Block communication between hosts in the same VLAN
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I've a pfsense firewall with a managed switch, and i created a VLAN: all works fine, but what i want to do is to block the communication between the hosts in my VLAN.
For example, i want that an host can't able to ping another host and an nmap scan show only the localhost and the virtual gateway.
How can i do that?
I try in this way (the first rule), but doesn't works.
vlan pfsense
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I've a pfsense firewall with a managed switch, and i created a VLAN: all works fine, but what i want to do is to block the communication between the hosts in my VLAN.
For example, i want that an host can't able to ping another host and an nmap scan show only the localhost and the virtual gateway.
How can i do that?
I try in this way (the first rule), but doesn't works.
vlan pfsense
3
Traffic between hosts on the same VLAN goes directly from host to host, not through a router. A switch is a transparent device that simply switches frames based on the destination MAC address, and it floods unknown destinations to all interfaces. There are layer-2 firewalls, but how do you place one between every device on the VLAN if the switch send the traffic direct to the destination host? Some switch vendors offer what may be called Private VLANs, but that will block all traffic between devices in the same VLAN.
â Ron Maupinâ¦
Aug 26 at 16:12
add a comment |Â
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
up vote
2
down vote
favorite
I've a pfsense firewall with a managed switch, and i created a VLAN: all works fine, but what i want to do is to block the communication between the hosts in my VLAN.
For example, i want that an host can't able to ping another host and an nmap scan show only the localhost and the virtual gateway.
How can i do that?
I try in this way (the first rule), but doesn't works.
vlan pfsense
I've a pfsense firewall with a managed switch, and i created a VLAN: all works fine, but what i want to do is to block the communication between the hosts in my VLAN.
For example, i want that an host can't able to ping another host and an nmap scan show only the localhost and the virtual gateway.
How can i do that?
I try in this way (the first rule), but doesn't works.
vlan pfsense
vlan pfsense
asked Aug 26 at 15:59
fm959
111
111
3
Traffic between hosts on the same VLAN goes directly from host to host, not through a router. A switch is a transparent device that simply switches frames based on the destination MAC address, and it floods unknown destinations to all interfaces. There are layer-2 firewalls, but how do you place one between every device on the VLAN if the switch send the traffic direct to the destination host? Some switch vendors offer what may be called Private VLANs, but that will block all traffic between devices in the same VLAN.
â Ron Maupinâ¦
Aug 26 at 16:12
add a comment |Â
3
Traffic between hosts on the same VLAN goes directly from host to host, not through a router. A switch is a transparent device that simply switches frames based on the destination MAC address, and it floods unknown destinations to all interfaces. There are layer-2 firewalls, but how do you place one between every device on the VLAN if the switch send the traffic direct to the destination host? Some switch vendors offer what may be called Private VLANs, but that will block all traffic between devices in the same VLAN.
â Ron Maupinâ¦
Aug 26 at 16:12
3
3
Traffic between hosts on the same VLAN goes directly from host to host, not through a router. A switch is a transparent device that simply switches frames based on the destination MAC address, and it floods unknown destinations to all interfaces. There are layer-2 firewalls, but how do you place one between every device on the VLAN if the switch send the traffic direct to the destination host? Some switch vendors offer what may be called Private VLANs, but that will block all traffic between devices in the same VLAN.
â Ron Maupinâ¦
Aug 26 at 16:12
Traffic between hosts on the same VLAN goes directly from host to host, not through a router. A switch is a transparent device that simply switches frames based on the destination MAC address, and it floods unknown destinations to all interfaces. There are layer-2 firewalls, but how do you place one between every device on the VLAN if the switch send the traffic direct to the destination host? Some switch vendors offer what may be called Private VLANs, but that will block all traffic between devices in the same VLAN.
â Ron Maupinâ¦
Aug 26 at 16:12
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
As has already been stated, communication between devices on the same VLAN (or layer-2 segment) does not cross a router but only the switch(es) in between the devices.
Depending on the switches' capabilities, there are several methods to control traffic within a VLAN.
- VLAN-based ACLs: packets are filtered when entering a certain VLAN from a port or by layer-3 switching
- port-based ACLs: packets are filtered when they are received on a certain port
- port-based filtering: packet flows are limited to certain ingress/egress port combinations
ACLs work by permiting or denying certain source/destination IPs, or TCP or UDP ports. E.g. you can permit all devices within the 10.1.2.0/24 to communicate with a server at 10.1.2.10 while denying all other inter-VLAN traffic:
1000 permit ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.10/32
1010 permit ip 10.1.2.10/32 10.1.2.0/24
1010 deny ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.0/24
9999 permit ip any any
Port-based filtering works by limiting the client ports to communication with the server and router ports and filtering all else. This is sometimes also called protected ports or source-port filtering where these ports are not allowed to communicate with each other. Port-based filtering doesn't work well across up and downlinks as they cannot distinguish between wanted server and unwanted peer traffic across multiple switches.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Aside from what Ron Maupin said (Private VLANs), another (sometimes better) option is to apply what is called a VACL (VLAN ACL). A VACL is different from a RACL (a router ACL), in that a RACL filters layer-3 traffic while a VACL filters layer-2 traffic, allowing you to filter traffic between hosts on the same VLAN.
Here is an example of how to use a VACL. This document is for a Cisco 6500 switch but you can adapt it to pretty much any other model.
Here is a similar document for Cisco 3850 switches if it makes it closer to what you have.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
As far as your current network design goes - you can't do this with your existing pfsense box.
To do this with your current environment, you have to add something between your two clients, either by segmenting them into different VLANS, or adding some kind of extra security device.
Your network design needs to group things together that are logically the same.
For example, all accounting PCs could be in one VLAN along with their local server, and dev PCs are in another VLAN, and dirty untrusted devices in a third.
Phones are often in their own network too, as are management interfaces of switches, and security cameras.
Each VLAN has its own firewall rules in pfsense, showing where traffic may go.
There are probably nuances of your network that we don't know, so consider a whole rethink.
Short answer is to put one or other device on its own vlan and route between vlans using your pfsense box or a layer3 core switch if you have one.
Another possible option is to use subnetting.
Client A could be in the lower half of a /24 block, and client B could be in the upper half. If each host is configured to use /25 (or 255.255.255.128) as their netmask, AND the default gateway is configured with a /24 then each client will talk to the other via the gateway. Whether your pfsense box runs this through the interface's firewall rule or not, that needs testing.
This answer has nothing to do with the OPs question. They asked about filtering traffic between hosts on the same VLAN (layer 2). What you wrote about would only be valid for hosts on DIFFERENT VLANs (layer 3).
â Jesse P.
Aug 27 at 3:46
1
@JesseP. Fair point - clarified that this is what OP needs to do to achieve their goals. Have also added some thoughts about IPv4 subnetting as a possible half-arse way to do it, but this needs testing.
â Criggie
Aug 27 at 4:15
add a comment |Â
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
4
down vote
As has already been stated, communication between devices on the same VLAN (or layer-2 segment) does not cross a router but only the switch(es) in between the devices.
Depending on the switches' capabilities, there are several methods to control traffic within a VLAN.
- VLAN-based ACLs: packets are filtered when entering a certain VLAN from a port or by layer-3 switching
- port-based ACLs: packets are filtered when they are received on a certain port
- port-based filtering: packet flows are limited to certain ingress/egress port combinations
ACLs work by permiting or denying certain source/destination IPs, or TCP or UDP ports. E.g. you can permit all devices within the 10.1.2.0/24 to communicate with a server at 10.1.2.10 while denying all other inter-VLAN traffic:
1000 permit ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.10/32
1010 permit ip 10.1.2.10/32 10.1.2.0/24
1010 deny ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.0/24
9999 permit ip any any
Port-based filtering works by limiting the client ports to communication with the server and router ports and filtering all else. This is sometimes also called protected ports or source-port filtering where these ports are not allowed to communicate with each other. Port-based filtering doesn't work well across up and downlinks as they cannot distinguish between wanted server and unwanted peer traffic across multiple switches.
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
As has already been stated, communication between devices on the same VLAN (or layer-2 segment) does not cross a router but only the switch(es) in between the devices.
Depending on the switches' capabilities, there are several methods to control traffic within a VLAN.
- VLAN-based ACLs: packets are filtered when entering a certain VLAN from a port or by layer-3 switching
- port-based ACLs: packets are filtered when they are received on a certain port
- port-based filtering: packet flows are limited to certain ingress/egress port combinations
ACLs work by permiting or denying certain source/destination IPs, or TCP or UDP ports. E.g. you can permit all devices within the 10.1.2.0/24 to communicate with a server at 10.1.2.10 while denying all other inter-VLAN traffic:
1000 permit ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.10/32
1010 permit ip 10.1.2.10/32 10.1.2.0/24
1010 deny ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.0/24
9999 permit ip any any
Port-based filtering works by limiting the client ports to communication with the server and router ports and filtering all else. This is sometimes also called protected ports or source-port filtering where these ports are not allowed to communicate with each other. Port-based filtering doesn't work well across up and downlinks as they cannot distinguish between wanted server and unwanted peer traffic across multiple switches.
add a comment |Â
up vote
4
down vote
up vote
4
down vote
As has already been stated, communication between devices on the same VLAN (or layer-2 segment) does not cross a router but only the switch(es) in between the devices.
Depending on the switches' capabilities, there are several methods to control traffic within a VLAN.
- VLAN-based ACLs: packets are filtered when entering a certain VLAN from a port or by layer-3 switching
- port-based ACLs: packets are filtered when they are received on a certain port
- port-based filtering: packet flows are limited to certain ingress/egress port combinations
ACLs work by permiting or denying certain source/destination IPs, or TCP or UDP ports. E.g. you can permit all devices within the 10.1.2.0/24 to communicate with a server at 10.1.2.10 while denying all other inter-VLAN traffic:
1000 permit ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.10/32
1010 permit ip 10.1.2.10/32 10.1.2.0/24
1010 deny ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.0/24
9999 permit ip any any
Port-based filtering works by limiting the client ports to communication with the server and router ports and filtering all else. This is sometimes also called protected ports or source-port filtering where these ports are not allowed to communicate with each other. Port-based filtering doesn't work well across up and downlinks as they cannot distinguish between wanted server and unwanted peer traffic across multiple switches.
As has already been stated, communication between devices on the same VLAN (or layer-2 segment) does not cross a router but only the switch(es) in between the devices.
Depending on the switches' capabilities, there are several methods to control traffic within a VLAN.
- VLAN-based ACLs: packets are filtered when entering a certain VLAN from a port or by layer-3 switching
- port-based ACLs: packets are filtered when they are received on a certain port
- port-based filtering: packet flows are limited to certain ingress/egress port combinations
ACLs work by permiting or denying certain source/destination IPs, or TCP or UDP ports. E.g. you can permit all devices within the 10.1.2.0/24 to communicate with a server at 10.1.2.10 while denying all other inter-VLAN traffic:
1000 permit ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.10/32
1010 permit ip 10.1.2.10/32 10.1.2.0/24
1010 deny ip 10.1.2.0/24 10.1.2.0/24
9999 permit ip any any
Port-based filtering works by limiting the client ports to communication with the server and router ports and filtering all else. This is sometimes also called protected ports or source-port filtering where these ports are not allowed to communicate with each other. Port-based filtering doesn't work well across up and downlinks as they cannot distinguish between wanted server and unwanted peer traffic across multiple switches.
edited Aug 26 at 18:20
answered Aug 26 at 16:51
Zac67
19.9k21047
19.9k21047
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Aside from what Ron Maupin said (Private VLANs), another (sometimes better) option is to apply what is called a VACL (VLAN ACL). A VACL is different from a RACL (a router ACL), in that a RACL filters layer-3 traffic while a VACL filters layer-2 traffic, allowing you to filter traffic between hosts on the same VLAN.
Here is an example of how to use a VACL. This document is for a Cisco 6500 switch but you can adapt it to pretty much any other model.
Here is a similar document for Cisco 3850 switches if it makes it closer to what you have.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
Aside from what Ron Maupin said (Private VLANs), another (sometimes better) option is to apply what is called a VACL (VLAN ACL). A VACL is different from a RACL (a router ACL), in that a RACL filters layer-3 traffic while a VACL filters layer-2 traffic, allowing you to filter traffic between hosts on the same VLAN.
Here is an example of how to use a VACL. This document is for a Cisco 6500 switch but you can adapt it to pretty much any other model.
Here is a similar document for Cisco 3850 switches if it makes it closer to what you have.
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
Aside from what Ron Maupin said (Private VLANs), another (sometimes better) option is to apply what is called a VACL (VLAN ACL). A VACL is different from a RACL (a router ACL), in that a RACL filters layer-3 traffic while a VACL filters layer-2 traffic, allowing you to filter traffic between hosts on the same VLAN.
Here is an example of how to use a VACL. This document is for a Cisco 6500 switch but you can adapt it to pretty much any other model.
Here is a similar document for Cisco 3850 switches if it makes it closer to what you have.
Aside from what Ron Maupin said (Private VLANs), another (sometimes better) option is to apply what is called a VACL (VLAN ACL). A VACL is different from a RACL (a router ACL), in that a RACL filters layer-3 traffic while a VACL filters layer-2 traffic, allowing you to filter traffic between hosts on the same VLAN.
Here is an example of how to use a VACL. This document is for a Cisco 6500 switch but you can adapt it to pretty much any other model.
Here is a similar document for Cisco 3850 switches if it makes it closer to what you have.
edited Aug 26 at 16:21
answered Aug 26 at 16:15
Jesse P.
292111
292111
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
As far as your current network design goes - you can't do this with your existing pfsense box.
To do this with your current environment, you have to add something between your two clients, either by segmenting them into different VLANS, or adding some kind of extra security device.
Your network design needs to group things together that are logically the same.
For example, all accounting PCs could be in one VLAN along with their local server, and dev PCs are in another VLAN, and dirty untrusted devices in a third.
Phones are often in their own network too, as are management interfaces of switches, and security cameras.
Each VLAN has its own firewall rules in pfsense, showing where traffic may go.
There are probably nuances of your network that we don't know, so consider a whole rethink.
Short answer is to put one or other device on its own vlan and route between vlans using your pfsense box or a layer3 core switch if you have one.
Another possible option is to use subnetting.
Client A could be in the lower half of a /24 block, and client B could be in the upper half. If each host is configured to use /25 (or 255.255.255.128) as their netmask, AND the default gateway is configured with a /24 then each client will talk to the other via the gateway. Whether your pfsense box runs this through the interface's firewall rule or not, that needs testing.
This answer has nothing to do with the OPs question. They asked about filtering traffic between hosts on the same VLAN (layer 2). What you wrote about would only be valid for hosts on DIFFERENT VLANs (layer 3).
â Jesse P.
Aug 27 at 3:46
1
@JesseP. Fair point - clarified that this is what OP needs to do to achieve their goals. Have also added some thoughts about IPv4 subnetting as a possible half-arse way to do it, but this needs testing.
â Criggie
Aug 27 at 4:15
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
As far as your current network design goes - you can't do this with your existing pfsense box.
To do this with your current environment, you have to add something between your two clients, either by segmenting them into different VLANS, or adding some kind of extra security device.
Your network design needs to group things together that are logically the same.
For example, all accounting PCs could be in one VLAN along with their local server, and dev PCs are in another VLAN, and dirty untrusted devices in a third.
Phones are often in their own network too, as are management interfaces of switches, and security cameras.
Each VLAN has its own firewall rules in pfsense, showing where traffic may go.
There are probably nuances of your network that we don't know, so consider a whole rethink.
Short answer is to put one or other device on its own vlan and route between vlans using your pfsense box or a layer3 core switch if you have one.
Another possible option is to use subnetting.
Client A could be in the lower half of a /24 block, and client B could be in the upper half. If each host is configured to use /25 (or 255.255.255.128) as their netmask, AND the default gateway is configured with a /24 then each client will talk to the other via the gateway. Whether your pfsense box runs this through the interface's firewall rule or not, that needs testing.
This answer has nothing to do with the OPs question. They asked about filtering traffic between hosts on the same VLAN (layer 2). What you wrote about would only be valid for hosts on DIFFERENT VLANs (layer 3).
â Jesse P.
Aug 27 at 3:46
1
@JesseP. Fair point - clarified that this is what OP needs to do to achieve their goals. Have also added some thoughts about IPv4 subnetting as a possible half-arse way to do it, but this needs testing.
â Criggie
Aug 27 at 4:15
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
As far as your current network design goes - you can't do this with your existing pfsense box.
To do this with your current environment, you have to add something between your two clients, either by segmenting them into different VLANS, or adding some kind of extra security device.
Your network design needs to group things together that are logically the same.
For example, all accounting PCs could be in one VLAN along with their local server, and dev PCs are in another VLAN, and dirty untrusted devices in a third.
Phones are often in their own network too, as are management interfaces of switches, and security cameras.
Each VLAN has its own firewall rules in pfsense, showing where traffic may go.
There are probably nuances of your network that we don't know, so consider a whole rethink.
Short answer is to put one or other device on its own vlan and route between vlans using your pfsense box or a layer3 core switch if you have one.
Another possible option is to use subnetting.
Client A could be in the lower half of a /24 block, and client B could be in the upper half. If each host is configured to use /25 (or 255.255.255.128) as their netmask, AND the default gateway is configured with a /24 then each client will talk to the other via the gateway. Whether your pfsense box runs this through the interface's firewall rule or not, that needs testing.
As far as your current network design goes - you can't do this with your existing pfsense box.
To do this with your current environment, you have to add something between your two clients, either by segmenting them into different VLANS, or adding some kind of extra security device.
Your network design needs to group things together that are logically the same.
For example, all accounting PCs could be in one VLAN along with their local server, and dev PCs are in another VLAN, and dirty untrusted devices in a third.
Phones are often in their own network too, as are management interfaces of switches, and security cameras.
Each VLAN has its own firewall rules in pfsense, showing where traffic may go.
There are probably nuances of your network that we don't know, so consider a whole rethink.
Short answer is to put one or other device on its own vlan and route between vlans using your pfsense box or a layer3 core switch if you have one.
Another possible option is to use subnetting.
Client A could be in the lower half of a /24 block, and client B could be in the upper half. If each host is configured to use /25 (or 255.255.255.128) as their netmask, AND the default gateway is configured with a /24 then each client will talk to the other via the gateway. Whether your pfsense box runs this through the interface's firewall rule or not, that needs testing.
edited Aug 27 at 4:14
answered Aug 26 at 23:48
Criggie
26615
26615
This answer has nothing to do with the OPs question. They asked about filtering traffic between hosts on the same VLAN (layer 2). What you wrote about would only be valid for hosts on DIFFERENT VLANs (layer 3).
â Jesse P.
Aug 27 at 3:46
1
@JesseP. Fair point - clarified that this is what OP needs to do to achieve their goals. Have also added some thoughts about IPv4 subnetting as a possible half-arse way to do it, but this needs testing.
â Criggie
Aug 27 at 4:15
add a comment |Â
This answer has nothing to do with the OPs question. They asked about filtering traffic between hosts on the same VLAN (layer 2). What you wrote about would only be valid for hosts on DIFFERENT VLANs (layer 3).
â Jesse P.
Aug 27 at 3:46
1
@JesseP. Fair point - clarified that this is what OP needs to do to achieve their goals. Have also added some thoughts about IPv4 subnetting as a possible half-arse way to do it, but this needs testing.
â Criggie
Aug 27 at 4:15
This answer has nothing to do with the OPs question. They asked about filtering traffic between hosts on the same VLAN (layer 2). What you wrote about would only be valid for hosts on DIFFERENT VLANs (layer 3).
â Jesse P.
Aug 27 at 3:46
This answer has nothing to do with the OPs question. They asked about filtering traffic between hosts on the same VLAN (layer 2). What you wrote about would only be valid for hosts on DIFFERENT VLANs (layer 3).
â Jesse P.
Aug 27 at 3:46
1
1
@JesseP. Fair point - clarified that this is what OP needs to do to achieve their goals. Have also added some thoughts about IPv4 subnetting as a possible half-arse way to do it, but this needs testing.
â Criggie
Aug 27 at 4:15
@JesseP. Fair point - clarified that this is what OP needs to do to achieve their goals. Have also added some thoughts about IPv4 subnetting as a possible half-arse way to do it, but this needs testing.
â Criggie
Aug 27 at 4:15
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fnetworkengineering.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f52813%2fblock-communication-between-hosts-in-the-same-vlan%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
3
Traffic between hosts on the same VLAN goes directly from host to host, not through a router. A switch is a transparent device that simply switches frames based on the destination MAC address, and it floods unknown destinations to all interfaces. There are layer-2 firewalls, but how do you place one between every device on the VLAN if the switch send the traffic direct to the destination host? Some switch vendors offer what may be called Private VLANs, but that will block all traffic between devices in the same VLAN.
â Ron Maupinâ¦
Aug 26 at 16:12