SG-1100 – Inconsistent LAN Interface Detection & WebGUI Access After Config Import

thanosg

Hello,

I recently purchased a pfSense SG-1100 and I am encountering inconsistent behavior related to interface detection and configuration import.

During system initialization, the device frequently fails to detect the LAN interface. Even after the boot process completes, manually assigning interfaces (option 2) does not resolve the issue. After multiple factory default resets, the LAN interface is eventually detected, but I have not been able to determine a consistent pattern or cause for this behavior.

Once the device is properly configured and I can access the WebGUI, I import a config.xml file from another SG-1100 device that is running the same pfSense version and operating normally. The only modifications I make to the configuration file are the WebGUI IP address and port. A diff comparison confirms that there are no other differences between the files.

After importing the configuration, the WebGUI becomes inaccessible.

I would appreciate your assistance in understanding:

Why the LAN interface detection during boot is inconsistent

Whether importing a configuration from another SG-1100 (same version) could lead to this issue

Thank you for your time and support.

patient0

@thanosg

During system initialization, the device frequently fails to detect the LAN interface.

How do you check that the LAN interface is not detected?

The only changes I make in the config.xml are the WebGUI IP address and port.

How and where do you change the webGUI IP and port?

thanosg

@patient0
During system initialization, the device frequently fails to detect the LAN interface. :
I am connected with serial port and i cannot see lan interface on pfsense options menu.

The only changes I make in the config.xml are the WebGUI IP address and port.:
I export the old xml, i open it with txt, ctrl+f the old ip, i type the new ip, same for port and seve and then import the new xml

patient0

@thanosg said in SG-1100 – Inconsistent LAN Interface Detection & WebGUI Access After Config Import:

During system initialization, the device frequently fails to detect the LAN interface. :
I am connected with serial port and i cannot see lan interface on pfsense options menu.

That sounds like hardware issue, I'd open an support ticket if it still under warranty.

https://www.netgate.com/tac-support-request, category "Hardware Failure"

The only changes I make in the config.xml are the WebGUI IP address and port.:
I export the old xml, i open it with txt, ctrl+f the old ip, i type the new ip, same for port and seve and then import the new xml

The GUI has no option to change the webGUI address (I'm aware you are doing that in the config.xml). pfSense listens on all interface on the ports for the webGUI.

Unless you really know what your are doing, changing it in the XML sounds like a bad idea.
Where in the config.xml are setting the IP, what is the parent and parent-parent XML tags?

thanosg

section interfaces - lan <ipaddr> line 175
port is on section webgui line 49926

these are on my xml

thanosg

port on line 78 , sorry

patient0

@thanosg

section interfaces - lan <ipaddr> line 175

With that you set the LAN IP of the LAN interface, your DHCP server is depending on that. If you changed the IP to a different sub net, eg. before 192.168.1.1, after 172.16.16.1 DHCP won't work anymore.

port is on section webgui

Did you change the HTTP or HTTPS port? You should see the port in the webGUI settings, if the settings were applied correctly.

SteveITS

@thanosg

Whether importing a configuration from another SG-1100 (same version) could lead to this issue

No it’s portable. The 1100 has a switch and uses VLANs to isolate ports so a configuration file from/to other hardware needs to account for that but the same model is no problem.

So once set, you reboot, and it stops at boot asking to assign interfaces? And you don’t have say a USB NIC connected?

stephenw10

@thanosg said in SG-1100 – Inconsistent LAN Interface Detection & WebGUI Access After Config Import:

During system initialization, the device frequently fails to detect the LAN interface.

What exactly are you seeing that makes you think it's not detected?

The 1100 only has one NIC. The three ports are accessed via VLANs configured by default. So it's hard to see how it could ever fail to find the LAN whilst still seeing the WAN and OPT interfaces.