pfSense text alerts: email-to-SMS setup
pfSense emails notifications for gateway events, package updates, and system alarms. Point its SMTP notifications at EmailToTxt and your edge firewall can text you when the WAN drops.
What you’ll need
- An EmailToTxt account and an endpoint (created in step 1).
- A mailbox for the device to send from — a free Gmail/Outlook account with an app password works.
- Access to your pfSense settings (web interface, app, or local console).
- The phone number(s) that should receive the texts.
- 1
Create your EmailToTxt endpoint
In your EmailToTxt dashboard, add an endpoint and choose the “generic” template. EmailToTxt generates a unique inbound address for it, like
server-room-a1b2c@alerts.emailtotxt.com. - 2
Set up an email account to send from
EmailToTxt receives your alert emails, but your device still needs a mailbox to send from. The simplest option is a free, dedicated Gmail or Outlook account with an app password — most NVRs can’t do modern sign-in, and an app password works around that. You only set this up once and can reuse the same sending account across every recorder and endpoint.
Provider SMTP server SSL port STARTTLS port Gmail smtp.gmail.com 465 587 Outlook.com smtp-mail.outlook.com — 587 Microsoft 365 smtp.office365.com — 587 Yahoo Mail smtp.mail.yahoo.com 465 587 Tip: turn on 2-Step Verification for the account, then generate an app password and use that 16-character value as the SMTP password — typed without the spaces Google shows (they’re display-only, and some recorders reject them). Use the account’s full email address as the user name. - 3
Configure pfSense email (SMTP) settings
System → Advanced → Notifications tab → E-Mail section.
- Set the SMTP server and port (465 SSL/TLS or 587 STARTTLS), enable authentication, and use an app password for Gmail/Outlook.
- Set "Notification E-Mail address" to your EmailToTxt endpoint, then use "Test SMTP Settings".
- 4
Turn on email for the events you want texted
Notifications are system-wide once SMTP is configured — gateway up/down events, CARP failover, and many packages (e.g. Service Watchdog) email through the same setting.
- Uncheck "Disable SMTP Notifications" if a previous admin turned them off — it's the most common reason nothing sends.
- 5
Set the recipient to your EmailToTxt address and send a test
Set the device’s recipient/receiver to your EmailToTxt endpoint address, then use the built-in Test button (or trigger a test event). The email should reach EmailToTxt within seconds — you’ll see it appear in your Activity log.
- 6
Add phone numbers and confirm delivery
In EmailToTxt, open the endpoint and add the phone numbers that should receive alerts in E.164 format (for example
+15555550123). Trigger a real event and watch the Activity tab — each alert is logged as received → parsed → sent. Recipients can reply STOP to opt out anytime.
What the text looks like
EmailToTxt reads the alert emails pfSense sends and pulls out the event and key details, so your phone gets a single clean line instead of a full email.
The alert email
Subject: MONITOR: WAN_DHCP is down
Notifications in this message: 1 22:47:12 MONITOR: WAN_DHCP is down, omitting from routing group
The text you receive
EmailToTxt
Delivered · now
pfSense text alerts: FAQ
- Does this work on OPNsense too?
- Yes — OPNsense keeps the equivalent under System → Settings → Notifications (Monit handles service-level alerts). Any firewall that can send SMTP notifications works the same way.
Other setup guides
Ready to text your pfSense alerts?
Create an endpoint, paste the address into your recorder, add your number.