My network still feels the same as before, no changes in segmentation.
My network still feels the same as before, no changes in segmentation.
I maintain all my IoT gadgets on my Guest WiFi, which operates at 192.168.3.x, while my trusted devices are on 192.168.0.x. My JellyFin Media server, previously inaccessible from the Guest Network, is now reachable locally after port forwarding. I verify my subnet mask today as 255.255.255.0. It seems these devices should not be able to communicate across different subnets, shouldn't it? The problem arose when I switched to the Guest Network, which also affected my FireStick streaming. Although it’s not a major concern, I’m concerned about IoT devices accessing my main network due to known security risks. I’m wondering if there’s a better way—perhaps using a separate router for all smart devices—to avoid putting another device on my UPS network. My subnetting has worked well for about three years, but I’m unsure when the issue began. It appeared normal a year ago, but it surfaced recently.
Different subnets cause devices to treat external IPs outside their range as default routes, leading them to rely on the gateway instead. If a shared router exists between subnets and lacks firewall rules blocking communication, it will manage traffic flow between them—this is the intended purpose of a real router. The term “Guest Network” refers to some devices or APs that allow internet access but restrict internal communication; their settings might have been altered. Perhaps permissions were changed so they could connect to external resources like printers. Lastly, while you discussed subnets, VLANs weren’t mentioned. Without them, subnets operate within the same broadcast domain, which can influence how traffic behaves. This should clarify what might be affecting your setup.
That's really useful. I appreciate the advice. My router seems quite simple, but I managed to get it for a low price because it was one of the early WiFi 6E releases. My switch, on the other hand, is much more advanced, which means I might be able to adjust some settings to better organize my network. Thanks for the help—it's been a while since I revisited networking topics, and this was a great reminder.
I don’t think the switch will make much difference by itself. The segmentation should be handled at the router.