@Trylen posted a new topic, subject "Having issues with pfSense". It read:

   Thanks to that video of Qain and Logan building a pfsense router, I noticed some of the features they mentioned and it seemed a better deal then my IPCop. 
    
    Specific wants:
    
    -monitor individual bandwidth usage (this'll save on fights on who really uses how much)
    
    -over all bandwidth meter (needs to be able to know how close to cap we get)
    
    -that feature that was mentioned about being able to store files on the router to lower bandwidth use, I think it was Squid, but can't remember. 
    
    What I've done so far:   
    -built it (Asus P5Q-E, Pentium DC e6500, 2GB DDR2-800, 250GB WD Sata2 drive, cheap coolermaster 500w and elite 350 case and a Radeon hd5770 {just for the install but it's got no other use so not pulling it till I have to} Still have the monitor and keyboard hooked up.)
    
    -installed pfsense 2.1 (learned which NIC on the back is which thanks to trail and error, top sk0 network, bottom msk0 internet)
    
    -been running it behind the current network until I can get the monitors up and running.
    
    -been fighting to get it to see the network, I've tried several DNS resets and configurations
    
    -been fighting to get to the installable app list to come up, but it keeps complaining about the DNS and I'm not sure how to get that to work.
    
    I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong, Had it temporarily hooked to the modem and it was no better that way.
    
    I have the IP on wan to use DHCP, I unchecked both the private network boxes (block private networks and block bogn networks) I've tried setting the DNS and gateways manually and leaving them blank.. no go..   
      
    Could I get some help, please and thank you
    
    ISP is Charter if that helps too

After which, @Trylen added

    Ok, behind the network got it to work with DNS and Network can see the internet YAY!! However, when set up as the primary router, it connects updates and blocks everything behind it. I tried the Firewall ports from the other thread, and still nothing. I like the features it shows, but I'm starting to think pfsense 2.1 might not be for me.... Is there another distro out there as feature rich but doesn't require such a fight to work?

After which, @skullabyss added

    I used IPFire for a little while. The UI is much different compared to PFSense. I have the newest version of PFSense and I'm not having any trouble with the Firewall

After which, @Trylen added

    I played with IPCop 2.0.6 on the same hardware and I was getting lots of connection drops and pick ups. I'm thinking the board might have been the issue. I'll be freeing up the same model after a replacement for my NAS comes in at the end of the week. I'll give PFSense a chance again but I have IPFire sitting on CD to try, thanks for the idea.   
    It'll be nice playing with a q9650 and 4GB DDR2-1066 instead or the e6500 w/2GB DDR2-800 (even tried the e5200 in case that was the issue.) What I saw in PFSense looked better for Multi-cores and the the others I've tried.   
      
    In the past I've done smoothwall and IPCop

So @skullabyss replied

    I'm using PFSense on a Intel Pentium 4 3.20 Ghz with Hyperthreading. It works very well for me. I even have my own VPN setup

So @Trylen replied

    WOOT I'm online! I got PFSense to work (had to do a motherboard swap after all)  
    One issue I have now, of all the bandwidth monitors I can get for this, is there one that keeps track of the usage? I have a 250GB cap and I prefer to keep an eye on that.

So @clintonph2121 replied

    Install Squid and lightsquid. Thru lightsquid you will be able to see how much bandwidth per IP. Also you can go to Status>RRD Graphs>Custom then WAN 8b7c:f320:99b9:690f:4595:cd17:293a:c069 Traffic. Specify the time.
    
    http://www.theninjageek.co.za/pfsense-2-1-squid3-and-squidguard/


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