I would like to create a VLAN that can access the internet but cannot access the rest of my network, with one exception. It should still be able to connect to my HomeAssistant server which isn’t on the VLAN.

I have never set up a VLAN before so I am a bit lost. Does anybody have any good guides on how to set up something like this on a GL.iNet router? I am able to access the OpenWRT settings including interfaces, devices, etc. from LuCI.

  • @litchraleeEnglish
    6•1 month ago

    To lay some foundation, a VLAN is akin to a separate network with separate Ethernet cables. That provides isolation between machines on different VLANs, but it also means each VLAN must be provisioned with routing, so as to reach destinations outside the VLAN.

    Routers like OpenWRT often treat VLANs as if they were distinct NICs, so you can specify routing rules such that traffic to/from a VLAN can only be routed to WAN and nowhere else.

    At a minimum, for an isolated VLAN that requires internet access, you would have to

    • define an IP subnet for your VLAN (ie /24 for IPv4 and /64 for IPv6)
    • advertise that subnet (DHCP for IPv4 and SLAAC for IPv6)
    • route the subnets to your WAN (NAT for IPv4; ideally no NAT66 for IPv6)
    • and finally enable firewalling

    As a reminder, NAT and NAT66 are not firewalls.