9. LAN / WAN configuration
The WAN and LAN interfaces can be configured under Network -> Interfaces.
Local area network (LAN)
A LAN is a network infrastructure that interconnects computing devices within a confined geographical area, typically within a building or campus. It facilitates communication and resource sharing among connected devices, enabling efficient data exchange, file sharing, and centralized access to services such as printing and internet connectivity.
By default, in the gateway, the four LAN ports are connected by a bridge device and set up under the lan interface. Only port “lan1” is physically accessible from the main unit; a hardware extension is required to access the remaining ports. By default, the interface is set to the static address 192.168.0.1 and is in a separate firewall zone from the WAN, though forwards from the LAN zone to the WAN zone are allowed.
Wide area network (WAN)
A WAN (Wide Area Network) is a network infrastructure that spans a large geographical area, connecting multiple LANs and other networks across different locations, such as cities, countries, or continents. It facilitates long-distance communication and data exchange between geographically dispersed computing devices.
The WAN port is set up in the wan (IPv4) and wan6 (IPv6) interfaces as DHCP clients.
Configuring ports to WAN/LAN
Warning: Before re-configuring ports, ensure you will be able to access your device throughout and after the reconfiguration process.
Example: Change WAN port to LAN
If two LAN ports are required instead of a LAN and WAN port, it is possible to add the WAN port to the LAN network. To do this, configure the bridge device under Network -> Interfaces -> Devices by adding the wan port to the bridge ports.
Next move the wan interface from the WAN firewall zone to the LAN zone. By editing the wan zone under Network -> Interfaces-> Interfaces, and under Firewall Settings assign zone lan. If a different Protocol is required for the interface (for example a static address) it can be changed under General Settings.
Example: Change LAN port to WAN
To change a LAN port to WAN, remove the chosen LAN port from the Bridge device under Network -> Interfaces -> Devices; in this example, we choose lan1. Note that only lan1 has a hardware connection on the main unit. A hardware extension is required to access lan2, lan3, and lan4.
Next, under Network -> Interfaces-> Interfaces, add a new interface, select the “DHCP client” Protocol, and as the Device, choose your selected LAN port. Then, assign the new interface to the firewall zone wan in the interface under Firewall Settings.
