Help to configure a network in a shared office

Hi,
I recently got my Regus office contract. It’s great, perfect service and nice location.
But what makes me doubt is the network.

it comes with wired Regus network that works as long as I login once with the ID they provide.

But I will need more PCs than one and I would like my PCs talking to each other but of course not others.

I am quite used configuring a router under NAT , making static IPs and such. But how would one configure such network in this scenario? The machines get automatically assigned IPs and I guess Regus network is configured in at least somewhat secure way.

Think of it as a coffee shop network. Might be secure and all but someone else you don’t trust manages it - so it might as well be you’ve just plugged your machines into the internet directly.

Try Tailscale.

( And reach out to their network admins, ask them to configure 802.1x based VLAN memberships for you, … then you put a cert on every one of your devices that allows your devices to authenticate to your VLAN that your landlord is managing without captive portal nonsense )

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Thanks for reply!

Right. Agree. I will need to setup my own subnetwork. I have Meraki router which has “Internet” port and local lan ports. I assume that I will need to plugin the Regus cable to “Internet” and use DHCP setup for the WAN side, something along those lines?

Then business as usual for subnetwork.

My point is they could manage your subnetwork for you on their gear. … but, if they don’t want to, or are being obstinate in some way, or are giving you trouble, only then do it yourself.

(I’m assuming you’re not running a networking business :slight_smile: )

At the end of the day, the apps you’re running in 2023 shouldn’t really trust any network any more or less, but you may still have some crappy legacy stuff that relies on having a secure network, or might be running apps designed for home networks where there’s no way to be successful and still require users to have certs. … OS level firewalls and VPNs help with those kinds of apps.

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OK, so I brought my Cisco Meraki firewall/router to the office.

And unsurprisingly it doesn’t work - their default plan requires authentication with browser access.
And Routers don’t have browsers, at least mine doesn’t.

Also I definitely not confident about security when using a shared internet with literally everyone in the whole floor.

They offer static IP service and possibly other plans as well. I think having static IP will mean dedicated line separate from others. Costs around 80 bucks per month.
But also if this means faster internet connection (perhaps something more like commercial level) this might make sense. Because I really want to VPN into my own office and I have invested to the gear for this purpose.

Also without a router in the picture I can’t really setup my own network in my office (unless I mean the whole office floor). Only way to connect to a NAS for example would be to create a separate P2P network to it. (This is doable right?)

But even if I do this, I still feel quite a bit at risk, because I can see several machines and random devices showing up in my list. Are Windows software firewalls at all secure?

Oh right, so that authentication thing is called the captive portal , gotcha.

I was also thinking this setup; being that my home internet is going to be upgraded to 5GB line soon, I could also setup my file server here and from my office just VPN here, bypassing the whole subnetwork in the office. This would at least offer some security, right?