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First boot & setup

After installation, FreeSense boots to a console menu and is ready to configure.

1. Assign interfaces

Section titled “1. Assign interfaces”

On first boot you’ll be asked to assign network interfaces. At minimum set:

  • WAN — the interface connected to your internet uplink (often gets an address via DHCP)
  • LAN — the interface for your internal network

The console menu (option Assign Interfaces) lets you redo this at any time.

2. Default LAN address

Section titled “2. Default LAN address”

By default the LAN interface uses:

  • IP: 192.168.1.1/24
  • DHCP server: enabled, handing out addresses to LAN clients

Connect a computer to the LAN interface and you should receive an address automatically.

3. Reach the web GUI

Section titled “3. Reach the web GUI”

Open a browser to the LAN address:

https://192.168.1.1

You’ll get a certificate warning (the appliance uses a self-signed certificate by default) — this is expected; proceed to the site.

4. Log in

Section titled “4. Log in”

Use the default credentials:

  • Username: admin
  • Password: freesense

5. Run the setup wizard

Section titled “5. Run the setup wizard”

The first login launches a setup wizard to set the hostname, time zone, WAN/LAN addresses, and the admin password. You can re-run it later from System → Setup Wizard.

Validate the initial appliance

Section titled “Validate the initial appliance”

Before adding packages or exposing services, confirm the basic control plane:

  1. Verify the console shows the intended WAN and LAN assignments and that link state matches the connected ports.
  2. Confirm the LAN client receives the expected address and gateway, then reach the WebUI at the documented LAN address.
  3. Set a unique administrator password and verify the configured time, timezone, hostname, and DNS behavior. Accurate time is required for certificates, VPNs, log correlation, and updates.
  4. Save a configuration backup after the initial setup. Keep it outside the appliance and protect it because it can contain sensitive configuration material.
  5. Apply the intended update channel only after confirming the recovery console path. Development upgrades are one-way and must not be used as a production rollback strategy.

If management access is lost

Section titled “If management access is lost”

Use the local console rather than repeatedly changing switch ports or WAN settings remotely. The console menu can reassign interfaces and restore a known local-management path. A factory reset returns the LAN address and DHCP defaults and resets the administrator account, but it is a destructive recovery action; restore a saved configuration only after confirming it matches the appliance and intended release line.

Next

Section titled “Next”