How to Install OPNsense on Elementary OS

OPNsense is a free and open-source, easy-to-use firewall and routing platform that is built on FreeBSD. In this tutorial, we will guide you on how to install OPNsense on Elementary OS.

Prerequisites

Before you begin with the installation process, make sure your system meets the following prerequisites:

• You have the latest version of Elementary OS running on your system.
• You have a stable internet connection.
• You have root access to your system.

Step 1: Download OPNsense

To download OPNsense, follow these steps:

1. Open the official OPNsense website: https://opnsense.org
2. Click on the "Download" button in the top menu.
3. Choose the version of OPNsense that you want to download (e.g. 21.1.9) and the architecture (e.g. 64-bit/AMD64).
4. Click on the "Download ISO" button to start downloading OPNsense.

Step 2: Verify the Download

After downloading the OPNsense ISO file, it is essential to verify its integrity. Use the following command to generate the SHA256 checksum of the downloaded file:

sha256sum /path/to/opnsense.iso

Next, compare the output of the above command with the SHA256 checksum of the corresponding file available on the OPNsense website. If the two checksums match, you can proceed with the installation. If the checksums do not match, repeat the download and verification process.

Step 3: Create a Bootable USB Drive

After verifying the download, create a bootable USB drive for installing OPNsense on your machine. Use the following command to create a bootable USB drive:

sudo dd if=/path/to/opnsense.iso of=/dev/sdx bs=4M && sync

Make sure to replace "/path/to/opnsense.iso" with the path of the downloaded OPNsense ISO file and "/dev/sdx" with the corresponding device for the USB drive.

Step 4: Boot from the USB Drive

Plug in the created bootable USB drive into your system, and restart it. Press the boot key (e.g., F12, F10, F2) during the boot process to enter the Boot Menu. Select the USB drive from the boot menu and press Enter to boot from it.

Step 5: Install OPNsense

After booting from the USB drive, the OPNsense installer will start. Follow the below steps to install OPNsense on your machine:

1. Select the "Install" option from the OPNsense boot menu.
2. Select the keyboard layout that you prefer.
3. Choose the disk where you want to install OPNsense.
4. Select a hostname and a domain name for your system.
5. Create the root password for OPNsense.
6. Configure the network interfaces as per your requirements.
7. Review the installation summary and click on the "Install" button to begin the installation process.
8. Wait for a few minutes until the installation process completes.
9. Eject the USB drive and reboot your system to complete the installation process.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed OPNsense on your Elementary OS system. You can now log in to the OPNsense web interface using the IP address assigned to the system and manage the firewall and routing policies.

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