Configuring NUT

[Xigma22]

I've been fighting with trying to get NUT up and running on OPNsense for... a while.

Current (desired) setup:

OPNsense Router (netclient SLAVE)
Raspi4 (DNS Filter SLAVE)
Raspi3b+ (UPS Monitor MASTER)
APC BackUPS Pro 1500s

Here's my issue.

What I think I know...

I think the following is correct:

General Settings Tab
Enable Nut - - - ENABLED
Service Mode - - - NETCLIENT
Name - - - *doesnt matter?*
Listen Address - - - IP of NUT server

UPS Type Tab
Netclient option
Enable - - - ENABLED
IP Address - - - IP of NUT server
Username - - - NUT user (as described in the various nut conf files on the NUT master)
Password - - - NUT user password (as described in the various nut conf files on the NUT master)

This seems logical, straightforward, and simple. But it doesn't work. Does the following tab have anything to do with any of this or should this simply be left at default (password) for both fields?

Nut Account Settings (accessed by clicking on general settings tab and selecting this option in the menu)
Admin Password
Monitor Password

Admin Password? Monitor Password?

Wut? That tab makes absolutely no sense to me.

If I leave NUT enabled, this is the endless log output I receive in OPNsense:

UPS [░░░░░░░@░░░░░░░]: connect failed: Connection failure: Connection refused

I'm out of ideas.

[carstenp]

I believe your main issue is the "backend" setup for the software that actually monitors the UPS.

On your RBPi3 you need to install the NUT package (apt install nut) and configure it as the master.

Create a user that is listening to network requests. THIS is the user name you then need to use in the opnsense config.

Also, make sure you have connectivity between opnsense and the RBPi3, and the Pi's nut app is listening on the right address(es).

 I think I used this: https://davidrreed.home.blog/2019/12/01/how-to-add-a-proxmox-host-as-a-nut-slave/ and  https://diyblindguy.com/howto-configure-ups-on-proxmox/ He refers to proxmox and CyberUPS, but the principle is the same.

That's all I remember about this, and yes, I struggled a little setting it up, as well. Good luck.

[Xigma22]

So these are the part 1 and part 2 guides that I followed when setting this up.

https://www.howtoraspberry.com/2020/11/how-to-monitor-ups-with-raspberry-pi/

https://www.howtoraspberry.com/2021/05/how-to-configure-an-orderly-shutdown/

I've doublechecked myself against the guide for the NUT server configuration and it appears correct - but I'm not sure if the guide is 100% complete. I did create a user in the nut config files and referenced it as directed but... no dice. My apache web connection to the device works flawlessly and I can use my NUT username/password to gain access to the UPS settings/display from any device on my wired network.

As far as connectivity - the RBPi3 (hereby known as Master) is capable of pinging my OPNsense firewall and just prior to this, fully updated itself with the Raspi servers.


What I'm curious about...

Do I need to create an actual system level user account & password to reference in the opnsense NETCLIENT submenu? If so... It follows that the NUT password would be set in the currently default "Monitor Password" field that I'm currently struggling to identify a use for.

This would be a million times easier if I could simply access the NUT .conf files on the OPNsense box without having to try to interpret limited instructions on ambiguous fields. 

[Xigma22]

Bah... screw it.

I'm done wasting my time on Linux operating systems.

Yet another failed attempt to make Linux relevant to my life.

[Greelan]

Yep, you certainly don’t want to using Linux when configuring OPNsense (*BSD)

I don’t use NUT on OPNsense, but presumably it just needs to be able to access the master (pinging from the master doesn’t help you there) and you just need to include in the OPNsense config the credentials (username/password) that are configured on the master. I very much doubt you need to setup a new system user on OPNsense

[Xigma22]

Yep.

Definitely don't want to be using Linux when configuring Raspberry Pi OS (lul debian rite?) as a NUT master or a slave. Certainly don't want to be using a *nix based O/S with terrible documentation, ambiguous fields, and error messages that tell me less than a Windows error (now that takes talent!).

Sadly, much like Windows - it's the only option for some things. So, here I am.

Fortunately, I found a 15 minute solution to a week of endless frustration trying to make this godforsaken anachronistic operating system talk to one of its own lackeys. Offline redundant backup of the config files and current version installation media.

Tada!

[Greelan]

Very harsh to compare it to Windows lol. I actually quite like Linux - run quite a few servers. Sounds like that particular package might be the issue