Lab Setup

In this Hands-on we will install all dependencies and basic network design. We will use Oracle Virtual Box and GNS3 software to virtualize the lab network.

All participants are grouped into two as User A and User B and the group details including IP subnets can be found from here.

Both users must change their IP Addresses with the following additional detail. We recommend using the wired network as much as possible.

• Subnet mask: IPv4 - /24, IPv6 - /64
• Gateway: 192.248.7.254 / 2401:dd00:2000::ffff
• DNS: 192.248.7.254 / 2401:dd00:2000::ffff

For each group;

• User A needs to install GNS3 and Virtual Box
• User B needs to install Virtual Box only

Both users must change their host machines (Laptop) IP address as per the above-linked table and it is advised to use the wired network.

We will create a virtual network on User A and related servers on User B due to RAM limitations on Physical Devices.

Virtualized appliances will be connected via UDP tunnels and these must be neglected for your actual physical installations.

Download Dependencies

• Download Oracle Virtual Box from ​here on both users
• Download pfsense VM from ​ext-Mirror or ​Lab-Mirror( only on User A)
• Download GNS3 from ​here only on User A
• Download Required router images (only on User A)
  • ​ext-Mirror or ​Lab-Mirror
• Download all server VM's only on User B
  • OVA1 ​ext-Mirror or ​Lab-Mirror
  • OVA2 ​ext-Mirror or ​Lab-Mirror

Following settings will need to be as it is with the changes only to the specified dynamic content.

Install Virtual Box

On both users, Install Virtual Box software with default settings, make sure you have enabled virtualization support from your host machine BIOS.

If you have pre-installed Virtual Box in your host machines make sure they are updated to 6.x latest version

Import downloaded OVA files into Oracle virtual box from File > Import Appliance

While importing make sure to select Generate new MAC addresses for all Network Adapters from MAC Address Policy.

This should import Virtual Machines for pfsense on User A and two server machines + GUI on User B

As soon as you import vm's, change your VM network connections as follows;

• User A : pfSense VM

Adapter 1:

Attached to: Bridged Adapter
Name: [[Your Physical Adapter Name]]
Promiscuous Mode: Allow All
Cable Connected

Adapter 2:

Attached to: Generic Driver
Name: UDPTunnel
Generic Properties:

dest=127.0.0.1
dport=30000
sport=20000

Cable Connected

Adapter 3:

Attached to: Generic Driver
Name: UDPTunnel
Generic Properties:

dest=127.0.0.1
dport=30001
sport=20001

Cable Connected

Note down all mac addresses as we need them to decide which port connects to which network later when installing pfsense)

• User B : GUI VM

Adapter 1:

Attached to: Generic Driver
Name: UDPTunnel
Generic Properties:

dest=[[IPv4 of UserA]]
dport=30002
sport=20002

Cable Connected

• User B : Web Server VM

Adapter 1:

Attached to: Generic Driver
Name: UDPTunnel
Generic Properties:

dest=[[IPv4 of UserA]]
dport=30003
sport=20003

Cable Connected

• User B: Monitoring Server VM

Adapter 1:

Attached to: Generic Driver
Name: UDPTunnel
Generic Properties:

dest=[[IPv4 of UserA]]
dport=30004
sport=20004

Cable Connected

Install GNS3

On User A host machines, download latest GNS3 from local link here and go through the installation steps from ​here

On first application load, cancel all wizards including Open Project wizard.

Go to Edit --> Preferences

• Select Server on Left side menu and select Enable local server from Main Server tab if it is not selected already.

• Click Apply

• Select Dynamips --> IOS routers on Left side menu and New
  • Select New Image and Browse to the router image file you downloaded.
  • Select yes for the window Would you like to decompress this IOS image.
  • On the Next step, tick the option called This is an EtherSwitch router and click next.
  • Keep all other settings to their default values and click next till the last option Idle-PC
  • Click Idle PC finder and wait for a moment. Once it finds a value click finish

• Click Apply and Ok

Next go to File --> New blank project

• Name the project as Campus Network and click OK

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On your new project click on the fifth icon on your left corner menu Browse All Devices

Drag and drop following devices into the design area

• 3 x EtherSwith Router
• 7 x Ethernet Switch
• 5 x Cloud
• 9 x VPCS

Next, right click on each cloud and define following on its configurations (Right Click --> Configure );

• Cloud-1
  • Misc:
    • Name: LEARN-Router
  • Ethernet Interfaces:
    • Select "Ethernet" and click "Delete"
  • Click "Apply" and "OK"
  • Again Right Click --> Change Symbol
    • Select the symbol called "router" from Symbols Library and Click "ok"
• Cloud-2
  • Misc:
    • Name: pfSense-Firewall
  • Ethernet Interfaces:
    • Select "Ethernet" and click "Delete"
  • UDP Tunnels
    • Name: DMZ
    • Local Port: 30000
    • Remote host: 127.0.0.1
    • Remote Port: 20000
    • Click "Add" and create another as,
    • Name: LAN
    • Local Port: 30001
    • Remote host: 127.0.0.1
    • Remote Port: 20001
    • Click "Add", "Apply" and "OK"
  • Again Right Click --> Change Symbol
    • Select the symbol called "firewall" from Symbols Library and Click "ok"
• Cloud-3
  • Misc:
    • Name: GUI-PC
  • Ethernet Interfaces:
    • Select "Ethernet" and click "Delete"
  • UDP Tunnels
    • Name: NIC1
    • Local Port: 30002
    • Remote host: [[IPv4 of UserB]]
    • Remote Port: 20002
    • Click "Add", "Apply" and "OK"
  • Again Right Click --> Change Symbol
    • Select the symbol called "Computer" from Symbols Library and Click "ok"
• Cloud-4
  • Misc:
    • Name: Web-Server
  • Ethernet Interfaces:
    • Select "Ethernet" and click "Delete"
  • UDP Tunnels
    • Name: NIC1
    • Local Port: 30003
    • Remote host: [[IPv4 of UserB]]
    • Remote Port: 20003
    • Click "Add", "Apply" and "OK"
  • Again Right Click --> Change Symbol
    • Select the symbol called "Server" from Symbols Library and Click "ok"
• Cloud-5
  • Misc:
    • Name: Monitoring-Server
  • Ethernet Interfaces:
    • Select "Ethernet" and click "Delete"
  • UDP Tunnels
    • Name: NIC1
    • Local Port: 30004
    • Remote host: [[IPv4 of UserB]]
    • Remote Port: 20004
    • Click "Add", "Apply" and "OK"
  • Again Right Click --> Change Symbol
    • Select the symbol called "Server" from Symbols Library and Click "ok"

Right Click on other devices and "Change Hostname" as,

• ESW1 :- FAC1
• ESW2:- FAC2
• ESW3:- FAC1-BLD1-FL2
• Ethernet switch-1:- FAC1-BLD1-FL1A
• Ethernet switch-2:- FAC1-BLD1-FL1B
• Ethernet switch-3:- FAC1-BLD2-FL0
• Ethernet switch-4:- FAC2-BLD1-FL1
• Ethernet switch-5:- FAC2-BLD2-FL1
• Ethernet switch-6:- FAC2-BLD2-FL3
• Ethernet switch-7:- DMZ

Again change the symbol of FAC1-BLD1-FL2 to an Ethernet Switch,

• Right Click --> Change Symbol
  • Select the symbol called "ethernet_switch" from Symbols Library and Click "ok"

Then as per the given network diagram, connect your devices. Make sure you connect ports exactly as per the diagram.

Please note that the link between pfSense and the LEARN Router nodes are for illustration purposes only. You are not allowed to connect them via connections as both of them are cloud devices. As we are directly using a bridged interface for pfSense WAN, you may use a "Drawn line" to complete the diagram.