How to setup the Pepwave MAX HD2 Router in conjunction with a pfSense firewall PC?

Product Discussion Pepwave MAX
1

My current internet setup is that I have a Motorola Surfboard cable modem WAN port connected to my pfSense PC WAN port. The LAN port on my pfSense PC is then connected to one of the LAN ports on my 48 port network switch. The network switch connects all my PCs in my house (LAN). The IP address of the cable modem is 192.168.100.1. The IP address from the ISP is a dynamic IP address. The IP address of the pfSense PC is 192.168.1.1. and it serves as my DHCP server. Everything is working fine with this setup.

Now I want to introduce the HD2 router in this setup. So I setup the HD2 router between my cable modem and the pfSense PC and it is not working. It is not passing traffic from the cable modem to the pfSense box. I changed the IP address of the HD2 router to 192.168.1.249. All the other settings on the HD2 router are set to default. To be clear on how the HD2 is setup, the Motorola Surfboard cable modem WAN port is connected to the WAN 1 port on the HD2, and the LAN 1 port of the HD2 is connected to the WAN port on the pfSense PC. The LAN port on my pfSense PC is then connected to one of the LAN ports on my 48 port network switch.

What am I doing wrong? Need help.

2

Hi,

Below is my understanding. Do correct me if I am wrong.

Previous setup
Users (192.168.1.x) —> (192.168.1.1, LAN) pfSense (WAN, 192.168.100.x?) —> (192.168.100.1, WAN?) Motorola modem —> Internet

Existing setup
Users (192.168.1.x) —> (192.168.1.1, LAN) pfSense (WAN, 192.168.1.x?) —> (192.168.1.249, LAN) HD2 (WAN, 192.168.100.x?) —> (192.168.100.1, WAN?) Motorola modem —> Internet

If my understanding is correct, can I confirm certain IP addresses based on existing setup:-

  1. pfSense LAN IP address. Is maintain 192.168.1.1?
  2. pfSense WAN IP address?
  3. HD2 LAN IP? You changed to 192.168.1.249?
  4. HD2 WAN IP?
  5. Motorola modem IP? Is maintain 192.168.100.1? Is this a LAN or WAN port?
3

Previous setup
Users (192.168.1.x) —> (192.168.1.1, LAN) pfSense (WAN - public IP assigned by ISP, 24.125.xx.xxx) —> (192.168.100.1, WAN? - Not sure if WAN or LAN - This is the IP address I use to access the configuration page of the modem. There is only port on the modem and it is labeled “WAN”.) Motorola modem —> Internet

Existing setup
Users (192.168.1.x) —> (192.168.1.1, LAN) pfSense (WAN - public IP assigned by ISP, 24.125.xx.xxx) —> (192.168.1.249, LAN) HD2 (WAN, **192.168.100.x? - Not sure? **) —> (192.168.100.1, WAN? - Not sure if WAN or LAN - This is the IP address I use to access the configuration page of the modem. There is only port on the modem and it is labeled “WAN”.) Motorola modem —> Internet

  1. pfSense LAN IP is 192.168.1.1. The pfSense box is setup as a DHCP server and serves out IP addresses to the individual PCs on the LAN from the range of 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.254.
  2. pfSense WAN IP is dynamic. I do not have a static WAN IP address assigned to me by my ISP. For example, currently the public dynamic WAN IP address assigned to me by ISP is 24.125.xx.xxx.
  3. HD2 IP address is 192.168.1.249
  4. HD2 WAN IP? Unknown
  5. Motorola modem IP address is 192.168.100.1. This is the IP address I use to access the Configuration page of the modem. This is the default Ethernet IP Address of the modem. There is only 1 port on the Motorola modem and it is labeled WAN.

Let me know if you need additional information.

4

Hi,

Users –> pfSense –> HD2 –> Motorola modem –> Internet

  1. Based on the above setup, pfSense still able to grab IP from ISP now?

  2. May I know pfSense uses PPPoE to dial to ISP?

  3. You configure HD2 as NAT mode (as you mentioned all are default beside LAN IP)?

  4. Motorola modem is configured as bridge mode?

  5. How many internet links you have at the moment?

5

Users –> pfSense –> HD2 –> Motorola modem –> Internet (This is exactly how I have it configured)

  1. No… pfSense is not able to grab the public dynamic IP from ISP
  2. Not sure… How would I find out…
  3. Yes… The routing mode is set to NAT on the HD2.
  4. Not sure… How would I find out? In the configuration page of the cable modem (Motoralo 6141), there are no options to change.
6

Users –> pfSense –> HD2 –> Motorola modem –> Internet (This is exactly how I have it configured)

  1. No… pfSense is not able to grab the public dynamic IP from ISP
  2. Not sure… How would I find out…
  3. Yes… The routing mode is set to NAT on the HD2.
  4. Not sure… How would I find out? In the configuration page of the cable modem (Motoralo 6141), there are no options to change.
  5. Only 1 internet link (Comcast Cable Internet).
7

Hi,

You are having problem on the network design. Can you share the purpose to put HD2 into this network infra? Possible to replace pfSense with HD2?

Anyway you need to find out what is the setup in pfSense (Features that using and WAN connection mode) and Motorola modem (Configure as bride mode?).

8

The HD2 cannot pass the public IP to the pfsense, it operates in NAT mode.

9

Here is the advice I have been given so far.

Change the pfSense WAN setting from DHCP to static. Assign a static IP address to the pfSense WAN connection to be in the IP range of the HD2 (i.e 192.168.50.2). In pfSense add a WAN gateway and assign it the IP address of the HD2 (i.e. 192.168.50.1).

Do you agree with the recommendation?

10

Yes, this is a good recommendation.

11

Everything is working based on this recommendation.