Network setup for multiple IOT (30+) devices

[Zentachi]

I run 4 VLANs at my house.
- LAN - default internal network where most modern compute resides
- WAN - sits outside my FW on the ISP router, this is where guest traffic drops
- LAN_IoT - controlled access to/from LAN, this is for my phones, media players, cameras, etc
- DMZ - for things I really want segmented...they get parked here with controlled ingress/egress to/from all other zones (there is no WiFi for this segment)

Another thought to limit the number of 2.4GHz IoT devices is to avoid them...is there a reason you are avoiding Z-Wave+ devices to help unload your WiFi? Just a couple of cameras being active pretty much tanks my 2.4GHz performance even with multi-APs. There are only so many channels to go around before you start stomping on each other.

I am not avoiding Z-Wave+ devices. I have a samsung smarththings hub v2 (Z-Wave+ compatible) but two hue hubs v2 zigbee (hard to replace them with all the lights and sensors) and multiple smart plugs, cameras, shellies which are 2.4Ghz wifi and difficult to replace them.

Your VLAN plan looks like something that I could also follow. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[Trip]

@Zentachi - Remember, too, that you can always have more VLANs in-play than SSIDs, and on the wired side, adding more VLANs to your LAN doesn't create nearly the performance impact of adding more SSIDs to your WLAN (at least not on proper-quality switches/routers). So you could run four, five or more wired segments, and, say, two or three wireless, and be good to go.

 

[MichaelCG]

Keep in mind that ZigBee uses the same spectrum as 2.4GHz WiFi. In my SmartThings environment, my WiFi channel 6 is not really usable since it tanks my ZigBee functionality. Just pay attention to what channel ZigBee is using and compare its mapping to WiFi channels to make sure you don't blast the ZigBee out of the air. My SonosNet was originally on Channel6 and when the Sonos were active, my lights didn't respond often due to the interference.

I specifically avoid WiFi smartplugs and such and usually use the GE Z-Wave ones that connect into SmartThings.

 

[Xsvrg]

I run 4 VLANs at my house.
- LAN - default internal network where most modern compute resides
- WAN - sits outside my FW on the ISP router, this is where guest traffic drops
- LAN_IoT - controlled access to/from LAN, this is for my phones, media players, cameras, etc
- DMZ - for things I really want segmented...they get parked here with controlled ingress/egress to/from all other zones (there is no WiFi for this segment)

Another thought to limit the number of 2.4GHz IoT devices is to avoid them...is there a reason you are avoiding Z-Wave+ devices to help unload your WiFi? Just a couple of cameras being active pretty much tanks my 2.4GHz performance even with multi-APs. There are only so many channels to go around before you start stomping on each other.

How do you manage the "controlled" access devices?
I'm interested in having my smart tv access the internet but not the internal network UNLESS I want to stream something to it, either from NAS or from laptop. What's a good way of doing this in a seamless way that makes sense?

Also for that WAN, I'm assuming you have a modem/router combo from the ISP that you have some guess network on?

 

[Zentachi]

@Zentachi - Remember, too, that you can always have more VLANs in-play than SSIDs, and on the wired side, adding more VLANs to your LAN doesn't create nearly the performance impact of adding more SSIDs to your WLAN (at least not on proper-quality switches/routers). So you could run four, five or more wired segments, and, say, two or three wireless, and be good to go.

You are right. I shouldn't have been implying that for each VLAN there will be an SSID. Most probably it is going to be 2 wired and 3 wireless.

Keep in mind that ZigBee uses the same spectrum as 2.4GHz WiFi. In my SmartThings environment, my WiFi channel 6 is not really usable since it tanks my ZigBee functionality. Just pay attention to what channel ZigBee is using and compare its mapping to WiFi channels to make sure you don't blast the ZigBee out of the air. My SonosNet was originally on Channel6 and when the Sonos were active, my lights didn't respond often due to the interference.

I specifically avoid WiFi smartplugs and such and usually use the GE Z-Wave ones that connect into SmartThings.

Indeed need to be careful with ZigBee. When I initially installed the hue hub my 2.4Ghz devices dropped from the router and didn't know what was going on until I realized they were in the same channel. Most of my smart plugs (TP-Link HS110) have energy monitoring functionality, else I wouldn't mind replacing them. Definitely though I will be trying to replace what I can with Z-Wave going forward. Never thought I would accumulate so many 2.4Ghz devices when I started converting my home to a "smarthome".