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    How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?

    Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved General pfSense Questions
    iotmatteripv6vlan
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    • johnpozJ
      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @stephenw10
      last edited by johnpoz

      @stephenw10 said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

      I've never played with any Matter devices, do they only use IPv6?

      Either have I - but quick google seems like yes IPv6 is required.. Whatever your hub is for your matter stuff will use its own random ULA, and send out RAs for this.

      Seems odd if you ask me - does it also route traffic between if the hub has more than one interface in different networks?

      But again if all the devices are on the same L2 pfsense has zero to do with those conversations be it using IPv4, IPv6 gua, IPv6 ula or just some link-local IPv6 address space.

      If he is having issues with whatever is connected to port 9 the multiple untagged is more than likely the problem - that is never going to be a good idea and would be nothing but problematic even if the pvid was set correctly for the vlan you want the device on.. Because the device would also be seeing all vlan 1 traffic that is multicast or broadcast, even when not sent to its mac. etc..

      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

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      • S
        Seeking Sense @johnpoz
        last edited by

        Hi @johnpoz

        Port 9 of the switch is attached to a NIC on my VM Host and is where the VM for Home Assistant w/ Matter Server 192.168.2.101 resides.

        Port 2 of the switch is attached to LAN1 of my dumb AP.

        The dump AP (OpenWrt) has been offering WiFi access for my LAN 192.168.1.0/24 and now would like to create a new SSID "IoT" for 192.168.2.0/24

        Was hoping that I could run 192.168.1.0/24 and 192.168.2.0/24 over the same physical cable from Port 2 of the switch to the AP.

        IoT VLAN is configured on pfSense and has been working for sometime. However now that I am adding Matter device I need to place all "smart" home devices on the same VLAN as Home Assistant.

        Matter uses IPv6 link-local and from what I have read works on a flat network, not communicating across VLANS.

        @johnpoz said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

        What is the pvid set on port 9

        33

        I assume that I have something configured wrong somewhere I just don't know what or where.

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        • S
          Seeking Sense @stephenw10
          last edited by

          @stephenw10 said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

          Yup, that^.

          Also where is the Matter server in this setup? How is it attached?

          Home Assistant w/ Matter Server 192.168.2.101
          VLAN 33
          Port 9 of the switch connected to dedicated NIC port on VM Host.

          I assume you can reach that from a client on the LAN OK?

          Yes. I can access Home Assistant w/ Matter Server 192.168.2.101 from computer 192.168.1.100

          I've never played with any Matter devices, do they only use IPv6?

          Yes. link-local IPv6.

          FWIW The AP is running OpenWrt.

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          • dennypageD
            dennypage @stephenw10
            last edited by

            @stephenw10 said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

            I've never played with any Matter devices, do they only use IPv6?

            The devices themselves, yes. The controllers, no. Like this:

            User device <-- IPv4 / IPv6 --> Matter Controller <-- IPv6 LL --> Matter device
            
            S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 1
            • stephenw10S
              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
              last edited by

              That should work then.

              Do you have any VLAN configuration in the VM host? You could be passing VLAN 33 tagged into it for example. Though since you can reach the Matter server from LAN it must be at least mostly correct!

              You should remove port 9 from VLAN1 as @johnpoz pointed out though.

              You are using a flat network for the devices and server. None of that traffic is being routed whether or not it's in a VLAN. It's all on the same layer 2 segment. So I'd expect it to work.

              I would try to run packet captures to see what traffic is actually making it to where. I'd probably start at the Matter server but I expect to see the traffic not making that far. Then at the VM host. Then on the AP.

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              • S
                Seeking Sense @dennypage
                last edited by

                @dennypage said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

                The devices themselves, yes. The controllers, no. Like this:

                User device <-- IPv4 / IPv6 --> Matter Controller <-- IPv6 LL --> Matter device

                Correct.

                Now can you help this NOOB out with getting things working?

                I'm not sure where the configuration issue is; pfSense, OpenWrt, 16 port switch....

                For what is worth I have been able to connect a Tapo Matter switch to the IoT SSID (192.168.2.6) of the AP.

                Using the iOS Tapo app via Bluetooth I was able to communicate with the Tapo Switch and give it the IoT SSID and password. The Tapo switch connects to the AP but does not communicate with the network.

                dennypageD johnpozJ 2 Replies Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • stephenw10S
                  stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                  last edited by stephenw10

                  So the switches connect to the AP but do not pull an IP address because they use IPv6 LL only?

                  You can see in OpenWRT that they are connected?

                  You have the IoT SSID correctly bridged with the VLAN33 interface in OpenWRT?
                  Normally that would be obvious because devices connecting pull a lease in the correct subnet but these apparently don't do that.

                  You could try connecting something else to that SSID and make sure it can ping the Matter server.

                  S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • dennypageD
                    dennypage @Seeking Sense
                    last edited by

                    @Seeking-Sense said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

                    For what is worth I have been able to connect a Tapo Matter switch to the IoT SSID (192.168.2.6) of the AP.

                    Using the iOS Tapo app via Bluetooth I was able to communicate with the Tapo Switch and give it the IoT SSID and password. The Tapo switch connects to the AP but does not communicate with the network.

                    Understand you have successfully the Matter device (switch) connected to the wifi network... but have you paired it with the Matter Controller?

                    S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • johnpozJ
                      johnpoz LAYER 8 Global Moderator @Seeking Sense
                      last edited by

                      @Seeking-Sense said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

                      I'm not sure where the configuration issue is; pfSense, OpenWrt, 16 port switch....

                      Not sure how many times this has to be said - it has ZERO to do with pfsense.. Pfsense has zero to do with things on the same vlan/network talking to each other..

                      Maybe your AP is filtering multicast? Maybe your ssid is set as a guest network - this prevents devices on that wifi network from talking to wired ports..

                      Maybe its handing out some other IPv6 address to the wifi devices.. And that is causing problems? All I can tell you is pfsense has nothing to do with devices on the same network/vlan from talking to each other.

                      Maybe your AP is not setup correctly for ssid on vlan 33.. If you connect your phone or laptop to this ssid from the AP can you ping your matter box on 192.168.2.101? This phone/laptop gets an IP in your 192.168.2 network?

                      An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools
                      If you get confused: Listen to the Music Play
                      Please don't Chat/PM me for help, unless mod related
                      SG-4860 24.11 | Lab VMs 2.8, 24.11

                      S 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • S
                        Seeking Sense @johnpoz
                        last edited by

                        @johnpoz OKAY so beat me over the head with the stupid stick. 😁

                        Thanks again for the prodding.

                        After some reconfiguration of the AP and enabling IPv6 UFW rules for my VM I was able to get traffic flowing between the Tapo switch and Home Assistant and Matter Server.

                        IPv6 was not enabled in /etc/default/ufw

                        Set IPV6=yes

                        UFW was blocking the ports that the Matter server uses so I opened those ports for the range of addresses for my IoT devices.

                        Any recommendations for blocking Internet access to and from my IoT devices?

                        I have setup an IoT Aliases list with the devices IPv4 addresses.

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                        • S
                          Seeking Sense @dennypage
                          last edited by

                          @dennypage After some head banging and prodding from people wiser then me I have been able to connect to communicate with the Tapo switch via the Tapo app.

                          I have been able to connect the Tapo switch to the Matter server integration of Home Assistant. Furthermore Home Assistant is able to control the Tapo switch.

                          However I am currently trying to figure out how to control the Tapo switch locally without requiring the cloud account.

                          When adding the Tapo switch to Home Assistant I was asked for my TP-Link Cloud account and password. I do not know if that is a one time only requirement or if Home Assistant periodically present TP-Link Cloud with my credentials to keep the Tapo switch functioning. Findings are mixed on wether they can function without the TP-Link cloud account.

                          Do you have any experience with the Tapo switches?

                          dennypageD 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • S
                            Seeking Sense @stephenw10
                            last edited by

                            @stephenw10 Thanks for the input.

                            @stephenw10 said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

                            You have the IoT SSID correctly bridged with the VLAN33 interface in OpenWRT?

                            I did not have the bridge correctly configured.

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                            • stephenw10S
                              stephenw10 Netgate Administrator
                              last edited by

                              If they are only using IPv6 LL addresses then no connections outside the subnet could ever be made. Out or in.

                              For other devices in the subnet that are using IPv4 or routable IPv6 addresses then you just need an appropriate firewall ruleset on IoT to limit outgoing connections. Incoming connections would be filtered on the other interfaces involved.

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                              • dennypageD
                                dennypage @Seeking Sense
                                last edited by

                                @Seeking-Sense said in How do I enable IPv6 traffic on VLAN for IoT Matter traffic?:

                                @dennypage
                                …
                                Do you have any experience with the Tapo switches?

                                I don’t have direct experience with Tapo. However I do have experience with Kasa, and I can attest that TP-Link goes out of its way to push / force you onto cloud services.

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