User Management and Authentication

• Default Username and Password
• Privileges
• Manage Local Users
• Manage Local Groups
• Settings
• User Password Manager
• Authentication Servers
• User Manager Shell Commands
• Logging Out of the GUI

See also

• Sudo Package

• External User Authentication Examples

• Granting Users Access to SSH

• Accessing the Firewall Filesystem with SCP

• Authenticating Users with Google Cloud Identity

• Troubleshooting Authentication

• Troubleshooting Access when Locked Out of the Firewall

The User Manager in pfSense® software provides the ability to create and manage multiple user accounts. These accounts can be used to access the GUI, use VPN services like IPsec and OpenVPN, and use the Captive Portal.

The User Manager is located at System > User Manager. From there users, groups, servers may be managed, and settings that govern the behavior of the User Manager may be changed.

The User Manager can also be used to define external authentication sources such as RADIUS and LDAP.

See also

Hangouts Archive to view the February 2015 Hangout on User Management and Privileges, and the August 2015 Hangout on RADIUS and LDAP.

User Manager Support

As of this writing, not all areas of the firewall hook back into the User Manager.

GUI:

Supports users in the User Manager, and via RADIUS or LDAP. Groups or Users from RADIUS or LDAP require definitions in the local User Manager to manage their access permissions.

XMLRPC Configuration Synchronization:

Supports users from the User Manager, and via RADIUS or LDAP. Requires special privilege granted to users or groups.

SSH/SCP:

Supports users from the User Manager, and via RADIUS or LDAP. Requires special privilege granted to users or groups.

IPsec:

Supports users in the User Manager, RADIUS or LDAP via User Manager for Xauth, and RADIUS for IKEv2 with EAP-RADIUS.

OpenVPN:

Supports users in the User Manager, RADIUS or LDAP via User Manager.

Captive Portal:

Support local users, RADIUS, or LDAP via User Manager.

L2TP:

Supports users in the L2TP settings, and via RADIUS in the L2TP settings.

PPPoE Server:

Supports users in the PPPoE settings, and via RADIUS in the PPPoE settings.