Knowledge Base Guest Network vs IoT Network vs Device Isolation
This Article Applies to:
All Deco Models
Guest Network vs Device Isolation vs IoT Network
If I want an extra WiFi network for certain devices, which feature should I go to: Guest Network or IoT Network? Is "Guest Network” or “Device Isolation” better for network isolation? Later in this article, we’ll have a further exploration of these three features.
Part I Basic Introduction
Guest Network
Almost all Decos have added this feature. It provides separate, isolated internet access for visitors without granting them access to your private home or business network.
Device Isolation
If certain devices are easily targeted by Malware or often consume large portions of your network’s bandwidth, Device Isolation will prevent them from affecting the overall performance of the non-isolated devices connected to your home network. The isolated devices can still communicate with each other.
IoT Network
It creates a dedicated 2.4GHz WiFi network to manage all your IoT devices, such as smart lights and cameras, enhancing their connection stability and security.
Notes:
- Firmware updates may be required to use Device Isolation and IoT Network.
- Device Isolation is not supported in Access Point mode.
- Effective priority: Guest Network> Device Isolation>IoT/Main Network. If one Guest Device and one Main network device are added to Device Isolation, they are still separate from each other.
Part II Differences and Connections
| Separated or Not | Guest-->Guest | Guest-->Main/IoT Network | IoT-->Main Network | Isolated Device--->Isolated Device |
| WiFi Router Mode | Separated | Separated(by VLAN ID) | Not Separated | Not Separated |
| AP Mode | Separated | Separated(by Access Control) | Not Separated | \ |
So if you want an isolated IoT network from the Main Network, a workaround would be to enable "Device Isolation" for IoT devices.
To achieve separate SSIDs over 2.4GHz and 5GHz, it is recommended to enable 5GHz only under the Main Network and enable 2.4GHz IoT Network.
Part III Q&As
Q: When Deco is set to AP mode, the Guest clients can still access the web admin UI of the ISP router. Is it normal?
A: Yes, it is. Under Access Point, Main and Guest Networks are separated by Access Control rules, and the guest clients are only allowed to communicate with the Network gateway to access the internet. So the guest device can still access the admin UI/LAN IP of the ISP router, but not other connected devices from the ISP router.
Q: I can’t find “Device Isolation on the Deco APP. The Mesh Network has 1*Deco X50_V1_1.6.7(main)+1*Deco X20_V1.2_1.5.3.
A: "Device Isolation" needs the support of all Deco units in the Mesh network, and the satellite Deco X20 here doesn't support "Device Isolation".
Q: I have 1*Deco X50_V1_1.6.7(main)+1*Deco X20_V1.2_1.5.3 .“IoT Network” has been enabled on the Deco APP, but only the main Deco broadcasts the IoT SSID.
A: "IOT Network" would show up on the Deco as long as the main Deco supports this feature. Once enabled, only the supported Deco will broadcast IoT SSID, and the satellite Deco X20_V1.2_1.5.3 here doesn't support IoT Network.
