FAQ
We have collected the most frequently asked questions to immediately help you find what you are looking for. Start by selecting a topic:
TECHNICAL QUESTIONS/TROUBLESHOOTING:
During the installation process of pfSense®, one of the final steps will ask you to select a drive to install to. You MUST hit the spacebar on your keyboard while highlighted over the drive you wish to install to, to properly install the OS. When you hit spacebar on the desired drive, you will see an asterisk [ * ] next to the drive name.
In general, it is highly recommended to use a standalone Wireless Access Point (WAP) or a WiFi router in AP mode connected to one of the Vault’s ethernet interfaces to utilize WiFi connections. This will offer the most reliable connection, fastest speeds, and longest range for WiFi. Popular WAP brands include Unifi, TP-Link, or Netgear. WiFi card support for FreeBSD is poor and is generally not recommended to use for WiFi access. If you absolutely want to use a WiFi card, our WAP01K is the only WiFi card we offer that is supported with OPNsense or pfSense®, and it is not compatible with all Vault models.
If you have properly installed one of these OS’s and you are not getting a WAN address while the Protectli Vault is connected to your ISP modem:
- Keep the Protectli Vault turned on while the OS is running
- Make sure there is an ethernet connection from the WAN port of the Vault connected to your ISP modem
- Power cycle your ISP modem. Do not turn off the Protectli Vault
- After the modem completely restarts, verify that a WAN address is present on the OS’s Console or GUI
If the issue persists, make sure that your modem is actually connected to the interface assigned to WAN on your Vault. Please also make sure that there are no other routers or network equipment that could be conflicting with the flow of network traffic to the Vault.
No. We do not offer any software support services and we do not support operating systems. Our support directly relates to our hardware. This includes Vaults, BIOS, components, LTE modems, etc. If you require OS configuration assistance or need assistance with your network, we can help point you in the right direction but we do not directly support these. Please refer to our knowledge base for general assistance with software/operating systems: https://kb.protectli.com/
Both pfSense® and OPNsense have their own great documentation at the following links:
No. We will not pre-install any version of pfSense® on any Vault product. pfSense® is compatible with our products, but the user will be required to install it themselves. Please refer to our article on how to install pfSense® CE.
If you are having issues with holding F11 or Delete when you boot the unit to select boot options/BIOS menu, there are a few things that could be happening.
Please do not use wireless keyboards with our units to edit BIOS settings. Most wireless keyboards will not be usable until an actual operating system is loaded, so it will not be detected/usable during the boot phase. Please use a wired keyboard. The more simple the keyboard, the more likely it is to work.
If you are using a gaming keyboard/high-end keyboard, you may run into similar issues. Please try using a more traditional and simple keyboard.
It is important to note that if you have coreboot as your BIOS selection, the FW2B/FW4B/FW6 series Vaults will not have a BIOS menu to access by holding down the delete key. For these units, you can only use F11 to select boot options.
First, please verify that RAM is installed in the unit. The unit will not boot without RAM installed. If you installed your own RAM, verify that it is on our tested hardware list.
If you do not see any video displayed on your connected monitor, please try using a different monitor or TV to verify. We have seen issues with some Dell monitors as well as using video display adapter cables (ex. HDMI to Display Port adapters).
If the issue persists, perform a CMOS reset and leave the unit powered on and connected to a monitor for 5 minutes to verify if the unit displays any video. If the problem continues, please contact us on our website regarding this.
You cannot run two operating systems at the same time unless you are using a hypervisor OS like Proxmox VE, VMWare ESXi, or XCP-ng. You can install and run multiple virtual machines (virtual operating systems) with these. More information can be found on the following articles:
Some Linux-based OS’s require a firmware change for the WiFi card to be compatible. Please refer to the “Firmware Fix” section of this knowledge base article. These cards do not work with OPNsense or pfSense®.
The USB serial console cable included with the VP series of Vaults does not work on Mac. There is no driver support for it on MacOS.
If you purchased a Vault from us with an OS preinstalled, the username and password should be included with the device on a piece of paper. We do not include a piece of paper for OPNsense installs, these have the default OPNsense credentials: Username: root Password: opnsense
Ubuntu Server login will use ubuntu for the username and password.
eMMC (Embedded Multi-Media Card) is a type of storage that is soldered directly onto the motherboard. Depending on the product, this will either be 8GB or 16GB, and can be used to install a small OS or used as additional storage. It is recommended to run your main OS on a standalone SATA/NVMe SSD opposed to the eMMC because eMMC is not as reliable for constant read/writes.
At this point, we do not have any products that contain PoE ports/interfaces.
Yes.
ORDER STATUS:
After a purchase is made on Protectli.com, the order shown on your account will display “Processing” for the order status. This implies that the order has been successfully created and is in our system. We will begin building, testing, and verifying the unit passes our testing suite as soon as possible.
If your order was purchased with the free shipping method, your order will usually arrive at your shipping address within 2 to 7 business days (US, EU and CA). We are typically able to ship out new orders within 1-2 days after the purchase is made. We do not ship orders on weekends or holidays.
If you specified an expedited shipping method, such as a 2-day shipping option, then you should receive your order within the estimated timeframe from the day we shipped out your order.
If your order is backordered, then either a component you selected or the particular Vault model is out of stock. We aim to get everything back in stock as soon as possible, but this could occasionally take a few weeks if a particular component is difficult to source at the time. If the backorder is causing you trouble, please contact us.
When a shipping label is created for your order, you should automatically receive tracking information to the email address associated with your Protectli account. If you do not see this email, check your spam folder. If you still do not see this email, you can find the tracking number on your Protectli account in the “Orders” section. Click on “View Order Details” for the order.
MAKING CHANGES TO ORDERS:
If you entered the incorrect address on your order and already made the purchase, you will need to contact us to make corrections.
If it’s as simple as an incorrect apartment or building number, we can easily make the change. On the other hand, if you entered an entirely different address meant for another residency, city, state, or country, we will most likely need to cancel and refund the order due to differences in how tax is calculated.
We are unable to add components/change components on orders that have already been created. We can, however, easily make changes regarding BIOS and OS selection. If you need to make a change to an order, please contact us.
If you wish to add components to an order, you will most likely need to create a new order for the desired components. We will then install these in the existing original order; further details will be provided after you reach out to our support. If you need to change or swap the components on an order, we will most likely need to cancel and refund the initial order. This, in turn, would require you to create a new order that contains everything you would like. If this is the case, please reach out to our support team so we can assist you with canceling the order.
Yes. Please contact us regarding this.
This will vary between geographic regions, please refer to the instructions below.
If you purchased on protectli.com or ca.protectli.com:
In order to associate your account with a tax exemption status, you must provide your tax exemption certificate/form to us first. You must also have an account created on our website. Once the documents have been provided to us and we process them on our end, your future orders will not contain tax. To do this, contact us with the user account/email that you would like to link with the tax exemption status.
If you have already placed an order before your account was confirmed for tax exemption status, and tax was applied to the order, we will have to cancel and refund the order. This will require you to make a new order afterwards. Please contact us regarding this so we can cancel and refund the order.
If you purchased on eu.protectli.com:
In order to purchase from us tax-exempt, we require a valid VAT ID entered at checkout. We are not able to grant tax exemption after the purchase was placed; in that case we would need to cancel the order and then you can place a new order.
If you make a purchase and wish to cancel it, please contact us. If the order has not yet shipped, we will cancel it and initiate a refund. It could take 2-3 business days for the refund to fully process.
WARRANTY & RETURNS:
If the device is running into issues that prevent normal usage, please refer to our general troubleshooting guide. If the issues are persisting, please open up a support ticket on our website. If the unit was purchased from Amazon, please include your Amazon order number in the ticket, along with a copy of your invoice. Any additional information regarding the current problematic behavior of the unit will be beneficial to add to the ticket.
If you purchased on protectli.com or ca.protectli.com:
Protectli’s warranty policy is valid for 1 year, with an additional 6 months of added warranty if your device is registered on our website at this link. Units that have failed within this time frame are eligible for a replacement device.
If you purchased on eu.protectli.com:
Protectli’s warranty policy in the EU is 2 years. Units that have failed within this time frame are eligible for a replacement device.
Yes.
In the event of a failure on a device purchased from our Amazon storefront, please refer to our general troubleshooting guide. If the issues are persisting, please open up a support ticket on our website. Please include your Amazon order number in the ticket, along with a copy of your invoice. Any additional information regarding the current problematic behavior of the unit will be beneficial to add to the ticket.
You are required to send the device back to our office, but we will include a return label with the outgoing replacement device. This will give you the ability to swap out the old hardware, and use the same box the replacement arrived in to send the failed unit back to us.
Products can be returned to us for a refund within 30 days of the product being delivered. If you would like to return your order please open up a support ticket regarding this. This allows us to properly keep track of your request and allows for easy communication with Protectli support. The buyer (you) will be responsible for the shipping costs associated with sending the device back to our office.
No, Protectli does not have an upgrade system in place as of now.
MISSING, INCORRECT, DAMAGED, DEAD-ON-ARRIVAL PRODUCTS:
If a product or component is missing from your order, please open up a support ticket on our website regarding the missing item. If you received an incorrect item, include an image of the item on the ticket.
Please open up a support ticket on our website regarding this. Please include a photo of the damaged item(s). If this was purchased through Amazon, include your Amazon order number in the ticket, along with a copy of your invoice.
First, please verify that RAM is installed in the unit. The unit will not boot without RAM installed. If you installed your own RAM, verify that it is on our tested hardware list.
If you do not see any video display on your connected monitor, please try using a different monitor or TV to verify. We have seen issues with some Dell monitors as well as using video display adapter cables (ex. HDMI to Display Port adapters).
If the issue persists, perform a CMOS reset and leave the unit powered on and connected to a monitor for 5 minutes to verify that the unit is not booting. If the problem continues, please open up a support ticket on our website regarding this.
UPDATING PERSONAL INFORMATION/ADDRESS ON PROTECTLI ACCOUNT:
Login to your Protectli account. Click on “My Account” at the top of the homepage and then select “Addresses”. You can update your address here. If you already made an order with an incorrect address, this will not update the order. You will need to reach out to us to make changes.
Login to your Protectli account. Click on “My Account” at the top of the homepage. Click on “Account details”. You can update your first, last, and display name here.
CHOOSING WHICH VAULT TO PURCHASE:
This will vary greatly depending on what you are trying to accomplish. All of our Vaults will work as a firewall. Many people like to prioritize VPN speeds as a good measurement on performance. You can find expected VPN throughputs for each Vault towards the bottom of each of these links: OpenVPN Speeds, Wireguard Speeds, IPSec VPN Speeds.
In general, it is recommended to get at least 4GB of RAM for a pfSense®/OPNsense machine, but 8GB RAM is generally recommended by the developers of these operating systems. pfSense®/OPNsense only requires around ~8GB of storage to install, so any SSD bigger than this should suit your needs. Check out our Buyer’s Guide for some more information.
For a hypervisor you will typically want to have a decent amount of RAM installed to allocate to your virtual machines. It is generally recommended to get at least 16GB of RAM, but more RAM will allow for more VMs to be utilized.
Most hypervisor operating systems will require at least ~32GB of storage for the OS, but you will want more storage space for each VM. Realistically you will want to get an SSD that has at least a few hundred GB of storage.
For a hypervisor scenario, we typically recommend customers get a unit that supports Intel’s VT-d technology, which allows direct access to the hardware from virtual machines. Hypervisors also perform better with more powerful CPUs like in the FW6 and VP series Vaults. A list of devices that support VT-d can be found on the chart at the bottom of this article.
You should refer to the official website for the OS you plan on using for further documentation regarding suggested specifications or software help.
Expected throughput from a pfSense® VM installed on Proxmox VE can be found at the bottom of this article.
Check out our Buyer’s Guide for some more information.
SALES/TAXES/PARTNERSHIPS:
Protectli does not offer special sales such as these. We do occasionally make changes in the prices of our products to correlate with costs of production and costs of components.
Protectli does not offer student discounts.
If you are a US Military Veteran making an order on our US website, please reach out to us at sales@protectli.com so we can discuss and offer a discount.
Protectli can offer a discount on orders that contain at least 50 units. Please contact us to discuss your proposed order with us.
For purchases on protectli.com or ca.protectli.com:
First, register your account under 'My Account'. After doing so, contact us including your resale/tax exemption certificate along with the email used to register. If you have already placed an order that should have been tax exempt before sending your certificates, we will need to cancel and refund the order so you can place a new order with the proper exemption status.
If you purchased on eu.protectli.com:
In order to purchase from us tax-exempt, we require a valid VAT ID entered at checkout. You do not need to submit separate documentation. Please note that we are not able to grant tax exemption after the purchase was placed.
Yes. We work with our partners on an individual basis as everyone’s requirements tend to be different. The key difference to many other hardware manufacturers is that we sell directly to keep prices low for everyone. Including partners.
There is plenty we can offer:
- Product augmentations: Custom Packaging, Product Inserts, Custom OS Installations, Custom etching on Faceplates, and more.
- Tax exempt purchasing
- Volume Discounts (Typically start at MOQ of 50 pcs)
- And more…
For requests on protectli.com:
Please go to: protectli.com/partners. Fill out our partner intake form and download our brochure for added information.
For requests on eu.protectli.com and ca.protectli.com:
Please contact us directly for more information.
CELLULAR SERVICE QUESTIONS (US only):
If you receive notice that your subscription payment failed, please:
Login to your Protectli account and navigate to “My Account”. Click on “Payment methods” and verify that the correct credit/debit card is visible. Verify that this card is set as the default option. You must then navigate to the “My Subscription” section of your account and click the “Pay” button next to the invoice number under the “Related Orders” section. If you have multiple subscriptions, make sure you do this for each individual SIM affected.
Yes. To cancel an entire subscription, login to your Protectli account and navigate to the “My Account” section. Go to the Subscriptions section and select the subscription(s) of interest. Select the “View” button and one of the options will be “Cancel”. The cancellation process will happen automatically at the next billing cycle.
If there are multiple SIMs on a single subscription and you only want to cancel a specific SIM, Click the “X” next to a SIM to cancel that specific one. The cancellation process will happen automatically at the next billing cycle.
If you are having issues with establishing a connection, verify that the antennas are fully connected to the modem, and verify that the correct APN has been set for your SIM. Further information for the APNs to use can be found on this knowledge base article in the “4G LTE Modem Configuration” section. If you continue to have issues, please reach out to our support team.
You can see your data usage in the “LTE Usage” section of the “My Account” page. This does not update in real-time, and may potentially be at least 24 hours old.
No. These are data only and are typically used with modems.