PfSense

{{Short description|Firewall/Router software distribution}} {{pp-protected|reason=Persistent disruptive editing|small=yes}} {{primary|date=July 2018}} {{Lowercase title}} {{Infobox OS | name = pfSense | logo = PfSense logo.svg | screenshot = Dashboard der pfSense 2.6.0.jpg | developer = Rubicon Communications, LLC (Netgate) | family = FreeBSD | working state = Current | source model = Closed source and open source | license = Apache License 2.0<ref name="Apache License 2.0">{{cite web|title=pfSense adopts Apache 2.0 License|url=https://www.servethehome.com/pfsense-adopts-apache-2-0-license/|publisher=Serve The Home (Loyolan Ventures, LLC)|date=19 June 2016}}</ref> (Applies to pfSense CE) | website = {{official url}} | screenshot_alt = Dashboard of pfSense 2.7.0-DEVELOPMENT | caption = The main dashboard of pfSense 2.7.0-DEVELOPMENT | version of = FreeBSD | first release date = Oct 2006 | latest release version = {{Unbulleted list |'''Community Edition''': 2.8.1 (amd64) / {{Start date and age|2025|09|04|df=no}}<ref name="pfSense Releases Page">{{cite web|access-date=2025-05-31|title=Releases — Versions of pfSense and FreeBSD|url=https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/versions.html|website=netgate.com}}</ref> |'''Plus''': 24.11 / {{Start date and age|2024|11|25|df=no}}<ref name="pfSense Releases Page" />}} | ui = Web | support status = {{Unbulleted list | Supported by the community | Paid commercial support}} | supported platforms = 32-bit (discontinued in 2.4.x); 64-bit Intel / AMD | preceded by = m0n0wall }} '''pfSense''' is a firewall/router computer software distribution based on FreeBSD. The open source pfSense Community Edition (CE) and pfSense Plus is installed on a physical computer or a virtual machine to make a dedicated firewall/router for a network.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ot |first1=Anina |title=6 Reasons Why You Should Be Using pfsense Firewall |url=https://www.makeuseof.com/reasons-use-pfsense-firewall/ |website=MUO |date=2021-02-03}}</ref> It can be configured and upgraded through a web-based interface, and requires no knowledge of the underlying FreeBSD system to manage.<ref name=Infoworld>{{cite web|url=http://www.infoworld.com/article/2861574/network-security/you-should-be-running-pfsense-firewall.html|date=22 December 2014|access-date=27 July 2015|publisher=InfoWorld|title=You should be running a pfSense firewall}}</ref><ref name="fsm">{{cite journal|url=http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/configure_professional_firewall_using_pfsense|title=Configure a professional firewall using pfSense|first=Sloan|last=Miller|journal=Free Software Magazine|issue=22|date=26 June 2008|access-date=27 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003125833/http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/configure_professional_firewall_using_pfsense|archive-date=3 October 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Overview== The pfSense project began in 2004 as a fork of the m0n0wall project by Chris Buechler and Scott Ullrich. Its first release was in October 2006.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Fields|first1=Robert|title=Happy 10th Anniversary to pfSense Open Source Software|url=https://www.netgate.com/blog/happy-10th-anniversary-to-pfsense-open-source-software.html|work=Netgate Blog|date=28 October 2016|language=en}}</ref> The name derives from the fact that the software uses the packet-filtering tool, PF.<ref name=Name>{{cite web|url=//freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/interview_with_jeff_starkweather_chris_buechler_and_scott_ullrich/|title=Interview with Jeff Starkweather, Chris Buechler and Scott Ullrich|first=Tony|last=Mobily|date=14 August 2007|work=Free Software Magazine|access-date=5 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150912002748/http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/articles/interview_with_jeff_starkweather_chris_buechler_and_scott_ullrich|archive-date=12 September 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Notable functions of pfSense include traffic shaping, VPNs using IPsec or PPTP, captive portal, stateful firewall, network address translation, 802.1q support for VLANs, and dynamic DNS (DDNS).<ref>{{cite web |title=pfSense® CE functions |work=Miniserver Blog |url=https://www.firewallhardware.it/en/pfsense/}}</ref> pfSense can be installed on hardware with an x86-64 processor architecture. It can also be installed on embedded hardware using Compact Flash or SD cards, or as a virtual machine.<ref>{{cite web |title=How to Install pfSense Firewall on Ubuntu and CentOS? |url=https://geekflare.com/pfsense-installation-guide/ |website=Geekflare |date=2020-02-06}}</ref>

== Release cadence and support == Since 2021,<ref name="pfSense Releases Page" /> pfSense Plus editions have followed an annual major version release cadence. The CE version of the software has followed an annual minor version release cadence. Based on their list of unsupported software,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Releases — Older/Unsupported Releases |url=https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/index.html#older-unsupported-releases |website=docs.netgate.com |language=en-us}}</ref> pfSense only supports the current and previous version of both the CE and Plus editions.

== OPNsense == {{main|OPNsense}} In January 2015, the OPNsense project was started by forking the version of pfSense at that time.<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://media.ccc.de/v/denog10-22-opnsense-the-open-firewall-for-your-datacenter#t=130 |title=OPNsense: the "open" firewall for your datacenter |date=2018-11-21 |last=Fischer |first=Werner |language=en |access-date=2024-10-11 |via=media.ccc.de}}</ref>

In November 2017, a World Intellectual Property Organization panel found Netgate, the copyright holder of pfSense, utilized OPNsense' trademarks in bad faith to discredit OPNsense, and obligated Netgate to transfer ownership of a domain name to Deciso.<ref>{{cite web|title=WIPO Domain Name Decision: D2017-1828|url=https://www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/search/text.jsp?case=D2017-1828|publisher=WIPO|date=November 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=OPNsense – Forkin' Fork |url=http://www.opnsense.com/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314132836/http://www.opnsense.com/ |archive-date=2016-03-14 |access-date=2025-08-27 |website=www.opnsense.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

== WireGuard protocol support == In February 2021, pfSense CE 2.5.0 and pfSense Plus 21.02 added support for a kernel WireGuard implementation. Support for WireGuard was temporarily removed in March 2021 after implementation issues were discovered by WireGuard founder Jason Donenfeld.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Salter|first=Jim|date=2021-03-15|title=In-kernel WireGuard is on its way to FreeBSD and the pfSense router| url=https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/03/in-kernel-wireguard-is-on-its-way-to-freebsd-and-the-pfsense-router/|access-date=2021-03-20| website=Ars Technica|language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Releases — 21.02/21.02-p1/2.5.0 New Features and Changes|url=https://docs.netgate.com/pfsense/en/latest/releases/2-5-0.html|access-date=2021-03-20|website=docs.netgate.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kumar|first=Rohit|date=2021-03-19|title=pfSense and FreeBSD Pull Back on Kernel WireGuard Support|url=https://www.servethehome.com/pfsense-and-freebsd-pull-back-on-kernel-wireguard-support/|access-date=2021-03-20|website=ServeTheHome|language=en-US}}</ref> The July 2021 release of pfSense CE 2.5.2 version re-included WireGuard.<ref>{{cite web |title=pfSense CE 2.5.2-RELEASE Now Available |url=https://www.netgate.com/blog/pfsense-ce-2.5.2-release-now-available |website=www.netgate.com |language=en-us}}</ref>

==See also== {{Portal|Free and open-source software}} * List of router and firewall distributions

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * ''Mastering pfSense, Second Edition'' Birmingham, UK: Packt Publishing, 2018. {{ISBN|978-1788993173}}. By David Zientra. * ''Security: Manage Network Security With pfSense Firewall [Video]'' Birmingham, UK: Packt, 2018. {{ISBN|978-1789538991}}. By Manuj Aggarwal.

==External links== * {{Official website|https://pfsense.org}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pfsense}} Category:2004 software Category:BSD software Category:Firewall software Category:Free routing software Category:FreeBSD Category:Gateway/routing/firewall distribution Category:Operating system distributions bootable from read-only media Category:Products introduced in 2004 Category:Routers (computing) Category:Wireless access points Category:Network operating systems