Do i need an IoT VLAN

[2301]

The deal is as follows, i have configured 2 VLAN's in my network. The main LAN (VLAN 1) and a Public LAN (VLAN 10), both with their own DHCP server and subnet. The Public is mainly for guests that want wifi access in the house and is completely isolated from my main LAN. Until now, i really didn't bother much with the gaming consoles and the thermostat being on the main LAN but now i got a wifi speaker (from the illusterous brand Xiaomi) as a christmas gift from my work which i have connected once the main LAN to test it and it works really well. The thing though is that unfortunately, i have little trust in Chinese brands and certainly wouldn't want them having access to my main LAN network which has my Nextcloud server and fileserver which contain my personal and company files so after the trial, i disconnected the speaker and boxed it again.

This got me thinking that maybe it is time to have a separate IoT VLAN to connect things that i do not want to have any access to any other LAN resources other than the internet, similar to the Public Wifi. The thing though is that i do not know if you would need to be on the same LAN in orde to play music from the mobile to the speaker or if that all goes through the internet. In the end, the main question is, do i really need yet another VLAN for IoT or should i just use the Public for both purposes. Reconfiguring the existing stuff such as the game consoles and the thermostat to connect to the Public LAN is obviously a very simple operation. Is there anything i am missing here?

Go for it!
I have a Xiaomi vacuum cleaner a this contacts countless numbers of chinese servers...
Unfortunately on my Asus XT9 Mesh cannot create an IoT network, to isolate this guy from my home network. I tried to put it into guest network, as single device, but then cannot control it with iPhone...

 

[remsta]

I use a IOT vlan for all my smarthome stuff.
They can not go to the Internet. If something needs to update i give it temporary access to internet for updating only.

I am on my LAN or WLAN vlan i can connect to the smarthome devices.
But not the way around smarthome devices can not reach anything.

But how does that work with things like:
- LIFX Light Bulbs which have their own app
- Phillips Hue which has its own app
- Roborock Vacuum which has its own app
- Tesla which has its own app

All these need Internet to be able to control them. Lets say you block the internet, if they are in a separate VLAN from your main one and your iPhone is connected to your main one and you want to control your Roborock, even if the app worked without internet, it won't work because the LAN's are separated...

 

[2301]

But how does that work with things like:
- LIFX Light Bulbs which have their own app
- Phillips Hue which has its own app
- Roborock Vacuum which has its own app
- Tesla which has its own app

All these need Internet to be able to control them. Lets say you block the internet, if they are in a separate VLAN from your main one and your iPhone is connected to your main one and you want to control your Roborock, even if the app worked without internet, it won't work because the LAN's are separated...

I'm switching from Asus to UniFi for the exact reason as there is possible to create isolated IoT network and phones can talk both way with IoT's bot those don't have any access to home network.

 

[Tech9]

All these need Internet to be able to control them.

You can allow Internet and control them through online services they have. Most home users would prefer this approach due to user-friendliness and it usually doesn't need any special equipment.

 

[2301]

You can allow Internet and control them through online services they have. Most home users would prefer this approach due to user-friendliness and it usually doesn't need any special equipment.

Except that your Mi robot vacuum cleaner visits data centers in Shenzhen and some Huawei servers, more then 15 and as its on main home network, only chinese comrades knows what is uploading...

 

[Tech9]

Many data centers in Shenzhen and billions worth of Huawei communication equipment around the world. Your vacuum cleaner data and eventually a map of your home is perhaps very low on interests list. And you brought this device home, it didn't come uninvited. So basically you are fighting with your own decisions.

 

[2301]

You think you're a philosopher, but you're just ranting pointlessly here, or are you a Chinese with 20,172 postings?