Looking for feedback from anyone that has gone from Merlin + Scripts to pfSense

[abracadabra11]

You still can use your merlin ASUS router (assuming it is of the wireless variety) as an Access Point to feed your wireless devices.

I went full TP-Link Omada on the hardware with 8-port 2.5Gbe PoE switch, another 24-port 1Gbe switch, 3 in-ceiling APs, and 13 Cat6 drops for TVs, office and gaming computers, and PoE cameras. So my Asus hardware isn't needed - it will collect dust for the foreseeable future.

 

[panni]

Is there a way to get the same functionality with pfSense that I get from spdMerlin's AutoBW for QoS?

I'd even do it using the command line and script it myself, but it doesn't seem like that's possible for the traffic shaper, is it?

 

[Tech Junky]

@panni should be as simple as adding the appropriate language package the pfsense box needs. If the script at the top says python then install python. Pretty simple to figure out.

 

[panni]

@panni should be as simple as adding the appropriate language package the pfsense box needs. If the script at the top says python then install python. Pretty simple to figure out.

Huh, so I can change the QoS classes' bandwidth limits from CLI on the fly? Last time I checked that wasn't possible.

 

[thecheapseats]

Has anyone made a similar switch? How was the experience? Was there any functionality that you weren't able to replicate? Or perhaps was especially difficult to implement?

(for others reading, re: pfsense - as the OP has gone a different way)...

I'm in the process of making the cut-over to pfsense w/learning curve - for the very same reason(s) yourself and @eibgrad have made, with several of my own concerns as well... inevitably, it's the way forward...

I hate gui interfaces (as they are unscriptable and awkward to document) but in this case pfsense's gui has been a quite helpful and their gui serves as a sanity check as well...

I work on it late nights when I have time, and can interrupt the network - but continue using the asus stuff during the day to get things done... an rj45 a/b switchbox and extra cisco vlan-capable switch allows switching between two network hardware paths,a simple task, minus a few stale arp-cache incidents (cold boot is your friend)...

however... there is a given amount of prior knowledge necessary for anything more than a very basic pfsense implementation...

if you don't have these skill sets under your fingers - or the time to learn them - it will prolong the learning curve and you may be better off hiring someone to config the network initially...

I came from cisco CLI almost thirty years ago when a 1.544 Mbs T-1 line was 'fast' - and today my business runs on cisco but I don't/wouldn't try to admin it myself...

leveraging inexpensive hardware like asus routers has its place - I've been getting away with an asus cheap-seats implementation for years on a home network - but eventually the diminishing returns will catch up to us all...

 

[Tech Junky]

Huh, so I can change the QoS classes' bandwidth limits from CLI on the fly? Last time I checked that wasn't possible.

Your question was how to run a script. If you want to run one you need to have the right package in which the script was written to run it. If you open the script in a text editor or do a "cat" on it from the CLI at the top it indicates which language it needs to run it.

If it's bash it should run natively
If it's python you need to install the packages
If it's any other language you need to install those packages

 

[Tech9]

Your question was how to run a script.

The script in question has nothing to do with pfSense.

 

[Tech Junky]

The script in question has nothing to do with pfSense.

Really?

 

[Tech9]

Definitely. spdMerlin won't work in pfSense for 1000 reasons. Look at it, its on GitHub.

 

[Tech Junky]

My point is to tell him how to run a script not whether it will work or not.

 

[Tech9]

@panni is asking for something specific. A script for Asuswrt-Merlin was a functionality example only.

 

[pfuller88]

I switched to pfsense and a QOTOM box, intel 5 series chip, 8GB ram (way more power than pfsense needs) about 6 months ago. I also use my Asus routers in AP mode and can VLAN them to isolate networks. I really like the VLAN setup to isolate (or not) with custom firewall rules that are very flexible. I use one Asus AP VLAN to route all connections to this router through a PIA VPN. I found youtube videos by "Lawrence Systems" very helpful, google or youtube seach "lawrence systems pfsense".

 

[grogi]

My 2 cents. If you love your Merlin and your RT-AX3000 does what you want in terms of routing/add-ons EXCEPT for your desired new Wi-Fi coverage/functionality, why not just keep it going with the wireless turned off? This then gives you some extra dollars in the budget to get the best wireless mesh setup for your new situation, and still gives you the option to upgrade the router somewhere down the track, either to another Asus or to go to pfSense/OPNsense as you wish ...

That's exactly what I was doing in our previous location: Merlin solely as wired router/firewall + HP ProCurve Switch to deal with PoE/Bonding/VLANs etc. + Unifi AP.