Help with guest network on access point
-
I forgot to mention the links I used to make my temporary solution:
https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/46104/how-to-provide-a-guest-lan-on-one-ethernet-device
https://github.com/RaspAP/raspap-webgui/issues/275
https://askubuntu.com/questions/270693/how-can-set-these-iptables-rules-to-run-at-startup
https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-make-iptables-rules-persistent-after-reboot-on-linux -
@JKnott
I'm really interested in VLANs for a near future, I just need to wisely choose the gear as I'll need to replace some of that I already own. I built my setup over a J1800 processor in a fully integrated motherboard. It is a strange setup I bought second hand almost for free but it lacks expansion slots, it features one mini PCI-express slot (I filled with that old wireless card but the range is not useful for a guest WLAN) and one 1x (one lane) PCI-express which I installed the Gigabit ethernet port, also there is just one memory slot with a 4GB DDR3 (it supports a maximum of 8GB). It is a weird ECS-BAT-I (brand?) motherboard that even features an HDMI port and LVDS connector (for LCD screens), I think its a hybrid between a Desktop and a Laptop motherboard, with pieces of SBCs here and there. What I like is that it is a 10W TDP processor that runs pfSense quite well with a medium processor usage of 7%, so very efficient in power usage (This is consuming an average of only 19W/hour according to my Home Assistant measures, by using a PZEM-004T, I guess most of energy is lost in conversion by the old cheap ATX Power Supply, I have one TFX FSP300-60SGV which is 80Plus Gold labelled but I don't know if I can just swap an ATX for an TFX power supply, never tried).
Probably for my next shot, I'll replace this motherboard with a normal Desktop one with more PCI-e slots so I can put more interfaces and create several OPTn-s to work with the VLANs. If the consumption is not that much of a difference, of course.
Single PCI-e with more than one port is not cost-effective according to my searches (in my country, at least). For example: One adapter with 2 Gigabit ports cost much more than 2x single ports Gigabit boards.For now, guest WLAN is working without exposing my network to unknown or infected devices right away (I guess).
And I really appreciate every one of you that shared you knowledge and time to help me out, you guys are the best! -
@fernando_om said in Help with guest network on access point:
Probably for my next shot, I'll replace this motherboard with a normal Desktop one with more PCI-e slots so I can put more interfaces and create several OPTn-s to work with the VLANs.
You might consider a mini PC, like the one in my sig. It has 4 Ethernet ports. In fact, one of my friends bought one last week and his has 2.5 Gb Ethernet ports but mine has only 1 Gb.
<sniff>You can put VLANs on the same interface as your LAN. For example, my guest WiFi VLAN is on my main LAN, so that the access point has both available.
-
@fernando_om Thanks for the links. If you do decide to pursue a mini-PCIE card, I recommend one based on the Atheros AR9280 chip. And you can get bigger antennas. I use both an AR9280 and 9380 based cards (not half-sized) but the 9280 seems to work particularly well and the 9380 should have 3 antennas and I'm one short there. Good luck.
