pfSense Router Login: Access the WebGUI

If you are looking for the pfSense router login, pfSense is open-source firewall and router software, made by Netgate, that runs on a computer or appliance rather than a typical home router. You manage it through a web interface called the WebGUI, and the default login is admin with the password pfsense, at the address https://192.168.1.1. This guide covers the login, the certificate warning you will see, changing the password, and recovering access if you are locked out.

How to Log In to pfSense

1. Connect a computer to the LAN side of your pfSense system, ideally with an Ethernet cable. The WebGUI listens on the internal LAN interface by default.
2. Open a web browser such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge.
3. In the address bar, type https://192.168.1.1 and press Enter. Note the https prefix, since pfSense uses a secure connection by default. If your LAN uses a different address, use that instead.
4. You will see a security warning about the certificate. This is expected, covered below, so proceed past it.
5. Enter the username and password. See the next section.
6. Click Login to reach the pfSense Dashboard.

Default Username and Password

Login address	Username	Password
https://192.168.1.1	admin	pfsense

The factory default for a fresh pfSense installation is admin as the username and pfsense as the password, both lowercase. These are the same credentials used for SSH access if you later enable it, though SSH is off by default.

Netgate is emphatic about one thing: change the default password to a strong, unique value as soon as possible, and do not leave it at the default even in a lab. Because pfSense is often used as a network’s firewall, and the default credentials are published everywhere, leaving them unchanged is a serious security risk. If your pfSense will ever be reachable from the internet, change the password before that happens. See our guide on creating a strong password for what to choose.

The Certificate Warning Is Normal

When you first open https://192.168.1.1, your browser will warn that the connection is not private or the certificate is not trusted. This is expected on a fresh pfSense install, because it uses a self-signed certificate rather than one from a public authority. It does not mean anything is wrong.

To continue, click Advanced and then the option to proceed to the site. In Chrome this is “Proceed to 192.168.1.1 (unsafe),” and in Edge it is under Details, then “Go on to the webpage.” It is safe here because you are connecting to your own device on your own network.

Finding Your pfSense Address

The default LAN address is 192.168.1.1, but it can be different if it was changed during setup. If https://192.168.1.1 does not load:

• Check the pfSense console directly. The physical console screen, accessible with a monitor or serial connection, displays the current LAN IP address in its menu.
• Confirm your computer’s gateway. On Windows, press Windows + R, type cmd, run ipconfig, and read the “Default Gateway” line, which points to your pfSense LAN address. You can also find your gateway’s IP on any device.

How to Change the pfSense Password

Change the default immediately after your first login.

1. Log in to the WebGUI.
2. Go to System, then User Manager.
3. Edit the admin account.
4. Enter a strong new password and save.

Use a long, unique password, since this account controls your firewall. Store it in a password manager.

How to Reset a Lost pfSense Password

If you forget the WebGUI password, pfSense has a built-in console option to restore it, which does not erase your configuration.

1. Access the physical console of the pfSense system, using a connected monitor and keyboard or a serial connection.
2. In the console menu, choose the option to Reset webConfigurator password (commonly option 3).
3. This reverts the admin login to the default, admin and pfsense.
4. Log in with the default and immediately set a new strong password.

This is different from a full factory reset, which would erase your entire configuration. The password reset option keeps your settings intact, so use it rather than reinstalling. For the general approach on other routers, see our guide on recovering a router’s password.

Conclusion

Logging in to pfSense means opening https://192.168.1.1, accepting the expected self-signed certificate warning, and signing in with admin and pfsense. Because pfSense is firewall software protecting your whole network, the most important step after your first login is changing that default password to something strong and unique. And if you ever lose access, the console’s password reset option restores the default without wiping your configuration, so you rarely need to reinstall. Locking down the admin login is a core part of securing your network.