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Guest network isolation with WAC104 access point
This is a question about the 'guest network' feature on my DGND3700v1 router (with richud firmware and Genie interface) when there is also a WAC04 access point on the network. The router supports 'Gu...
> [...] looking at the setup screens in the WAC104 user guide online, it
> seems to have no concept of 'guest network' as such. [...]I know nothing about the WAC104, but I'd expect that.
The guest-network implementation on Netgear routers seems to be a set
of firewall-like (router) rules which affect the "guest" wireless
clients. A wireless access point which is separate from the router has
no way of employing any such router-based rules.> [...] if a visitor connects as guest at the WAC104 (rather than at the
> DGND3700) [...]The whole guest-network concept is confined to the DGND3700 (router);
there is no "as guest at the WAC104".> [...] would they therefore have a route to my PCs, or would they
> encounter the blocks imposed by the guest network settings on the
> DGND3700?
When any device is connected to the WAC104, the DGND3700 will see it
as a wired client device (hence not a "guest"); just another device on
the (extended) LAN.There may be ways to employ multiple (consumer-grade) routers to
provide a "guest" LAN subnet and a non-guest LAN subnet, with the
desired type of isolation between them. Or, a more sophisicated router
with Virtual-LAN (VLAN) capability (about which I know nothing) could
probably do the job. But I don't see a way for a DGND3700 and a WAP to
do it.
> [...] looking at the setup screens in the WAC104 user guide online, it
> seems to have no concept of 'guest network' as such. [...]
I know nothing about the WAC104, but I'd expect that.
The guest-network implementation on Netgear routers seems to be a set
of firewall-like (router) rules which affect the "guest" wireless
clients. A wireless access point which is separate from the router has
no way of employing any such router-based rules.
> [...] if a visitor connects as guest at the WAC104 (rather than at the
> DGND3700) [...]
The whole guest-network concept is confined to the DGND3700 (router);
there is no "as guest at the WAC104".
> [...] would they therefore have a route to my PCs, or would they
> encounter the blocks imposed by the guest network settings on the
> DGND3700?
When any device is connected to the WAC104, the DGND3700 will see it
as a wired client device (hence not a "guest"); just another device on
the (extended) LAN.
There may be ways to employ multiple (consumer-grade) routers to
provide a "guest" LAN subnet and a non-guest LAN subnet, with the
desired type of isolation between them. Or, a more sophisicated router
with Virtual-LAN (VLAN) capability (about which I know nothing) could
probably do the job. But I don't see a way for a DGND3700 and a WAP to
do it.
That doesn't yound hopeful. Although where you say 'no concept of guest at the WAC104, I suppose rather than 'connect as guest', perhaps I should have said for clarity 'connect to the wi-fi network at the WAC104 which is defined as guest at the DGND3700', but it looks like it makes no difference.
Perhaps I'll take up my ISPs offer of a free router and move my DGND3700 upstairs....
> [...] perhaps I should have said for clarity 'connect to the wi-fi
> network at the WAC104 which is defined as guest at the DGND3700', [...]How, exactly, is "the wi-fi network at the WAC104" "defined as guest
at the DGND3700"? Guest-ness is a property of a device which iswirelessly connected to the router which established the "guest
network". Nothing to do with the WAC104.> When any device is connected to the WAC104, the DGND3700 will see it
> as a wired client device (hence not a "guest"); just another device on
> the (extended) LAN.Still true.
> Perhaps I'll take up my ISPs offer of a free router and move my
> DGND3700 upstairs....The price seems right for some experimentation.