Learn how to configure pfSense Firewall between ESXi & Ubuntu. Our pfSense Server Support team is here to help you with your questions and concerns.

Configure pfSense Firewall between ESXi & Ubuntu

If you are looking for a way to configure firewall rules on pfSense to allow traffic between an ESXi host and an Ubuntu VM, you have come to the right place.

The rules depend on the services and traffic we want to allow.

Let’s take a quick look at how to set up firewall rules to allow communication between an ESXi host and an Ubuntu VM:

1. To begin with, log in to the pfSense web interface.
2. Then, create an alias that includes the ports or services we want to allow between ESXi and Ubuntu. This makes it easier to manage rules and update them later.
   • Head to Aliases under Firewall and click Add.
   • Enter a name for the alias.
   • Choose Ports or Hosts under the Type option.
   • Then add the ESXi host’s IP address and port or the Ubuntu VM’s IP address and port to the alias.
   • Finally, save the alias.
3. Then, we have to head to Rules under Firewall and choose the interface where the Ubuntu VM is connected.
   • For Allow Rules from ESXi to Ubuntu:

     Click “Add” to create a new rule and configure the rule as follows:

     • Action: Allow
     • Interface: LAN
     • Address Family: IPv4
     • Protocol: Choose the appropriate protocol.
     • Source: Type the IP address or alias of the ESXi host.
     • Destination: Type the IP address or alias of the Ubuntu VM.
     • Destination Port Range: Specify the ports or use the alias we created earlier.

     Finally, save the rule.
   • For Allow Rules from Ubuntu to ESXi:

     Create another rule for traffic started from the Ubuntu VM to the ESXi host. Follow the same steps as above, but reverse the source and destination fields.
4. Then, click the Apply Changes button at the top of the pfSense web interface to activate the rules.

At this point, head to the Ubuntu VM to configure the Ubuntu Firewall.
In case the Ubuntu VM is running UFW, we have to adjust its rules to allow incoming connections on the specified ports. Additionally, adjust the rule based on the specific services we want to make accessible.

Finally, it is time to test the connectivity between the ESXi host and the Ubuntu VM to ensure that traffic flows as expected.

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Conclusion

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to configure pfSense Firewall between ESXi & Ubuntu