I have a LAN and we need to expand it by creating a public computer lab. I want to keep the public wireless computer lab isolated from the rest of the LAN for security reasons. Meaning I want to make it so someone at a computer in the public lab cannot access any computers or printers on the rest of our LAN. How best should I do this.

put them on different subnets... Complete Computer Service Inc. NW Indiana

And put a firewall between them. "...but in my defense, it was dark, I was drunk, and it was delicious!"

good call... :D Complete Computer Service Inc. NW Indiana

Thank you, drive thru! :-) "...but in my defense, it was dark, I was drunk, and it was delicious!"

I prefer hardware solutions since they are much much harder to hack. Especially when you say "public" and lan in the same sentence. My netgear wireless router has a check box that if unchecked seperates my lan from wlan. No ip addressing required. Then there are vlans if you have a managed switch. Linux router would be another option. You don't mention internet access which raises another can of worms to consider. If no internet no firewall required. If internet on the "public" lan there are a number of extra precautions you should implement. Subnet, router/firewall being the top considerations.

one the topic of vlans, you guys seen the latest from Adtran...the Netvanta 1224R, allows you to make up to 24 VLANS, badass, not a bad price either... Complete Computer Service Inc. NW Indiana