OPNsense Forum

English Forums => General Discussion => Topic started by: stefan21 on October 09, 2025, 05:30:20 PM

Title: LIVE USB with imported config.xml - HOW-TO update and install plugins
Post by: stefan21 on October 09, 2025, 05:30:20 PM
Assuming I want to build/migrate a new HW FW based on the live OPNsense which is in use. Right now the FW looks like this:

OPNsense 25.1.12-amd64
FreeBSD 14.2-RELEASE-p4
OpenSSL 3.0.17

and has a couple of plugins installed:

os-acme-client (installed)   4.9   789KiB   3   OPNsense   ACME Client   
os-caddy (installed)   2.0.2   246KiB   3   OPNsense   Modern Reverse Proxy with Automatic HTTPS, Dynamic DNS and Layer4 Routing   
os-crowdsec (installed)   1.0.10   62.7KiB   3   OPNsense   Lightweight and collaborative security engine   
os-etpro-telemetry (installed)   1.7_5   50.3KiB   2   OPNsense   ET Pro Telemetry Edition   
os-realtek-re (installed)   1.0   409B   3   OPNsense   Realtek re(4) vendor driver   
os-sensei (installed)   2.0.5   248MiB   2   SunnyValley   Enterprise Security Extensions for OPNsense (ZENARMOR)   
os-sensei-agent (installed)   2.0.5   117MiB   2   SunnyValley   ZENARMOR Connectivity Agent for Cloud Central Management   
os-sensei-updater (installed)   1.18   4.09KiB   2   SunnyValley   OPNsense ZENARMOR Plugin Updater   
os-smart (installed)   2.3_1   22.8KiB   3   OPNsense   SMART tools   
os-sunnyvalley (installed)   1.5   2.44KiB   2   OPNsense   Vendor Repository for Zenarmor (Enterprise Security Modules - NGFW, SSE, SASE, f.k.a Sensei)   
os-wol (installed)   2.5_1   22.7KiB   3   OPNsense   Wake on LAN Service

I understand building a live usb-stick from vga iso, booting in this, is able to import the config.xml. I assume, the config will not work proper without beeing updated from 25.1 to 25.1.12, and without the configured plugins installed.

What would be the correct approach, to have a working migration (or a proper live usb-stick) in case of a breakdown?

Thank's for showing the light and pointing in the right direction.

regrads,
stefan
Title: Re: LIVE USB with imported config.xml - HOW-TO update and install plugins
Post by: cookiemonster on October 09, 2025, 06:52:30 PM
1. plugins
2. hardware differences
Saving the config of the current hardware and importing it on the new one will work and request the syncing of the declared plugins, which will need to be downloaded and setup according to that config.
The caveats are for those plugins (1.) in that some require more work and I can think of corwdsec as an example. There are a number of settings for it that are not saved in the OPN config due to its state where most configuration after install is on CLI.
For (2.) if the interdfaces hardware is different, then the config import won't match. The usual workaround is to do a search and replace before import but requires an intermediate step to boot the new hardware to identify the hardware. You are looking for interfaces like ix, igb, etc. Lookingt at your realtek-re installed it suggests you have realtek nics at present so they'll be reX,reY.

Can you use a separate LiveUSB for testing ?
Title: Re: LIVE USB with imported config.xml - HOW-TO update and install plugins
Post by: stefan21 on October 10, 2025, 08:11:31 AM
Thank you for hopping on.

To adjust ifaces on a new hardware that's clear to me.

But:

Quoteupdated from 25.1 to 25.1.12

How to update from 25.1 to 25.1.12

Quoterequest the syncing of the declared plugins, which will need to be downloaded and setup according to that config

Where/how do I download and install (from cli) the plugins.
Title: Re: LIVE USB with imported config.xml - HOW-TO update and install plugins
Post by: Patrick M. Hausen on October 10, 2025, 08:19:22 AM
You need to install to the new system, update to the same version as the current one, then import the configuration.

After that all missing plugins can be installed automtically with a single click in the UI.
Title: Re: LIVE USB with imported config.xml - HOW-TO update and install plugins
Post by: stefan21 on October 10, 2025, 10:27:17 AM
It's not in the way:

1. upgrade to 25.1.12
2. install the plugins
3. import the config.xml

?

I think I remember while trying to install plugins to an outdated version, that'll not work?
Title: Re: LIVE USB with imported config.xml - HOW-TO update and install plugins
Post by: Patrick M. Hausen on October 10, 2025, 10:54:26 AM
If you import the configuration first, there is a one click function in the UI to install all missing plugins. Less work.
Title: Re: LIVE USB with imported config.xml - HOW-TO update and install plugins
Post by: stefan21 on October 10, 2025, 11:46:00 AM
O.k. making sense. Didn't see/try this yet. Will try.

Thx so far, will report.