My question is how to properly setup an isolated VLAN across 3 switches.
I am using A) GS105Ev2, B) GS116E and C) GSS108EPP switches in this home dual WAN setup.
I have an ASUS dual WAN router on the first floor next to the (Netgear) cable modem. The cable modem plugs directly into WAN1 on the router.
On the 3rd floor I have a Netgear cellular hotspot with WiFi turned off and Ethernet turned on.
My goal is to connect the Ethernet port of the hotspot to the WAN2 port of the router using a VLAN. I have allocated VLAN identifier 5 for this purpose.
Note: For all switches I am currently using 802.1Q basic configurations.
VLAN IDs are in parenthesis below.
On switch A [floor 1 AV cabinet]
port 5 (5) plugged into WAN 2 on router
port 2-3 (1) port 2 plugged into LAN port on Router
port 1 (all) goes to switch B port 13
On switch B [floor 2 wiring cabinet]
port 13 and 16 (all) 13 goes to switch A port 5, 16 goes to switch C port 8
port 1-12, 14,15 (1)
On switch C [floor 2 wiring cabinet]
port 8 (all) goes to switch B port 16
port 7 (5) goes to hotspot
port 1-6 (1)
VLAN ID 1 is working properly throughout the house. The WAN 2 port on the router is showing link but no DHCP based IP info as would be served by the hotspot with a direct connection. Hotspot works fine in testing configurations (serves DHCP IP info) with a direct laptop connection AND when switch C is disconnected from house network (Port 8 )and the hotspot and a laptop are connected to VLAN ID 1 ports on switch C.
Somehow VLAN ID 5 is not making its way through the switches C and B to switch A.
Note: For all switches I am currently using 802.1Q basic configurations.
With the basic 802.1q config, there is no way to configure a trunk, a connection handling more than one VLAN, on a single link. However, this is what you need to link up more than one switch.
I suggest using the Advanced 802.1q config, keep the primary VLAN easily workable for most connected devices, read keep the default VLAN 1 untagged for all ports and the trunk links. Add one additional VLAN, like VLAN 2, and mark trunk ports for tagged connections. For the ports you need as so called access ports where you want only this VLAN 2 (untagged ), and define thee ports as PVID 2 so frames coming in on these ports are assigned to the VLAN 2. For devices connecting the second router - and I tend to suggest not to use the WAN port - much more than the LAN port of the second VLAN.
