New install a success, but general network problem. Please help.

[patricksull]

Just came over to Opnsense last week.  Install went smooth.  Love the GUI interface.  System is working great.  I have limited knowledge on networking in general, so I am unable to solve my current, extremely annoying network problem (I'll get to that soon).  So, I was running Sophos UTM, but decided to switch to an open source program instead.  I have had FreeNAS for years, and love it. 

Moving forward:  My network consists of 4 Windows 7 machines, a FreeNAS, and one access point for phones/tablets.  Everything has worked great for years.  After I installed Opnsense on the machine that was running Sophos UTM, I noticed some of the machines on my network could not connect to the internet.  They would have a yellow little box on the internet icon (lower right on Windows) indicating a network error.  I can connect to my network, but not the internet.  If I allow Windows to "fix" the problem, an error comes back saying it could not find the primary DNS server.  So, I googled this, and messed around.  In the end, I have tried many things over the last week.  All unsuccessful.  I will list what I have done, along with some other behaviors I have seen. 

I am able to connect one PC directly to the Opnsense machine.  Everything works perfect.  If I connect the Opnsense to my switch, which is a cheap unmanaged switch (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003BU0EKW?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s03), that's where it all goes south.  In the past, I would use the Sophos UTM as my rounter and it would provide DHCP to my network.  Before that, I used a cheap Linksys router to do the same.  All was well.  This switch would then connect to my various devices and life was good. 

If I attach the Opnsense machine to the switch, some of the machines will have internet access, while others won't.  Their access will last hours to days, but in the end, they all fail.  I tried plugging in my old router inplace of the Opnsense machine to try and replicate what once was.  Same problem.  I have tried replacing the switch with an older one that I used in the past.  Same problem.  So, it's probably not a hardware issue.  If I have tried replacing the router, and switch, the only thing left are cables and machine settings.  Since I am able to connect directly to the Opnsense, I don't believe it's a cable issue.  Plus, i am able to connect to my local network with all devices, so that also tells me it's not a cable issue.  So, I assumed it was a machine setting (Windows 7).  Of course I messed with those settings for a week now.  Hence, this long write up. 

All machines are connected with a static address.  Yes, I tried to have TCP\IP v4 to obtain IP address automatically, but the same problem persists.  Here are my settings

IP address:  192.168.1.136
Subnet:  255.255.255.0
Gateway:  192.168.1.1

DNS:  192.168.44.1

My ISP is charter.  If I connect a machine directly to my modem, everything works great.  The above settings are the same for all machines, except I obviously change the IP address, but it's within 192.168.1.2-192.168.1.150. 

I am unable to connect to my router (Opnsense, Linksys) if the machine has the little yellow box.  I am still able to connect to my network though, but not the router.  Since I have been screwing around with this for a week, I am not sure if I am to blame for a setting change, or if there truly is a hardware issue.  Yes, I have tried power cycling down everything multiple times.  Yes, I have cursed and screamed.  Nothing seems to work.  Please help so that I can start enjoying my new Opnsense machine.

Cheers,
Patrick

[jstrebel]

Patrick, i see a dns address 192.168.44.1. can you explain? This is weird. What is the ip address of your modem? If you enter in one of your win pc's ipconfig what is the output of thus?


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[patricksull]

Thanks jstrebel!

192.168.44.1 is the DNS server for Charter.  That is what I have always used.  That is what comes up in OPNsense under Charter's DNS service as well.  The address to the router is 192.168.1.1.  I don't know the address to the modem off the top of my head, but it's my public address.

How do I find out the address of my modem?  What exactly should I put in the network settings to try?

[jstrebel]

Patrick,
I have never seen that a provider provides a private address for a DNS. This could be specific to charter, so I can't help about this point. My suspicion is that the modem has also a 192.168.1.1 address as your OPnsense. Pls check this.

[patricksull]

Let me give Charter a call today after work.  I never thought of calling my ISP.  Again, these same settings have worked for years.  Thank you!

[patricksull]

Okay, I updated my DNS server address per Charter, but still no luck.  My modem does not have a static address. Here are the preferred and alternate:

68.116.46.115
24.205.192.61

I don't know what else to try.  Seems so simple.  Modem>OPNsense>switch>network.  If I connect one PC directly to the OPNsense, everything works perfect with the following, but turns to crap as soon as I use the switch for all of my devices:

Modem>OPNsense>PC

IP address:  192.168.1.136
Subnet:  255.255.255.0
Gateway:  192.168.1.1

DNS:  68.116.46.115
DNS (alt):  24.205.192.61

[jstrebel]

Patrick,
What kind of switch is between the PC and the router?
Your PC has the static IP address 192.168.1.136 right ?

Do the following:
- disconnect the cable between switch and OPNsense
- ping 192.168.1.1 You should get timeout
then
connect the cable between switch and OPNsense
- ping 192.168.1.1 You should get a positive response
- ping 68.116.46.115 You should get a positive response
- ping 24.205.192.61 You should get a positive response

[patricksull]

Yes jstrebel I received all of the responses you anticipated.  The switch I am using is listed in my original post.  Again, I have tried two different switches.  Neither of them will allow more than one PC internet access for any extended period of time.  I used one 5-port switch I had laying around.  I plugged in two PC's and the OPNsense.  Both PC's connected to the internet perfectly.  An hour later after I rebooted one of them, it lost internet access.  FYI: In OPNsense>interface>LAN>Ipv4 config it is set to static ipv4.  Where OPNsense>interface>WAN>ipv4 congfig is set to DHCP.  Is that correct? 

All of my devices use the same configuration with the exception of having their own IP address.  They are all set to static.   Thanks for helping with this.  I am going on two weeks now.  UGH!

[jstrebel]

Patrick, could you pls do the tests I suggested. This helps to do the trouble shooting.

[Andreas]

Hi,
the IP of the OPNSense is static on the LAN Netwerok isnt it?
You didnt use VLANS or?
Can you reach via PING the other pcs on the LAN?

I hope you make the tests jstrebel mentioned to you

Greets
Andreas

[patricksull]

Sorry, I should have clarified.  When I said I received all the responses you anticipated, I meant that I did the tests and the results were as you expected.

Do the following:
- disconnect the cable between switch and OPNsense
- ping 192.168.1.1 You should get timeout
then
connect the cable between switch and OPNsense
- ping 192.168.1.1 You should get a positive response
- ping 68.116.46.115 You should get a positive response
- ping 24.205.192.61 You should get a positive response

[patricksull]

Hi,
the IP of the OPNSense is static on the LAN Netwerok isnt it?
You didnt use VLANS or?
Can you reach via PING the other pcs on the LAN?

I hope you make the tests jstrebel mentioned to you

Greets
Andreas

No, I did the standard default install.  I didn't set up a VLANS.  The IP address is 192..168.1.1

[jstrebel]

What i conclude from your responses: you can ping the dns server. Can you ping www.google.com from your PC?


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[patricksull]

Okay guys, I am able to use my old router and everything is running smoothly.  I called my ISP, long story short, they somehow switched my modem to DHCP, which I do not want, as I have my own device for that (OPNsense).  So, now I am set up as a dynamic public.  With current setup: modem>router>switch I am able to connect to the internet on all devices.  If I try modem>OPNsense>switch I have the problem again.  My question is, do I need to do a fresh install of OPNsense since the configuration of my modem has changed?  I tried rebooting OPNsense, but that didn't work.

[jstrebel]

If your modem act as DHCP server then i would configure the WAN interface of the OPNsense as a dhcp client.


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