• Network Techy Question

    From Jeff Gaines@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 10:15:08

    I just spoke to Plusnet, who want to take my landline away, and said my Internet speed had dropped from 30 Mb/s to 12 Mb/s over the last 4 years.

    They ran a check and said I had 5 WiFi devices and 12 wired devices
    connected to my router which is only designed to connect 3 devices!

    Presumably they can tap into my router?

    Is there a way to run 2 different networks at home whereby all the PCs can speak to each other but only some have Internet access? Way beyond my
    ability.

    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    The facts, although interesting, are irrelevant

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Jeff Gaines@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 11:20:05
    On 21/05/2026 in message <n786gmFo0udU1@mid.individual.net> Andy Burns
    wrote:

    Jeff Gaines wrote:

    I just spoke to Plusnet, who want to take my landline away, and said my >>Internet speed had dropped from 30 Mb/s to 12 Mb/s over the last 4 years.

    They ran a check and said I had 5 WiFi devices and 12 wired devices >>connected to my router which is only designed to connect˙ 3 devices!

    Seems pretty low, what router is it?

    Original Plusnet 1, they are sending me an upgrade.

    Presumably they can tap into my router?

    Supplied by them? Yes.

    Even without, they might use deep packet inspection to get clues about >what's connected.

    Is there a way to run 2 different networks at home whereby all the PCs >>can speak to each other but only some have Internet access? Way beyond my >>ability.
    There's good ways to do it (Separate SSIDs/VLANs and firewall rules) but >there are "other" ways of doing it - e.g. for devices you want to have no >internet, give them a non-existent gateway address.

    Wouldn't that stop them communicating with each other though?

    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    Most people have heard of Karl Marx the philosopher but few know of his
    sister Onya the Olympic runner.
    Her name is still mentioned at the start of every race.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Graham J@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 12:41:11
    Andy Burns wrote:


    Is there a way to run 2 different networks at home whereby all the PCs
    can speak to each other but only some have Internet access? Way beyond
    my ability.
    There's good ways to do it (Separate SSIDs/VLANs and firewall rules) but there are "other" ways of doing it - e.g. for devices you want to have
    no internet, give them a non-existent gateway address.

    Or two routers, one for the isolated devices. That router's WAN port
    connects to your internet router.

    There can be any number of restrictions or openings, depending on the capabilities of the routers.

    Find a local contractor with network knowledge and discuss what you
    actually require. Be prepared to pay sensible money.

    --
    Graham J

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Jeff Gaines@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 11:49:14
    On 21/05/2026 in message <10umr14$n4hs$1@dont-email.me> Graham J wrote:

    Andy Burns wrote:


    Is there a way to run 2 different networks at home whereby all the PCs >>>can speak to each other but only some have Internet access? Way beyond my >>>ability.
    There's good ways to do it (Separate SSIDs/VLANs and firewall rules) but >>there are "other" ways of doing it - e.g. for devices you want to have no >>internet, give them a non-existent gateway address.

    Or two routers, one for the isolated devices. That router's WAN port >connects to your internet router.

    There can be any number of restrictions or openings, depending on the >capabilities of the routers.

    Find a local contractor with network knowledge and discuss what you
    actually require. Be prepared to pay sensible money.

    This is a homebuilt group :-)

    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    This joke was so funny when I heard it for the first time I fell of my dinosaur.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Jeff Gaines@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 12:58:09
    On 21/05/2026 in message <n78b3pFon6rU1@mid.individual.net> Andy Burns
    wrote:

    Jeff Gaines wrote:

    Graham J wrote:
    There can be any number of restrictions or openings, depending on the >>>capabilities of the routers.

    Find a local contractor with network knowledge and discuss what you >>>actually require.˙ Be prepared to pay sensible money.

    This is a homebuilt group :-)
    People moan about Draytek routers being expensive, but they allow multiple >segregated LAN subnets, even if you don't have a VLAN capable switch, you >can connect one router LAN port to one switch with the "internet" devices, >and another LAN port to another switch for "non-internet" devices ...

    What about bringing one of my Gen8 microservers into use. They have 2 x
    NIC sockets, one could use 192.168.1.n - with the router on 192.168.1.1
    and the other socket 192.168.2.n. the .2 then being used by other computers?

    I could either user fixed IP addresses or set up a DHCP server on the Gen8
    for the .2 network?

    The kit in the WiFi cabinet would have to stay on .1 because it needs
    Internet access.

    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    I can please only one person per day. Today is not your day.
    Tomorrow, isn't looking good either.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Graham J@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 14:29:13
    Jeff Gaines wrote:

    [snip]


    What about bringing one of my Gen8 microservers into use. They have 2 x
    NIC sockets, one could use 192.168.1.n - with the router on 192.168.1.1
    and the other socket 192.168.2.n. the .2 then being used by other
    computers?

    I could either user fixed IP addresses or set up a DHCP server on the
    Gen8 for the .2 network?

    The kit in the WiFi cabinet would have to stay on .1 because it needs Internet access.

    So you will have to learn about networks. You may get a certain amount
    of free help here, but you've no guarantee as to how trustworthy it will
    be. Most respondents will offer different and mutually incompatible solutions.

    You may have to start by specifying in detail what you have and what you
    want to achieve.



    --
    Graham J

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Jeff Gaines@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 13:45:05
    On 21/05/2026 in message <10un1bl$p2to$1@dont-email.me> Graham J wrote:

    Jeff Gaines wrote:

    [snip]


    What about bringing one of my Gen8 microservers into use. They have 2 x >>NIC sockets, one could use 192.168.1.n - with the router on 192.168.1.1 >>and the other socket 192.168.2.n. the .2 then being used by other >>computers?

    I could either user fixed IP addresses or set up a DHCP server on the >>Gen8 for the .2 network?

    The kit in the WiFi cabinet would have to stay on .1 because it needs >>Internet access.

    So you will have to learn about networks. You may get a certain amount of >free help here, but you've no guarantee as to how trustworthy it will be. >Most respondents will offer different and mutually incompatible solutions.

    I have always found the advice in here to be excellent, I am still using
    my ASUS Z170-K recommended by Jaimie ten years ago, best mobo I ever bought.

    You may have to start by specifying in detail what you have and what you >want to achieve.

    I want to split the network so one group of kit has Internet access and a different group doesn't but all kit can communicate with each other. I
    can't itemise my spares box because over the years it has become a spares
    room but I do have a network card with 4 sockets and may even have some
    old modem/routers :-)

    --
    Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
    Tell me what you need, and I'll tell you how to get along without it.

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Mike Scott@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 15:29:54
    On 21/05/2026 14:45, Jeff Gaines wrote:
    I want to split the network so one group of kit has Internet access and
    a different group doesn't but all kit can communicate with each other. I can't itemise my spares box because over the years it has become a
    spares room but I do have a network card with 4 sockets and may even
    have some old modem/routers ?

    Ok, set up your own router and use the firewall to govern what can talk
    where. You can use a triple-homed machine, and two subnets, or a
    dual-homed one and select by IP address - you'll to think about (DHCP)
    address allocation as well as firewalling and routing.

    One of your box's interfaces connects to the ISP's box and only that,
    your network(s) are spread across the others.

    I did it once (FreeBSD box), it was fun but it really wasn't worth the
    extra hassle. As a side benefit, you can monitor network traffic more
    easily though.

    --
    Mike Scott
    Harlow, England

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Marco Moock@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 21:33:59
    Am 21.05.26 um 12:15 schrieb Jeff Gaines:

    I just spoke to Plusnet, who want to take my landline away, and said my Internet speed had dropped from 30 Mb/s to 12 Mb/s over the last 4 years.

    Did the sync speed of DSL/DOCSIS etc. change or only the measured speed
    from your devices?

    They ran a check and said I had 5 WiFi devices and 12 wired devices connected to my router which is only designed to connect˙ 3 devices!

    That sounds like nonsense to reject customer tickets.

    To measure the actual speed, connect your computer using a cable and disconnect any other device.

    Presumably they can tap into my router?

    If they gave it to you, the probably have a way to do this.
    You can buy your own and have them out.

    Is there a way to run 2 different networks at home whereby all the PCs
    can speak to each other but only some have Internet access? Way beyond
    my ability.

    Not without some effort.

    --
    Gruá
    Marco

    Spam bitte an abfalleimer2001@stinkedores.dorfdsl.de

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Graham J@3:633/10 to All on Thursday, May 21, 2026 22:29:56
    Jeff Gaines wrote:

    [snip]

    I want to split the network so one group of kit has Internet access and
    a different group doesn't but all kit can communicate with each other. I can't itemise my spares box because over the years it has become a
    spares room but I do have a network card with 4 sockets and may even
    have some old modem/routers :-)

    Get a router (Draytek would be a good choice) that supports VLANs, and
    if necessary a network switch that also supports VLANs so you can
    connect a larger number of clients.

    Configure the router to control how the VLANs communicate with each
    other and the WAN connection.

    OR

    Get a second router to support the kit which must not have internet
    access. Connect the WAN port of this router to your internet router. Configure the "private" router's firewall to allow traffic inwards from
    the "Public" router. If you need to use WiFi configure the routers to
    use different channels and restrict each router's connections to
    specific clients.


    --
    Graham J

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Raj Kundra@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, May 24, 2026 21:00:32
    On 21/05/2026 11:15, Jeff Gaines wrote:

    I just spoke to Plusnet, who want to take my landline away, and said my Internet speed had dropped from 30 Mb/s to 12 Mb/s over the last 4 years.

    They ran a check and said I had 5 WiFi devices and 12 wired devices connected to my router which is only designed to connect˙ 3 devices!

    Presumably they can tap into my router?

    Is there a way to run 2 different networks at home whereby all the PCs
    can speak to each other but only some have Internet access? Way beyond
    my ability.

    Buy a cheap used 16/24Port HP Managed switch from e bay. Connect all
    devices to switch. Then connect switch to Router using one pot on
    router. Then you can manage all devices etc using switch software.

    --
    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
    www.avg.com

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Raj Kundra@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, May 24, 2026 21:17:18
    On 21/05/2026 11:15, Jeff Gaines wrote:

    I just spoke to Plusnet, who want to take my landline away, and said my Internet speed had dropped from 30 Mb/s to 12 Mb/s over the last 4 years.

    They ran a check and said I had 5 WiFi devices and 12 wired devices connected to my router which is only designed to connect˙ 3 devices!

    Presumably they can tap into my router?

    Is there a way to run 2 different networks at home whereby all the PCs
    can speak to each other but only some have Internet access? Way beyond
    my ability.

    Ah, Make sure it is Layer 3 switch.

    --
    This email has been checked for viruses by AVG antivirus software.
    www.avg.com

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.14
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)