How does PfSense number the network interfaces?

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Fritz

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2015
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em0, em1, em2, em3. Supermicro X9SCI=LN4F.

SM Manual says bottom left - LAN1, bottom right, LAN2, top left LAN3, top right LAN4

PfSense says top right is LAN3, etc.

So is there any method to PfSenses madness or is there a rule it goes by?
 

vl1969

Active Member
Feb 5, 2014
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I would say , check the PCI BUS layout/addresse for interfaces . OS may have it's own idea on what is what :)
 

StevenDTX

Active Member
Aug 17, 2016
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Mine seem to be ordered by MAC address

Code:
igb0   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:de (down) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
igb1   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:df   (up) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
igb2   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:e0 (down) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
igb3   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:e1   (up) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
 
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Fritz

Well-Known Member
Apr 6, 2015
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Mine seem to be ordered by MAC address

Code:
igb0   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:de (down) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
igb1   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:df   (up) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
igb2   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:e0 (down) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
igb3   0c:c4:7a:ac:93:e1   (up) Intel(R) PRO/1000 Network Connection
This appears to be order mine are in.
 

EffrafaxOfWug

Radioactive Member
Feb 12, 2015
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MAC address ordering on my Jetway 375 as well - so WAN ended up on LAN4 and LAN sat on LAN1. And this is why you always need to keep a Dymo labeller in the house :)

Don't think you can re-organise in the web GUI but you can always re-assign the interfaces manually on the console and I suspect you could probably also hack the config XML as well; IIRC it assigns interfaces to MAC addresses there also.
 

RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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Don't think you can re-organise in the web GUI but you can always re-assign the interfaces manually on the console and I suspect you could probably also hack the config XML as well; IIRC it assigns interfaces to MAC addresses there also.
It is very easy to re-assign physical to a "role interface" (or whatever you chose to call it) in the web interface, you just have to use the "assign interfaces" screen.
 

StevenDTX

Active Member
Aug 17, 2016
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Just a note...

That motherboard has IPMI, so make sure you do not put WAN on port 0/LAN 1. There is a slim chance that IPMI could fail over to that port and then your IPMI is now directly on the internet.
 

RTM

Well-Known Member
Jan 26, 2014
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Just a note...

That motherboard has IPMI, so make sure you do not put WAN on port 0/LAN 1. There is a slim chance that IPMI could fail over to that port and then your IPMI is now directly on the internet.
While this can be an issue, it is very easily mitigated, go into the webinterface and set it to always use the dedicated interface. For extra good measure, make sure to connect the dedicated IPMI interface to something, so it isn't given a reason to use another interface.

Of course... if you are paranoid, do all of the above, while not using the interface (especially) for WAN.
 

CJRoss

Member
May 31, 2017
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The interfaces are numbered according to the udev persistent-net rules.

But as others said, you can logically assign any interface to any role. And set IPMI to use a dedicated link instead of switching to one of the other NICs.