How to Install OPNsense on Windows 11

OPNsense is a free and open-source firewall and routing platform based on FreeBSD. It is designed to be easy to use and configure, making it perfect for both home and enterprise use. Installing OPNsense on Windows 11 can be done using a virtualization software like VirtualBox. In this tutorial, we'll walk you through the steps to install and configure OPNsense on Windows 11 using VirtualBox.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, you'll need the following:

• A Windows 11 computer with administrative privileges
• Downloaded OPNsense ISO file from https://opnsense.org/download/
• VirtualBox installed on your Windows 11 computer

Step 1: Create a new Virtual Machine in VirtualBox

1. Open VirtualBox, click on "New" to create a new virtual machine.
2. Name the virtual machine "OPNsense" and select "BSD" as the type.
3. Choose "FreeBSD (64-bit)" for the version.
4. Set the amount of RAM for the virtual machine (at least 2GB).
5. Create a new virtual hard disk and set the size to 10 GB.
6. Click "Create" to create the new virtual machine.

Step 2: Configure the Virtual Machine

1. Select the newly created virtual machine ("OPNsense") and click on "Settings".
2. Go to "Storage" and add the OPNsense ISO file to the Optical Drive.
3. Go to "Network" and change the "Attached to" option to "Bridged Adapter".
4. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Step 3: Install OPNsense

1. Start the virtual machine by clicking on the "Start" button.
2. OPNsense will boot from the ISO file. Press "Enter" to start the installation process.
3. Select "Install" from the menu.
4. Choose your language preference, and click "Next".
5. Choose your keyboard layout, and click "Next".
6. Choose "Auto (UFS)" as the disk partitioning scheme, and click "Next".
7. Confirm the installation settings, and click "Install".
8. Once the installation is complete, the virtual machine will reboot.
9. Remove the ISO file from the Optical Drive before the virtual machine starts up again.
10. You will be prompted with the initial setup wizard to configure the OPNsense login credentials, interface settings, and other basic configurations.

Conclusion

By following the above steps patiently, you have successfully installed OPNsense on your Windows 11 computer using VirtualBox. You can now use OPNsense to protect your network, configure firewall rules, and more. If you are new to OPNsense, we highly recommend checking out its documentation at https://docs.opnsense.org/ for more information on how to get started.

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