Best cloud storage services with CLI for pfSense: (Guide)

Best Cloud Storage with CLI for Linux pfSense

In modern network environments, backing up configurations, logs and critical data offsite is essential. pfSense is a FreeBSD‐based firewall/router that often runs in resource‐constrained setups. Integrating a command‐line (CLI) cloud‐storage client lets you automate backups and maintain security with minimal overhead. Below we review top services—pCloud, MEGA, Proton Drive, Filen, Tresorit, Icedrive—and suggest a few more, comparing features and showing step‐by‐step CLI usage.

Top Recommended Services for pfSense

• pCloud – Fast, Swiss‐based, zero‐knowledge encryption add‐on
• MEGA – Generous free tier, end‐to‐end encrypted
• Proton Drive – Privacy‐first, integrated with Proton ecosystem
• Filen – Focus on privacy, GDPR‐compliant European servers
• Tresorit – Enterprise‐grade zero‐knowledge service
• Icedrive – Modern UI, Ice Protocol encryption
• Dropbox (via rclone) – Ubiquitous, reliable
• Google Drive (via rclone) – Integrated with Google API
• Backblaze B2 (via CLI) – Low‐cost object storage

Comparison Table

Which One to Choose?

• For privacy enthusiasts: Tresorit or Proton Drive (zero-knowledge, strong encryption).
• For budget or free storage: MEGA (20 GB free) or pCloud (10 GB Crypto add-on).
• For integration and flexibility: rclone with Google Drive or Backblaze B2.
• For easy mounting: pcloudcc (pCloud), MEGAcmd (MEGA), tresorit-cli (Tresorit).

CLI Setup and Usage

1. pCloud

pCloud provides two Linux tools: pcloudcc (daemon FUSE) and pcloudcmd (scripting). On pfSense, install via pkg or compile from source.

# Install dependencies
pkg install fusefs-libs pkgconfig libcurl openssl

# Fetch and install pcloudcc (example URL)
fetch https://linux.pcloud.com/pcloudcc/releases/pcloudcc.tar.gz
tar xzf pcloudcc.tar.gz
cd pcloudcc
./configure
make  make install

# Login and mount
pcloudcc -u you@example.com -p YourPassword 
mkdir /mnt/pcloud
pcloudcc -l /mnt/pcloud

Typical issues: ensure FUSE is loaded (kldload fusefs) and firewall allows outgoing HTTPS.

2. MEGA (MEGAcmd)

MEGA’s official CLI is MEGAcmd. It supports shell commands, scripting APIs and background daemons.

# Install MEGAcmd
pkg install megacmd

# Start the daemon
mega-cmd-server 

# Login
mega-login you@example.com YourPassword

# Upload a directory
mega-put /usr/local/etc /Backups/pfSenseConfig

# List remote
mega-ls /Backups

Common pitfalls: ensure mega-cmd-server is running, check logs in ~/.megaCmd/logs.

3. Proton Drive (via rclone)

Proton Drive official CLI is in development. Best support via rclone beta Proton backend.

# Install rclone
curl https://rclone.org/install.sh  bash

# Configure Proton Drive
rclone config
# Choose n for new remote, name: proton
# Storage: protondrive
# Login via browser or generate token

# Sync local → remote
rclone sync /usr/local/etc proton:pfSense-backup

Note: Proton Drive support is beta—watch file size limits, and token refresh periodically.

4. Filen (via rclone)

Filen does not ship a CLI, but rclone supports it out of the box.

rclone config
# New remote, name: filen
# Storage: filen
# Enter API key  secret (get from Filen dashboard)

# Copy a folder
rclone copy /usr/local/pkg filen:pfSense/pkg-backup

Ensure API credentials are correct check rclone listremotes first.

5. Tresorit

Tresorit offers an official CLI called tresorit-cli for Linux.

# Download and install (example for FreeBSD/Linux)
fetch https://download.tresorit.com/tresorit-cli-latest-linux-amd64.tar.gz
tar xzf tresorit-cli-.tar.gz
mv tresorit-cli /usr/local/bin/

# Authenticate
tresorit-cli login you@example.com

# Create a tresor and sync
tresorit-cli create-pfsense-tresor
tresorit-cli sync /usr/local/etc pfsense-tresor

Watch out for missing dependencies install libfuse and allow FUSE mount.

6. Icedrive (via rclone)

Icedrive currently has no native CLI, but rclone’s icedrive backend works well.

rclone config
# New remote, name: icedrive
# Storage: icedrive
# Enter user and pass

# Mount or sync
rclone mount icedrive: /mnt/icedrive --daemon
rclone sync /usr/local/etc icedrive:pfSenseBackup

Remember to unmount cleanly (fusermount -u /mnt/icedrive), or use --umask flags for permissions.

Typical Challenges and Solutions

• Limited Packages on pfSense: pfSense’s pkg repo is minimal. You may need to cross‐compile or chroot into a Linux jail.
• FUSE and Daemons: Load fusefs kernel module and allow mounts under /mnt.
• Firewall Rules: Open outbound ports (usually TCP 443). Monitor logs for refusal.
• Token Renewal: rclone tokens expire automate rclone config reconnect or reauthorize periodically.

Conclusion

Choosing the right cloud storage CLI for pfSense depends on your priorities: pure privacy, free space, or flexibility. For seamless mounting and strong encryption, pCloud (with Crypto) and Tresorit excel. For large free quotas, MEGA is attractive. If you want a universal solution that works across many providers, rclone is indispensable—back up to Proton Drive, Filen, Icedrive or even Google Drive and Backblaze B2. Always test your backup scripts and monitor logs to ensure reliability in production firewalls.