Is it possible to emulate PFSense on windows?

Discussions about using Windows guests in VirtualBox.
Post Reply
babypuncher666
Posts: 2
Joined: 22. Nov 2022, 20:22

Is it possible to emulate PFSense on windows?

Post by babypuncher666 »

I want to set up a firewall, so far i have 2 NIC's (NAT) and internal network for my VM1, and another VM2 with an internal network. This VM2 is meant to be behind the firewall, and it could be a server that can make its services available like port 80 to the wan.

Then, later I want to exploit this internal network by bypassing the firewall from the wan, but PFSense may be too much for me. Any help?

Thank you!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Is it possible to emulate PFSense on windows?

Post by scottgus1 »

Virtualbox doesn't "emulate", but yes one can run pfSense in a Virtualbox VM. See Virtualbox Networks: In Pictures: "Sandbox" for an example.
babypuncher666
Posts: 2
Joined: 22. Nov 2022, 20:22

Re: Is it possible to emulate PFSense on windows?

Post by babypuncher666 »

scottgus1 wrote:Virtualbox doesn't "emulate", but yes one can run pfSense in a Virtualbox VM.
Is there a way i can set up a system where a firewall is a NAT gateway and behind it are a client or server, and i can send packets to the client or server which the firewall can block depending on rules? thanks!
scottgus1
Site Moderator
Posts: 20965
Joined: 30. Dec 2009, 20:14
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Windows, Linux

Re: Is it possible to emulate PFSense on windows?

Post by scottgus1 »

Virtualbox NAT behaves like a router with port forwarding available. "Sandbox" is two VMs, where the first can run a router OS (like pfSense) to firewall/port-forward to the second VM. See the tutorial linked above for both.
mpack
Site Moderator
Posts: 39156
Joined: 4. Sep 2008, 17:09
Primary OS: MS Windows 10
VBox Version: PUEL
Guest OSses: Mostly XP

Re: Is it possible to emulate PFSense on windows?

Post by mpack »

You seem to assume that a VM has special rules. Mostly it does not. A VM is just a PC, and you can do anything it in that you can do on any generic PC.

As Scott implied, some of the hardware in a VM is emulated, that is the only unusual thing about it. Otherwise the CPU and the code that runs is a perfectly ordinary OS with programs obeying all the normal rules for software in that OS.

If you want to ask whether something is possible in a VM, or how you go about doing something in a VM, ask yourself instead what the answer would be on a typical PC running the same OS.
Post Reply