Shell

Beginning with version 8.2.0, the FreeNAS® GUI provides a web shell, making it easy to run command line tools from the web browser as the root user. In previous versions of FreeNAS®, you either had to have physical access to a keyboard attached to the FreeNAS® console, or you had to enable the SSH service, add a user to the wheel group, and set a password for root in order to access a root console shell. Both of those access methods could be considered security risks in some environments.

The link to Shell is the third entry from the bottom of the menu tree. In Figure 9.2a, the link has been clicked and Shell is open.

Figure 9.2a: Web Shell

The prompt indicates that the current user is root, the hostname is freenas, and the current working directory is ~ (root's home directory).

While you are in Shell, you will not have access to any of the other GUI menus. If you are using Shell for troubleshooting purposes and need to leave the Shell in order to modify a configuration, click the x in the window's upper right corner. The next time you enter Shell, you will return to your last session. When you are finished using Shell, type exit to leave the session completely.

Shell provides history (use your up arrow to see previously entered commands and press enter to repeat the currently displayed command) and tab completion (type a few letters and press tab to complete a command name or filename in the current directory).

NOTE: not all of Shell's features render correctly in Chrome. Firefox is the recommended browser for using Shell.

Due to the embedded nature of FreeNAS®, some FreeBSD components are missing and noticeable in Shell. For example, man pages are not included; however, FreeBSD man pages can be read online. Most FreeBSD command line utilities should be available in Shell. Additional troubleshooting utilities that are provided by FreeNAS® are described in Useful Command Line Utilities.