VLANs on a router that isn't VLAN-aware cannot be configured properly.
VLANs on a router that isn't VLAN-aware cannot be configured properly.
You can set up a separate VLAN for your wired IoT devices. This will isolate them from the rest of the network while keeping them connected to the internet through the smart switch. The existing VLAN on your AP can handle wireless IoT traffic. Just configure the new VLAN with appropriate access controls so only your IoT devices are allowed to communicate.
It varies by device; some handle the VLAN header smoothly, others face issues. You’d need to test it. For IoT gadgets, the router must support VLANs or filter them before reaching the router.
Consider scenarios where some equipment requires only a local server without internet, while others depend on full connectivity. The setup would involve isolating the local servers via VLANs, ensuring they communicate internally but remain disconnected from external networks. The router must stay online for all devices, acting as a central hub for routing traffic between segments.
The simplest approach involves connecting the server and a switch with multiple VLANs via a trunk interface. This setup enables the server to communicate across different VLANs if it supports them. If this works, the server can interact with both networks. Which operating system is your server running? What type of smart switch are you using?
The cost is significantly higher than typical options like a $40 Ubiquiti ERX. From an energy standpoint, it’s even pricier. I think the price was driven up by marketing tactics aimed at gamers, which can push people to spend more, though some alternatives are more sensible.
I didn’t pay for it at all, I got it for free. The server runs Ubuntu 18.04 Server, an older Gateway built with a Core 2 quad and Intel Ethernet. The switch is a Netgear GS724TPv2.
Installing Ubuntu makes it easy to configure VLANs, especially if your NIC works properly. This guide is helpful—see https://www.techonia.com/448/create-vlan-ubuntu-linux. Add two VLANs, connect them via a trunk port on the smart switch, and assign the required VLANs to the access ports on other interfaces.
It can be tricky at first. Each VLAN usually needs its own network and IP range. Adding a VLAN often means assigning it a specific subnet. Devices inside that VLAN will get their own addresses, but if they’re on a different subnet, they won’t communicate unless properly routed. It helps to set up the right routing rules so traffic flows between VLANs.
Each VLAN requires a gateway address on the router. Every VLAN operates as its own logical network and functions as a separate broadcast domain. To manage communication between them, you need Inter VLAN routing. You might install a DHCP server within each VLAN or employ an IP helper configuration to forward traffic across VLANs to a central DHCP server. If all gateway addresses reside on one device, you can create a single DHCP server with distinct scopes for each VLAN network. Devices inside a VLAN can reach the router through that gateway, while the routing device can enforce policies that allow or block traffic between VLANs.