Possible to have VLANs communicate with each other?

[dean]

We have a RV082 with 3 switches. I need to get a computer on VLAN2 to be able to file share with a computer on VLAN1. Both VLAN's are on different switches. I am not a networking guru but can follow instructions if somebody can help. I read in the online manual that VLAN's cannot talk to each other. The computer in question was put into the same workgroup as all the other computers in VLAN1. I can see the computers in Network Neighborhood from the computer on the VLAN2 switch but can't access the shared resource. Is there anything I can do? I know I have the permissions setup correctly on the server. We are using Win2003R2. 1 of the switches is a Linksys, 1 is a Netgear and the other is a 3Com. Any more information needed I will gladly supply it if anybody can help me with this. The boss is getting anxious to get this file shared. Thank you.

Dean

Custom Seating, Inc.

[Te-Kai Liu · Accepted solution]

RV082 does not support inter-VLAN routing, like RVL200 or RVS4000 does.

[dean]

So there is no way to do it through the switches either I think. Is that correct? Are my options to:

1. Get one of the routers you mentioned?

or

2. Put that other zone (switch) on VLAN1?

If I do put that switch on VLAN 1 what kind of issues will I be facing? Increased traffic which will lower the speed? Possibility of maybe the time clocks not working correctly? Although I don't know if that would happen. They would still be hooked up to the same router. I would just hate to mess something up and have the boss looking at me like a goober. It's not easy finding a job these days, lol.

[Te-Kai Liu · Accepted solution]

Are you using Dual-WAN load balancing on RV082?

If not, you could consider putting the server that needs to be shared by multiple VLANs in the DMZ Zone using the DMZ/WAN Port.

[dean]

Security, it's set on Dual-WAN but we don't use it as we only have one connection coming in and we use AT&T's MIS using a static IP so I don't really see any reason why we should use it. I think it was setup that way by the previous IT person or the local IT company they used to hire from time to time before I came along.

I will have to read up on the DMZ stuff as I don't know anything about it but couldn't be too hard.

[dean]

Also just want to mention that our server is only setup as a File Server and DNS Server. No Web server or FTP server is installed so outside traffic is minimal.

[Te-Kai Liu · Accepted solution]

Just a thought. In case you have $160 to spare, it might be a good idea to get a RVL200, which can provide 802.1Q VLAN and 5 SSL VPN tunnels. The attached topology shows how they can work together - picture is from RVL200 user guide.

[dean]

After reading the documentation and couple of other searches online for this configuration I think that would be a great idea. Will just have to present it to the owner so am going to read up some more and have all my ducks lined up in a row as they say. Money is tight these days.

On a side note and as to why this setup may be better for us also is that we haven't had great luck with the VPN portion of the router either. Salesmen have a hard time getting in but I think that is more of a knowledge issue on their part and the one that has a hard time has Vista on his computer.

[dean]

Security Router was very helpful in pointing me in the right direction and giving me the resources I need to make a plan to solve my problem. Thank you.