Interfaces and networking

FreeSense interfaces are the boundary between physical or virtual links and policy. Start by identifying WAN, LAN, and management connectivity at the console. Record port labels, VLAN IDs, addressing, upstream ownership, and the rollback path before making remote changes.

Build the network deliberately

Use Interfaces → Assignments to assign ports and create interface instances. Configure the interface address, gateway, and link-specific behavior on the resulting interface page. Use VLANs, LAGGs, bridges, interface groups, and PPP only where their topology and failure behavior are understood; each can alter where policy is evaluated.

Keep management on a known interface and test link state, address assignment, DNS, gateway reachability, and return routing after every topology change. Do not bridge WAN and LAN merely to make a test work.

Verify before policy expansion

Confirm the configured interface appears in Status → Interfaces, has the expected address and link state, and reaches only its intended upstream. Then add firewall policy. For VLAN and bridge designs, test one host from each segment and verify that untrusted segments cannot reach management.

See interfaces, VLANs, and bridges for a rollout checklist.