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Working with Interfaces and Roles

Note: This topic applies to the Edinburgh Release.

Note: Support for Internet connections using dial-up modems has been withdrawn. For more information, contact your Smoothwall representative.

“Interface” can refer to both a software interface, such as a virtual LAN, and a physical network interface card (NIC). Within the Smoothwall System, “interface” typically refers to a software interface, whereas NICs have “roles”.

Closedsupported nic roles

NIC Role

Description

External

External interfaces connect your network to the Internet.

For a detailed description of how to configure an external role, see Creating an External Connection .

Basic interface

Typically, basic interfaces deal with internal network traffic. During installation, a basic interface is reserved, and configured to provide a direct link to the Smoothwall System, either through the administration user interface, or through secure shell (SSH).

For a detailed description of how to add an IP address to a basic interface, see Allocating IP Addresses to Interfaces .

Bond member

A bond member is one of two or more NICs combined together to provide high availability. A Bonding interface acts as the combination.

For a detailed description of how to configure a bond member, see Configuring Bonded Interfaces.

Bridge member

A bridge member is one of two or more NICs that bridge separate network zones together. A Bridge interface acts as the connection between NICs.

For a detailed description of how to configure a bridge member, see Configuring Transparent Bridges.

Heartbeat interface

Within high availability, or failover configurations, heartbeat interfaces poll each other to ensure the failover system is functioning. Note that a Unified Threat Management serial is required to make use of a heartbeat interface. For more information, refer to your Smoothwall representative.

For a detailed description of how to configure a heartbeat interface, see Managing Hardware Failover .
Closedsupported Interfaces

Interface

Description

Bonding

A Bonding interface is a software interface that combines NICs to provide high availability.

For a detailed description of how to configure a bonded interface, see Configuring Bonded Interfaces.

VLAN

A virtual local area network (VLAN) is a virtual network zone. VLAN interfaces are software interfaces, associated with a NIC.

For a detailed description of how to configure a VLAN interface, see Using Virtual Local Area Networks .

Bridge

A Bridge interface is a software interface that links network zones, that is, NICs, together.

For a detailed description of how to configure a bridge interface, see Configuring Transparent Bridges.

PPPoE

A Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) interface connects network zones using modems, or similar devices.

For a detailed description of how to configure a PPPoE interface, see Using a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet Interface .

New NICs added to your appliance are automatically added to the configuration as a BASIC interface. You must configure additional interfaces for Internet connections, connections from internal clients for web filtering purposes, and so on.

Note: The configuration entered for the NIC during the installation is to allow access to the Smoothwall System from the administration user interface. For more information, see Using the Quick Installation Method or Using the Advanced Installation Method.

ClosedCreating an External Connection

Internet connections are made through the NIC configured as External. You can choose to configure this with a static IP address, or with one set by your ISP’s DHCP server.

Note: “External connection” does not refer to those connections that use a PPPoE interface. For a detailed description of how to configure a PPPoE connection, see Using a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet Interface .

To create an external connection, do the following:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.

2. Highlight the relevant interface, and click Edit.
3. Configure the following:
• Name — Configure a meaningful name for this connection.
• Use as — Select External.
• Spoof MAC — If MAC address spoofing is required, enter the new MAC address here.
• MTU — If required, you can set the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size, in bytes, for packets using this connection.
• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this external interface.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Ethernet interfaces table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the interface name.

4. Click Add.

You must assign the IP address, and gateway if provided, as advised by your ISP. This can either be a static IP address or one assigned dynamically. For a detailed description of how to do this, see Allocating IP Addresses to Interfaces .

Note: IPv6 is not yet supported. For more information, refer to your Smoothwall representative.

ClosedEditing an External Connection
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the relevant external interface, and click Edit.
3. Edit the configuration as required. For a detailed description of each setting, see Creating an External Connection .
4. Click Save changes.
ClosedDeleting an External Connection

You cannot delete an external connection as this is typically a port on the appliance. To remove an external interface, you delete the IP addresses allocated to the interface. For a detailed description of how to do this, see Deleting Allocated IP Addresses.

ClosedAbout Load Balancing Traffic over External Connections

If multiple external connections are configured on the appliance, the Smoothwall System balances external-destined traffic, according to weighting, across all functioning connections. This way, a failed connection should not have any noticeable impact on network clients.

For a detailed description of how to configure link load balancing weighting, see Load Balancing Traffic .

ClosedMonitoring External Connections’ Status

You can monitor the status of all external connections configured on your appliance, using the Smoothwall System’s Dashboard.

To view the status of all external connections, do the following:

From the menu list, go to Dashboard.

For more information about the Dashboard, see About the Dashboard .

ClosedAllocating IP Addresses to Interfaces

Typically, you assign an IP address to the interface during installation (see Using the Quick Installation Method or Using the Advanced Installation Method).

If required, you can assign additional IP addresses to an interface, for example:

Extra static IP address, for later use.
An IP address, set by DHCP, to an interface with a static IP address already assigned.
An IP address alias to a PPPoE interface. For a detailed description of how to add an IP address alias to a PPPoE interface, see Adding Alias IP Addresses.

Note: IPv6 is not yet supported. For more information, refer to your Smoothwall representative.

To add an additional IP address, do the following:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. Click the IP addresses link for the relevant interface to display the Attached addresses table.
3. Click Add new IP address.
4. Configure the following:
• Status — New IP addresses are enabled by default. Clear the check box to create a disabled IP address.
• Type — Choose whether this IP address is assigned a static IP address (Static IPv4), or an IP address assigned via DHCP (DHCP IPv4).

Depending the type of IP address, additional parameters may require configuration:

Type

Additional Parameter

Description

Static IPv4

IP address

Enter the additional IP address for this interface.

Subnet mask

Enter the subnet mask for the IP address

Gateway

If traffic from this IP address needs to go through a gateway, select User defined, and either enter it into the box provided, or choose it from the drop-down list.

Else, leave None selected.

Bandwidth

This parameter is only displayed if a User defined Gateway is configured.

If multiple gateways are configured and used, enter the minimum bandwidth used to load balance traffic between connections. If a single gateway is configured, load balancing is not used so this parameter can be left at 1.

Select whether the configured value is in kilobits per second (kbps), or in megabits per second (Mbps).

Connection monitoring

This parameter is only displayed if a User defined Gateway is configured.

Connection monitoring is enabled by default.

It is not recommended you disable connection monitoring, otherwise the Smoothwall System assumes the gateway always has an internet connection.

DHCP IPv4

Bandwidth

If multiple gateways are configured and used, enter the minimum bandwidth used to load balance traffic between connections. If a single gateway is configured, load balancing is not used so this parameter can be left at 1.

Select whether the configured value is in kilobits per second (kbps), or in megabits per second (Mbps).

Connection monitoring

Connection monitoring is enabled by default.

It is not recommended you disable connection monitoring, otherwise the Smoothwall System assumes the gateway always has an internet connection.

DHCP client hostname

Optionally, enter the DHCP client hostname as specified by the DHCP server.
• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this IP address.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Attached addresses table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the IP address.

5. Click Add.
ClosedEditing Allocated IP Addresses
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the interface, and click IP addresses.
3. From the Attached addresses table, highlight the relevant IP address and click Edit.
4. Edit the configuration as required. For a detailed description of each setting, see Using Virtual Local Area Networks .
5. Click Save changes.
ClosedDeleting Allocated IP Addresses

Note: You cannot delete IP addresses that are assigned elsewhere, for example, used as part of a port forwarding rule (see Managing Inbound Traffic with Port Forwards) or source NAT policy (see Using Source NATs and LLB Policies ).

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the interface, and click IP addresses.
3. From the Attached addresses table, locate and highlight the relevant IP address.
4. Click Delete.
ClosedConfiguring Bonded Interfaces

Network interface card (NIC) bonding involves combining the cards in parallel, in order to increase throughput, provide high availability, and provide redundancy should one of the links fail.

The Smoothwall System enables you to bind two or more NICs into a single bond.

You must first create the “parent” bonded interface, before adding the bonded interfaces. If required, a bridge member interface can also be used as a bonded interface.

To create a bond:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. Click Add new interface.
3. Configure the following:
• Name — Configure a meaningful name for this bond.
• Type — Select Bonding.
• Ports — Select the relevant Smoothwall System ports to be used as bonded interfaces.
• Use as — Select whether this bonded interface is an External interface, Basic interface, or a Bridge member.

Depending the usage of the interface, additional parameters may require configuration:

Use as

Additional Parameter

Description

External

None

 

Basic interface

Default IP address

Configure the default IP address for this bond.

Bridge member

Bridge interface

From the drop-down list, select the parent bridge interface.
• MAC — The MAC address for this bonded interface is taken from the MAC address of the Port selected earlier.

If MAC address spoofing is required, enter the new MAC address here.

• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this bond.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Ethernet interfaces table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the interface name.

4. Click Add.

The Smoothwall System adds a BOND interface to the Ethernet interfaces table, and changes the Role of the selected Port to Bond member.

ClosedAdding additional bonded interfaces
1. Highlight the relevant interface, and click Edit.
2. Configure the following:
• Name — Configure a meaningful name for this bonded interface.
• Use as — Select Bond member.
• Bonding interface — From the drop-down list, select the parent bonded interface.
• Spoof MAC — If MAC address spoofing is required, enter the new MAC address here.
• MTU — If required, you can set the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size, in bytes, for packets using this bonded interface.
• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this bonded interface.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Ethernet interfaces table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the interface name.

3. Click Save changes.
ClosedEditing Bonds
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the relevant bond, or bonded interface, and click Edit.
3. Edit the configuration as required. For a detailed description of each setting, see Configuring Bonded Interfaces.
4. Click Save changes.
ClosedDeleting a Bond Interface

Note: You cannot delete a bond member, as this is a physical port on the appliance. To remove a bond member from a bond, you must change the interface’s Role to Basic.

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, locate and highlight the relevant bond.
3. Click Delete.
4. When prompted, confirm the deletion.
ClosedUsing Virtual Local Area Networks

You can create Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) to isolate resources, similar to creating network zones.

In the Smoothwall System, you can create VLAN interfaces, and associate multiple VLANs to a NIC of any role. Each VLAN is treated by the Smoothwall System as an isolated network zone.

The “parent” VLAN interface must exist before additional VLAN interfaces can be associated with it.

If required, a bridge member interface can also be used as a VLAN interface.

To create a VLAN interface, do the following:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. Click Add new interface.
3. Configure the following:
• Name — Configure a meaningful name for this VLAN.
• Type — Select VLAN.
• Parent interface — From the drop-down list, select the interface to bind this VLAN to.
• VLAN tag — Enter the VLAN tag for this VLAN.

This ensures that traffic from this VLAN is recognized and allowed through the interface. If there is no tag assigned to this VLAN, select Untagged.

• Use as — Select whether this VLAN interface is an External interface, Basic interface, or a Bridge member.

Depending the usage of the interface, additional parameters may require configuration:

Use as

Additional Parameter

Description

External

None

 

Basic interface

Default IP address

Configure the default IP address for this VLAN.

Bridge member

Bridge interface

From the drop-down list, select the parent bridge interface.
• Spoof MAC — If MAC address spoofing is required, enter the new MAC address here.
• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this VLAN interface.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Ethernet interfaces table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the interface name.

4. Click Add.
ClosedEditing a VLAN
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the relevant VLAN, and click Edit.
3. Edit the configuration as required. For a detailed description of each setting, see Using Virtual Local Area Networks .
4. Click Save changes.
ClosedDeleting a VLAN
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, locate and highlight the relevant VLAN.
3. Click Delete.
4. When prompted, confirm the deletion.
ClosedConfiguring Transparent Bridges

It is possible to deploy the Smoothwall System in-line using two or more NICs to create a transparent bridge on which web content can be filtered, and Deep Packet Inspection is possible.

You must first create the “parent” bridge interface, before adding the bridge member interfaces.

To create a bridge interface, do the following:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. Click Add new interface.
3. Configure the following:
• Name — Configure a meaningful name for this bridge.
• Type — Select Bridge.
• Ports — Select the relevant Smoothwall System ports to be used as bridge members.
• Use as — Select whether this bridge is for External traffic or internal traffic (Basic interface)
• Default IP address — This option is only available if the interface is Basic. Configure the default IP address for this bridge.
• MAC — The MAC address for this bridge is taken from the MAC address of the Port selected earlier.

If MAC address spoofing is required, enter the new MAC address here.

• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this bridge.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Ethernet interfaces table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the interface name.

4. Click Add.

The Smoothwall System adds a BRIDGE interface to the Ethernet interfaces table, and changes the Role of the selected Port to Bridge member.

ClosedAdding additional bridge members
1. Highlight the relevant interface, and click Edit.
2. Configure the following:
• Name — Configure a meaningful name for this bridge member.
• Use as — Select Bridge member.
• Bridge interface — From the drop-down list, select the parent bridging interface.
• Spoof MAC — If MAC address spoofing is required, enter the new MAC address here.
• MTU — If required, you can set the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size, in bytes, for packets using this bridge member.
• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this bridge member.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Ethernet interfaces table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the interface name.

3. Click Save changes.
ClosedEditing Bridges
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the relevant bridge or bridge member, and click Edit.
3. Edit the configuration as required. For a detailed description of each setting, see Configuring Transparent Bridges.
4. Click Save changes.
ClosedDeleting Bridge Interfaces

Note: You cannot delete a bridge member as this is a physical port on the appliance. To remove a bridge member from a bridge, you must change the interface’s Role to Basic.

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, locate and highlight the relevant bridge.
3. Click Delete.
4. When prompted, confirm the deletion.
ClosedUsing a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet Interface

You can create a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE) interface.

To create a PPPoE interface, do the following:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. Click Add new interface.
3. Configure the following:
• Name — Configure a meaningful name for the PPPoE interface.
• Type — Select PPPoE.
• Parent interface — From the drop-down list, select the interface to bind the PPPoE connection to.
• Username — Enter the username supplied by your ISP for this connection.
• Password — Enter the password supplied by your ISP for this connection.
• Confirm — Re-enter the password. Do not copy and paste it from Password.
• Bandwidth — Enter the minimum bandwidth used to load balance traffic from this connection across multiple gateways. Select whether the configured value is in kilobits per second (kbps), or in megabits per second (Mbps).
• Connection monitoring — Connection monitoring is enabled by default.

It is not recommended you disable this option otherwise the Smoothwall System always assumes the gateway always has an internet connection.

• MTU — If required, you can set the Maximum Transmission Unit (MTU) size, in bytes, for packets using this connection.
• Advanced options — If your PPPoE connection makes use of a service or concentrator, click Advanced options and configure the following:

Advanced Option

Description

Service

If required, enter the service name as specified by your ISP.

Concentrator

If required, enter the concentrator name as specified by your ISP.
• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this PPPoE interface.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Ethernet interfaces table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the interface name.

4. Click Add.
ClosedEditing a PPPoE Interface
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the relevant PPPoE interface, and click Edit.
3. Edit the configuration as required. For a detailed description of each setting, see Using a Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet Interface .
4. Click Save changes.
ClosedDeleting Parent PPPoE Interfaces

Note: You cannot delete a PPPoE interface, only the parent interface itself, as this is typically a port on the appliance. To remove a PPPoE interface, you must change the interface’s Role to Basic.

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, locate and highlight the relevant PPPoE interface.
3. Click Delete.
4. When prompted, confirm the deletion.
ClosedAdding Alias IP Addresses

You can assign IP address aliases to the PPPoE interface for management and operational purposes.

To assign alias IP addresses, do the following:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. Click the Alias IP addresses link for the relevant PPPoE interface to display the Alias IP addresses table.
3. Click Add new IP address.
4. Configure the following:
• IP address — Enter the alias IP address for this PPPoE interface.
• Status — New alias IP addresses are enabled by default. Clear the check box to create a disabled alias IP address.
• Comment — Configure an optional comment for this IP address.

An additional button, Show comments, appears on the Alias IP addresses table if any comments are configured. Clicking this displays configured comments under the IP address.

5. Click Add.
ClosedEditing Alias IP Addresses
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the PPPoE interface, and click Alias IP addresses.
3. From the Alias IP addresses table, highlight the relevant IP address and click Edit.
4. Edit the configuration as required. For a detailed description of each setting, see Adding Alias IP Addresses.
5. Click Save changes.
ClosedDeleting an Alias IP Address
1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.
2. From the Ethernet interfaces table, highlight the PPPoE interface, and click Alias IP addresses.
3. From the Alias IP addresses table, locate and highlight the relevant IP address.
4. Click Delete.
ClosedAdding Bypass Ports

Note: This feature is only available if you are using a Smoothwall appliance. For more information, contact your Smoothwall representative.

You can choose to enable bypass ports on your Smoothwall appliance to ensure network access is still available, although unfiltered, when the appliance fails, for example, if the appliance was powered off.

To configure bypass ports, do the following:

1. Go to Network > Configuration > Interfaces.

2. From the Global settings panel, select the relevant port combination to short together.
3. Click Save changes.

Note: The combination of ports available for bypassing are grouped according to function on the appliance, and cannot be changed.