Create temp LAN behind Corp LAN

[Goglplx]

Hi, love your shows and am learning a lot about networking and RF. I have a challenge that I am hoping someone can address.

Here's the scenario... In my line of work, (live streaming) I am typically behind a corporate firewall and am limited to one LAN IP address for my encoder to stream RTMP stream to my host CDN.

With video production moving quickly to IP based connectivity (NewTek NDI for example); I need to have my NDI video cameras all connected on a Network (could I create my own) plus have access to the WAN to reach my CDN.

My typical setup I have a small 5-port Cisco unmanaged switch that is connected to the corporate LAN and sometimes I'll be able to have all 5-ports obtain IP's through DHCP. Other times I am only able to get one which is the purpose of this post.

Is there a way to create my own wired (streaming wi-fi is not an option) closed network with the exception of the one Corp LAN/WAN?

Thanks in advance!

Chuck

[Dave-ee Jones]

If you don't need internet, it should be quite straightforward. Ish.

You can put all the devices you want off of the Corp network onto the switch, but don't plug the wall port into the switch to connect it to the Corp LAN (bear in mind that the devices need to be on the same subnet if the subnet mask is 255.255.255.0 - or /24). Then you can plug your PC, laptop or even phone onto the switch and access those devices, bearing in mind that you have to set a static IP, unless there's a DHCP server on the switch.

However, the only problem here is that if you have one network adapter you can only be connected to one network at a time. But you could fix that by going out and buying a USB to ethernet adapter to act as another NIC quite easily. Plug and play, just configure the adapter to have the IP you want.

From there you could then share your Corp LAN internet with the switch to provide a connection to the internet on that side - just be wary if you have a DHCP server on the switch it may double-NAT the Corp LAN too (or vice versa), and that'll end up in big doo-doo. But you could always access those devices remotely by accessing your PC remotely, anyway. It's like a PC in the middle :)

Hope it helps!