Notes on installing OPNsense 26.7 (based on FreeBSD) as a Virtual Firewall
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Date: Sat, 10 Oct 2026 07:38:47 UTC
Subject: Notes on installing OPNsense 26.7 (based on FreeBSD) as a Virtual Firewall Good day from Singapore, Author: Mr. Turritopsis Dohrnii Teo En Ming Date: 10 Oct 2026 Saturday 1.32 pm Country: Singapore Section 1 - Download OPNsense Firewall ========================================== Download link: https://opnsense.org/download/ Fast download selector: System architecture: amd64 Select the image type: dvd Mirror Location: Taiwan, Nantou County Education Network Center Peak download speed: 44 MiB/s Downloaded as OPNsense-26.7-dvd-amd64.iso.bz2 Use 7-zip to Extract Here. Then you will get OPNsense-26.7-dvd-amd64.iso Filesize: 1.95 GB Section 2 - Installing OPNsense 26.7 as a Virtual Firewall in VMware Workstation Pro 26H1u1 ================================================================================================ File > New Virtual Machine New Virtual Machine Wizard =========================== Welcome to the New Virtual Machine Wizard Select Typical (recommended) Click Next Guest Operating System Installation: Click Installer disc image file (iso): D:\OPNsense-26.7-dvd-amd64.iso Click Next Name the Virtual Machine: Virtual machine name: OPNsense 26.7 Virtual Firewall Location: D:\Virtual Machines\OPNsense 26.7 Virtual Firewall Click Next Specify Disk Capacity: Maximum disk size (GB): 64 Click Store virtual disk as a single file Click Next Ready to Create Virtual Machine: Click Customize Hardware... Memory: 8 GB Processors: 4 Number of processors: 1 Number of cores per processor: 4 New CD/DVD (IDE): Click Connect at power on Click Use ISO image file: D:\OPNsense-26.7-dvd-amd64.iso Network Adapter 1: Click Connect at power on Click Bridged: Connected directly to the physical network USB Controller: Present Sound Card: Auto detect Display: Auto detect Click Add... Select Network Adapter Click Finish Network Adapter 2: Click Connect at power on Click Host-only: A private network shared with the host Click Add... Select Network Adapter Click Finish Network Adapter 3: Click Connect at power on Click Host-only: A private network shared with the host Click Close Click Power on this virtual machine after creation Click Finish Booting up OPNsense 26.7 virtual firewall... Option 1 Boot Multi User is automatically selected Press any key to start the manual interface assignment Do you want to configure LAGGs now? N Do you want to configure VLANs now? N Enter the WAN interface name or 'a' for auto-detection: em0 Enter the LAN interface name or 'a' for auto-detection NOTE: this enables full Firewalling/NAT mode. (or nothing if finished): em1 Enter the Option interface 1 name or 'a' for auto-detection (or nothing if finished): em2 Enter the Optional interface 2 name or 'a' for auto-detection (or nothing if finished): Press Enter The interfaces will be assigned as follows: WAN -> em0 LAN -> em1 OPT1 -> em2 Do you want to proceed? y Welcome! OPNsense is running in live mode from install media. Please login as 'root' to continue in live mode, or as 'installer' to start the installation. Use the default or previously-imported root password for both accounts. Remote login via SSH is also enabled. FreeBSD/amd64 (OPNsense.internal) (ttyv0) login: installer Password: opnsense FreeBSD Installer ================== Keymap Selection ================= Continue with default keymap OPNsense Installer =================== OPNsense 26.7 ============== Install (ZFS) ZFS GPT/UEFI Hybrid FreeBSD Installer ================== ZFS Configuration =================== Select Virtual Device type: stripe Stripe - No Redundancy Please select one or more disks to create a pool: Select da0 VMware, VMware Virtual S Last Chance! Are you sure you want to destroy the current contents of the following disks: da0 YES OPNsense Installer =================== Shows installation progress... Final Configuration ==================== Complete Install Confirm and exit OK Installation Complete ======================== The system may boot back into the installation media when not ejected properly. Reboot now. Reboot system OK Section 3 - Allow OPNsense WebGUI on WAN Interface ==================================================== login: root Password: opnsense Select 8) Shell pfctl -d pf disabled ifconfig | less em0: 192.168.88.32 Open https://192.168.88.32 in Google Chrome web browser Username: root Password: opnsense System: Configuration: Wizard ================================== Welcome ========= This wizard will guide you through the initial system configuration. The wizard may be stopped at any time by clicking the logo image at the top of the screen. Click Next General Information ==================== Hostname: OPNsense Domain: teo-en-ming-corp.com Language: English Timezone: Asia/Singapore DNS Servers: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4 Override DNS: Leave checked Enable Resolver: Leave checked Enable DNSSEC Support: Not checked Harden DNSSEC data: Not checked Click Next Network [WAN] ============== Disable WAN: No Type: DHCP MAC (spoofed): Leave empty MTU: Leave empty MSS: Leave empty DHCP hostname: Leave empty Block RFC1918 Private Networks: UNCHECKED Block bogon networks: Checked Click Next Network [LAN] ================ Disable LAN: No IP Address: 192.168.26.1/24 Configure DHCP server: Checked Click Next Deployment type =================== Optimize for Multiwan: Checked Automatic DHCP/DNS registration: Checked Optimize for IPsec: UNCHECKED Click Next Set initial password ===================== Root Password: Root Password Confirmation: Click Next Finish ======= This is the last step in the wizard, click apply to reconfigure the firewall. Click Apply. Finished initial configuration! Congratulations! OPNsense is now configured. Please consider donating to the project to help us with our overhead costs. See our website to donate or purchase available OPNsense support services. Click to continue to the dashboard. Or click to check for updates. NOTE: OPNsense WebGUI is NOT accessible again. pfctl -d pf disabled Can access OPNsense WebGUI again. Once logged in, go to Firewall → Rules Select the WAN interface Click the red + (Add): Edit rule =========== Enabled: YES Categories: Nothing selected Description: Allow OPNsense WebGUI on WAN Invert interface: No Interface: WAN Quick: Checked Action: Pass Direction: In Version: IPv4 Protocol: TCP Invert Source: No Source: Single host or Network: 192.168.88.101 Source Port: any Invert Destination: No Destination: This Firewall Destination Port: HTTPS (443) Log: CHECKED Gateway: None Click Save After changing settings, please remember to apply them. Click Apply Click Apply Click Apply Apply will show a tick. Go to Interfaces → WAN Block private networks: No Click Save. Click Apply changes Click Apply changes Click Apply changes FINALLY ======== pfctl -e pfctl: pf already enabled Final Expected Result ======================= OPNsense 26.7 Virtual Firewall WebGUI is still accessible from the WAN interface after enabling packet filter. Regards, Mr. Turritopsis Dohrnii Teo En Ming Republic of Singapore 10 Oct 2026 Saturday 2.54 pm Singapore Time