How to create and configure a VLAN?

This guide leads you through the process on how to create and configure a VLAN in our console.

Overview

VLAN stands for “Virtual Local Area Network”. VLAN tags (represented by a unique number from 1 to 4095) are used to create virtual networks on top of the existing network infrastructure. By attaching tags to data packets coming from a specified origin, one can distinguish between these data packets and other network traffic, as shown in the image below. 

Creating a VLAN

Before you proceed, please make sure that:

• You have already created an account on the Plasma Cloud console; and
• You have created an organisation and a network in your account (see the How to get started in the Plasma Cloud console? guide).

To create a VLAN:

1. Log into the Plasma Cloud console;
2. Select the Organisation and Network you want to create a VLAN for from top right menu;
3. Navigate to Settings > VLANs > Create new VLAN in the main menu on the left;
4. Type the VLAN name and VLAN ID (tag) and click Create;

The console will notify you once the operation has succeeded.

Your VLAN will be enabled by default.

Configuring a VLAN

You can now decide to bridge this newly created VLAN to either an SSID or wired clients.

When bridging to an SSID, all clients connected to the specific SSID will be assigned to your VLAN. Similarly, you can select to bridge wired clients, granting access to your VLAN to those devices which are connected to your Access Point(s) via Ethernet cable.

Bridge SSID to VLAN

To bridge an SSID to a VLAN:

1. Log into the Plasma Cloud console;
2. Select the Organisation and Network containing the SSID of interest from top right menu;
3. Navigate to Settings > SSIDs > SSID name in the main menu on the left;
4. Find the WAN section and select Bridge mode from the drop-down menu;
5. Set VLAN tagging to Enabled;
6. Use the new drop-down menu on the right the select the desired VLAN from the list (or create a new VLAN by selecting the '+' button);

7. Click the Save button to apply the changes.  

Bridge wired clients to VLAN

To bridge wired clients to a VLAN:

1. Log into the Plasma Cloud console;
2. Select the Organisation and Network of interest from top right menu;
3. Navigate to Settings > Network in the main menu on the left;
4. Find the Wired client configuration section and select Bridge mode from the drop-down menu;
5. Set VLAN tagging to Enabled;
6. Use the new drop-down menu on the right the select the desired VLAN from the list (or create a new VLAN by selecting the '+' button);

7. Click the Save button to apply the changes.