Wireless Rounter with VLAN?

[spscott]

Wireless Router with VLAN?

Hi,

I'm researching a wireless router that will securely separate my wired traffic from the wireless. Here is some information about the situation and some requirements:

1) Small wired network (under 10 devices)

2) Currently have a Netgear FVS336G and Hawking Wireless N Access Point/Bridge). I keep the AP unplugged since I want a more secure setup. We have financial data on the network so I want to make sure it's secure before turning on wireless access.

3) I have 3 1-person tenants in my building besides my company. I would like to offer wireless access those who pay. I don't want one tenant to give out the wireless access information to bypass paying additional rent.

4) I would also like to offer my clients the ability to access the internet while visiting and using our conference room.

5) For my employees, I would at least like them to be able to access the internet with their phones or a laptop. I might consider accessing the network server too if I am convinced it can be done securely via wireless. Again, we have private financial data on our server.

6) The building is an older style house (75 years) converted to an office. The main floor has 3 offices and a conference room. Upstairs are two offices and the entire basement is finished and rented.

7) Devices accessing would be Windows 7, mobile, devices, possibly Ipad.

I've been looking at replacing the existing Netgear router and Hakwing Access point with a new router that has wireless built in and the ability to segment with VLAN. I've been looking at Netgear FVS318N plus some Cisco models. I just need to feel comfortable that I can use wireless and be confident no one can gain access to and browse the server contents (both our renters and someone who might figure out a way to gain access to the wireless)

Other products I've been reading up about include:
Cisco RV220W
Cisco WRVS4400N
Cisco E4200(recommended by an IT friend)
Cisco EA4500(don't care for the cloud mgmt feature)

Any recommendations or advice? After reading reviews I'm not sold on any of these devices yet butam leaning towards the Netgear still.

Thanks in advance.

Steve

 

[stevech]

or, use any WiFi router you wish, and to that connect a low cost switch with VLAN. I just bought an 8 port gigE switch, lightly managed, with VLANs and port mirroring. Netgear. Was $50 on eBay.

 

[sfx2000]

I would recommend hiring in a consultant that know's Small/Medium Business...

Since you have your in-house LAN, and want to offer a Guest Network as well (possibly with a Captive Portal) you basically have two VLAN's right there.

You have three tenants, so that is three additional VLAN's, as you want to segregate them out from each other...

Recommendation:

Ingress router into a Managed Switch, where you can set up the four primary VLAN's - you, tenant 1, 2, and 3.

From there, you can set up ethernet drops into the four offices, and drop SOHO grade routers into each office - talk to the tenants as to what their needs are, or just give them an ethernet drop, along with a T&C doc, and let them sort it out.

As far as paying for the access - the drops, once in, cost nothing - with a managed switch, you just either enable or disable the drop from the switch.

Check out the LAN forum, there's good knowledge over there - pfSense is a nice little SW package for the ingress router to set up the VLAN's, or you can go off the shelf from several SMB focused vendors...

For what you're trying to do, I wouldn't recommend a SOHO router/AP - the security implications, along with long term stability - not worth the headache for a small building like yours - I don't think you want to the the network admin for all your tenants.

 

[tipstir]

What's your budget like.

Need to plan your needs. 3 floors and how many apartments and offices you have going there. Do you live on site too.

What you need to get is enterprise router then sent up enterprise APs on each floor and might take several of these APs to run.

Like:
Ubiquiti Networks UniFi AP Enterprise WiFi System

Web Filter Box or you can get shell out too much for Blue Coat appliance which really would do the job. UTM would be better suited since you want to control what your renters do or access online.

Most companies have 10 to 20 APs. VLAN is a must for you though.