Need router for small office with NAS and vlan... I think

[83SanDimas]

My first post and I am very happt to have found this forum. I have a small business and want to improve the network (router and storage). I would like to be able to have reliable wireless where I can control who has access. I have heard this refered to as guest access or vlan so forgive my lack of knowledge. Some useres need internet only, some partial lan, some full access. I would also like to be able to do the same with wired clients, some internet only and others mixed lan use. What routers allow me to configure all the clients into groups etc maybe with sepereate networks or passords to limit access?

NAS appears to be something I am looking for. The ability to store and share on the network like an old file server and even access over the internet from home. adding a switch and having them all not look like a jumble of wires would be great. What combo of router and NAS offer the best performance, connectivity and security... all of this on a soho budget.

Access from home would be great, and ftp storage, and I also have a talkswitch IP phone sytem with phones accessing over the net (a dmz or something like that) It allows me touse an ip phone at my house using the internet only and connect to my phone system at work and use the phone lines there. It is an actual extension on the phone system.

I appreciate any advice you can offer. I have been reading so much it is confusing and can not find out the details of vlan or guest were I feel comfortable buying at this time.

Thanks

Kevin

 

[thiggins]

It sounds like your access requirements are pretty detailed. The "guest" wireless access available on some consumer routers is pretty simple. It just establishes a separate network that it separated from your wired network and other wireless network.

If you want to allow access to the wired or other wireless LANs, it's all users or nothing. You can't control access on a per-user basis.

If you really want full per user access control to specific resources,
you'd need to use some sort of user authentication system. This isn't easy to set up and unless you're up for a technical challenge, I'd find a local network consultant / company and have them submit proposals. Sometimes paying someone who knows what they are doing, especially when it comes to network security, is a wise investment.

 

[83SanDimas]

Thanks Tim,

I would like to give this shot and have seen some router admin setup pages that appear to allow different ports to be set up with different permissions, would that be vlan? If it is are some better than others? IE: the dlink DIR-855 has guest zone and mac filtering. Does any of hese soho level routers allow you to configure a specific wan port to be internet only or maybe limited to internet and one computer on the lan (fileserver or NAS)?

As far as NAS, I would like to be able to access in house and via internet. Must it be usb or could it be cat5/6?



Kevin

 

[thiggins]

Maybe VLANs would work for you if you're just trying to control access among wireless, Internet and LAN.

Guest Zones control wireless access only for clients associated to it.

Most flexible way would be to use a smart switch, which would provide the most flexibility in VLAN assignment. See
VLAN How To: Segmenting a small LAN

Be warned. VLANs are very frustrating until you successfully do your first one and get the hang of it.