docs/pfsense/virtualization/pfsense-virtualization-guide/) - ESXi, Proxmox, Hyper-V, KVM, and cloud platforms
- [Troubleshooting](/docs/pfsense/troubleshooting/pfsense-general-troubleshooting/) - systematic diagnostics and common issue resolution
- [Configuration Recipes](/docs/pfsense/recipes/pfsense-common-recipes/) - ready-made scenarios for common tasks

### System Configuration

- [General Settings](/docs/pfsense/configuration/pfsense-general-settings/) - hostname, DNS, timezone, UI theme
- [Advanced Settings](/docs/pfsense/configuration/pfsense-advanced-settings/) - Admin Access, Firewall/NAT, networking, notifications
- [Console Access](/docs/pfsense/configuration/pfsense-console-access/) - console, SSH, access recovery
- [Wireless](/docs/pfsense/wireless/pfsense-wireless-setup/) - access point, WPA2/WPA3, multiple SSIDs

### Development and Automation

- [API and Automation](/docs/pfsense/development/pfsense-api-automation/) - REST API, Ansible, Terraform, xmlrpc
- [Custom Scripts](/docs/pfsense/development/pfsense-custom-scripts/) - shellcmd, cron, PHP scripts, startup commands
- [Package Development](/docs/pfsense/development/pfsense-package-development/) - package structure, XML manifest, FreeBSD ports
- [Building pfSense](/docs/pfsense/development/pfsense-building-from-source/) - building from source, System Patches, pull requests

### Reference Materials

- [Menu Guide](/docs/pfsense/menu-guide/pfsense-menu-reference/) - complete web GUI menu reference
- [Glossary of Terms](/docs/pfsense/glossary/pfsense-terms/) - networking and pfSense-specific terminology
- [VPN Recipes](/docs/pfsense/recipes/pfsense-vpn-recipes/) - IPsec with Cisco/AWS/Azure, OpenVPN with AD, WireGuard
- [Network Recipes](/docs/pfsense/recipes/pfsense-network-recipes/) - VLAN isolation, proxy, IPv6, LAGG
- [Security Recipes](/docs/pfsense/recipes/pfsense-security-recipes/) - hardening, 2FA, IDS/IPS, PCI DSS, CIS
- [Service Recipes](/docs/pfsense/recipes/pfsense-service-recipes/) - HAProxy, SNMP, NetFlow, captive portal

### Integrations

- [Monitoring pfSense with Wazuh](/docs/pfsense/pfsense-wazuh-integration/) - configuring Wazuh Agent in pfSense for Yandex Cloud or VK Cloud
- [pfSense Packages and ISOs](/docs/pfsense/pfsense-packages/) - binary package repository and ISOs mirror