Why pfSense on this Mac? Isn't this overkill with it's Xeon processor? Well, it's got two Intel gigabit NIC's, it's quiet, and can handle any additional packages I decide to install. It's also going to replace my existing Zotac Zbox CI325 (which I want to use for other things).
Some key points to consider when setting up the Mac Pro:
- If you don't already have a good working video card (because you bought it second-hand), the ATI Radeon 5770 works great.
- The boot EFI on this Mac must be 32-bit, so booting into a 64-bit bootable USB is just a no go.
There are sites which could help you build a bootable USB (https://mattgadient.com/linux-dvd-images-and-how-to-for-32-bit-efi-macs-late-2006-models/ and https://mesom.de/efi32boot/index.html), but these will not work well with the pfSense ISO or IMG.
My workaround for this was to create a normal bootable USB using Rufus (done on Windows 10, but you can use any USB boot-creator on any OS) and using the normal pfSense USB memstick IMG file.
I then took out the HDD I was planning on using for the mac and connected it inside another PC (USB docks don't work and are not detected by the pfSense installer).
I booted this PC up with the bootable USB, then began the pfSense installation process.
It is IMPORTANT TO NOTE at this stage, that when you choose the disk and the partition type, that you choose MBR and NOT GPT. The old Mac Pro's do not like GPT for some reason. You "could" choose Apple Partition Map, but MBR is going to be more compatible for your needs.
Once I chose MBR, partitioned it and the installation complete, I shut down the PC with the drive, took out the drive and put it in the Mac.
Success!