After long, stressful hours, I like to spend time imagining what a better home network would be like. The more I read about labs, and the more services I put on the network, and also after discovering the homelab subreddit, the more I understand that a better network is a must.
Currently, there is a consumer-grade EA7500 device performing four layers-worth of functions, connected to the modem. An 8-port switch is connected to it, and all the Raspberry Pis, of which there are now five, are plugged into that. One of the Raspberry Pis is a tor relay, separated with a DMZ setting on the EA7500 router device, attached to the switch as well. My workstation for personal and work computers uses wireless connection, because they are physically separate from the rest of the equipment.
I'd like to simultaneously expand the reach of network cabling (in an apartment), separate out the EA 7500 device's functions into a router, firewall, and two Wireless APs, and build a network capable of supporting everything plus a home lab area, all in one.
Goals:
Here's a preliminary drawing, open to suggestions:
Yes, I know, tall orders all around. Some more things:
I'd love to integrate Troy Hunt's fascinating journey with Ubiquiti, since an smooth-looking interface for all the data would be deeee-licious. If I'm already fiddling with everything else on a daily basis, working with OpenWRT or DDWRT is not interesting, plus I'd really love to see data flows across the network. (The five-port Edgerouter from Ubiquiti that I'd bought earlier has a similar beautiful interface.)
To practice wireless testing I'd most likely stand up an ad-hoc non-Internet-enabled wifi network with an old linksys router.
Currently, there is a consumer-grade EA7500 device performing four layers-worth of functions, connected to the modem. An 8-port switch is connected to it, and all the Raspberry Pis, of which there are now five, are plugged into that. One of the Raspberry Pis is a tor relay, separated with a DMZ setting on the EA7500 router device, attached to the switch as well. My workstation for personal and work computers uses wireless connection, because they are physically separate from the rest of the equipment.
I'd like to simultaneously expand the reach of network cabling (in an apartment), separate out the EA 7500 device's functions into a router, firewall, and two Wireless APs, and build a network capable of supporting everything plus a home lab area, all in one.
Goals:
- 2 APs for best coverage
- Network cabling attached to the walls to provide access to fun stuff (e.g. Raspberry Pis), workstation area (several computers), and home-lab area
- Have enough capacity for expansion
- Implement external and internal firewall solution because it's the sane way and because I'd be able to have a proper DMZ
- Minimize collision and broadcast domains
Here's a preliminary drawing, open to suggestions:
Yes, I know, tall orders all around. Some more things:
- Received my new laptop. It's a Thinkpad 460P, with an upgraded 500 GB SSD and upgraded 32 GB RAM. It will form the foundation of the lab, as I can add VMs there more easily.
- This new laptop will also be a personal laptop, which means I may occasionally plug it into a different area (workstation section).
- Everything after the second router (or firewall) would be separate VLANs for practice, and use iptables to manage everything.
I'd love to integrate Troy Hunt's fascinating journey with Ubiquiti, since an smooth-looking interface for all the data would be deeee-licious. If I'm already fiddling with everything else on a daily basis, working with OpenWRT or DDWRT is not interesting, plus I'd really love to see data flows across the network. (The five-port Edgerouter from Ubiquiti that I'd bought earlier has a similar beautiful interface.)
To practice wireless testing I'd most likely stand up an ad-hoc non-Internet-enabled wifi network with an old linksys router.
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