Chapter 3. Initial Configuration

Table of Contents

3.1. Initial Configuration
3.2. Connecting to the keyboard/ monitor
3.3. Connecting to the serial console
3.3.1. Getting the appropriate cable
3.3.2. Connecting to the serial console
3.4. m0n0wall Console Setup
3.4.1. Console Setup Menu Options
3.5. Assigning Interfaces
3.6. Changing the LAN IP and/or DHCP server settings.

3.1. Initial Configuration

By default, m0n0wall enables its DHCP server on its LAN interface, and configures the LAN interface with IP address 192.168.1.1. If you have an existing DHCP server, and/or wish to use a different IP subnet on your LAN, you will need to first connect via the PC's keyboard/ monitor or serial console interface.

Note

Unless you know what you're doing, we strongly recommend not changing the LAN IP address or pre-configured DHCP settings to avoid difficulties caused by misconfiguration.

If you do not need to change the interface assignments, LAN IP address, or DHCP server settings, you can skip ahead to the next chapter. Otherwise, below are steps to make changes to the default configuration using either your m0n0wall PC's keyboard/monitor or serial console interface.

In general, connecting to a m0n0wall PC with a keyboard/ monitor will prove easier for the first time users than connecting to the serial console interface. This is because there are many different console configurations possible for any given PC, sometimes with jumpers, sometimes in the system BIOS.

Note

The default configuration for m0n0wall does not activate a wireless interface, even if one is installed. That means that you can not change the default configuration using only a wireless connection. You must be connected by Ethernet or Serial console cable to make the first configuration change.