Support — we're here to help

Your bestest firewall buddy is in the works. Whether you've got a quick question or a tricky networking problem, our UK-based team is here for you. Real people, real answers — no scripts, no call centres.

UK team · Mon–Fri 9am–5:30pm
Reply within 1 working day
No jargon — plain English always
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Email us directly

The quickest route. Include your order number if you have one and we'll come back to you within one working day — usually much sooner.

hello@firewall-buddy.co.uk
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Support request form

Fill in the form at the bottom of this page. Great for technical issues — helps us route your query to the right person straight away.

Jump to form
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Returns & warranty

Something arrived damaged or not working? See our full returns policy, or just email us with your order number and we'll sort it out.

Returns policy
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Netgate documentation

The official Netgate docs cover pfSense configuration in serious depth — great for self-service answers to setup and configuration questions.

Open docs ↗

Which support is which? All levels explained

There are two kinds of support around a Netgate firewall: Netgate TAC (from the manufacturer, covers the pfSense software itself) and Firewall-Buddy services (from us, covering your actual network). Here's how they fit together.

What you getTAC Lite
FREE with every appliance		TAC Pro
approx £440/yr inc VAT		TAC Enterprise
approx £785/yr inc VAT
Who provides itNetgateNetgateNetgate
Software updates for life✓✓✓
Zero-to-ping setup help✓✓✓
Response time SLA—8 business hours4 hours · 24/5
Phone support—✓✓
Config & how-to questionsCommunity forum✓✓
🛠️ And where do we fit in?

TAC covers the pfSense software — it doesn't configure your VPNs, your VLANs, or look after your network month to month. That's us. One-off setup from £149 or managed firewall from £49/month — and we'll tell you honestly which TAC level (if any) you actually need. Most of our managed customers don't need paid TAC at all, because we handle it.

Frequently asked questions

How do I set up my Netgate appliance for the first time?+
Plug in your appliance and connect a computer directly to the LAN port with an ethernet cable, then browse to 192.168.1.1. The pfSense setup wizard will guide you through. If you get stuck, email us — we'll walk you through it at no charge.
My appliance isn't connecting to the internet+
The most common cause is the WAN interface type not matching your ISP. Log into pfSense, go to Interfaces → WAN, and check whether your ISP uses DHCP, PPPoE, or a static IP. Still stuck? Email us your ISP name and we'll help.
How do I set up a VPN for remote workers?+
pfSense Plus supports OpenVPN, WireGuard and IPsec out of the box. For most remote access setups we recommend OpenVPN — compatible with Windows, Mac, iOS and Android. See the Netgate VPN guide, or ask us to configure it for you.
What does my TAC support subscription include?+
TAC subscriptions give you access to Netgate's own expert support team. TAC Lite is community-level. TAC Pro gives an 8-hour response SLA with phone support. TAC Enterprise gives 4-hour response and 24/5 coverage. All include software updates. Raise tickets at support.netgate.com.
Can you help me choose the right product?+
Absolutely — that's one of our favourite things to do. Try our product finder quiz for a quick recommendation, or email us a brief description of your setup (users, offices, use case, budget) and we'll give you an honest recommendation — even if it means a cheaper option.
Where is my order / how do I track delivery?+
We'll email your tracking number as soon as your order is dispatched — usually the same working day or next morning. If you haven't received tracking within 2 working days, email us with your order reference and we'll chase it down immediately.
Do you offer installation and configuration services?+
Yes — fixed-price setup services from £149. We configure remotely via screen-share in most cases, or on-site for larger deployments. See our services page for full details and pricing.
Can I cancel or return my order?+
Consumer orders can be cancelled within 14 days of receipt under the Consumer Contracts Regulations. Business orders are handled case-by-case. See our full returns policy for details, or email us and we'll sort it out.

Send us a support request

Tell us as much as you can — the more detail, the faster we can help. We'll reply to your email within 1 working day (usually much sooner).

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Your bestest firewall buddy is on the case!