You install pfSense from an ISO image. This article describes the steps on our platform; the installation itself follows the usual pfSense procedure.
Requirements
- at least one public IPv4 address
- at least one virtual network for the LAN side
Creating the virtual machine
- Under Create New Virtual Machine, select the ISO Images tab and choose OS PfSense CE RELEASE Amd64. The Secondary ISO stays empty.
- Recommended sizing: 2 vCPU, 2048 MB RAM. 10 GB is enough for the boot disk; if you want to log a lot, plan for 25 GB or more.
- Under Virtual Networks, add the network interfaces you need — typically one per zone, e.g. WAN, LAN and DMZ. The order of the NICs determines which interface pfSense later sees as WAN.
Installation
Once it is created, open the VNC Console. Accept the license terms, choose Install pfSense and follow the process: keyboard layout, partitioning (Auto (ZFS) is usually enough), then reboot.
After the installation, remove the ISO image so that the VM boots from disk.
The pfSense documentation describes the details of the installer and the initial setup.
Secure your access before the firewall is connected to the internet. In the Client Area, set firewall rules that restrict access to the web interface to your own addresses, and change the default password when you first log in.
