GlossaryNetwork
VLAN
A VLAN (virtual local area network) splits one physical network into separate logical networks, so that phones, computers, guest Wi-Fi, cameras and building systems are kept apart for security and performance without separate cabling.
01 In depth
What it is, why it matters and what to ask a vendor
VLANs are defined in IEEE 802.1Q, which adds a tag to Ethernet frames so switches know which logical network each belongs to. A typical office runs a voice VLAN for phones, a data VLAN for staff computers, a guest VLAN for visitors' Wi-Fi, and a separate VLAN for cameras and door controllers, with the firewall deciding what may pass between them.
For a growing business VLANs are the simplest way to stop one problem becoming everyone's problem: a visitor's infected laptop cannot reach the finance server, a camera with a weak password cannot see the phone system, and voice traffic gets its own lane for QoS. They also make compliance conversations easier, because regulated systems sit on a network you can describe.
Ask whoever designs your network which VLANs they propose and why, how traffic between them is controlled at the firewall, how phones and access points are placed on the right VLAN automatically, and how the design is documented. Ask what happens when a device is plugged into the wrong port, because that is how most segmentation quietly fails.
03 At Telxpress
Where this shows up at Telxpress
The pages and articles where this term does real work: what we advise, build and support.
- Page
Business Networking, Firewalls & Managed Wi-Fi
Switching, routing, Fortinet firewalls, Ubiquiti and Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi and managed network services for offices that depend on reliable connections.
- Page
Business Surveillance Cameras & Access Control
IP cameras from Hikvision, access control and monitoring designed for your site, installed and supported locally with your network and phones.
- Article
Fortify Your Enterprise: Best Practices for a Secure Business Network
The layered network security practices that hold up in real offices, from patching and MFA to Wi-Fi hardening, tested backups and an incident plan, including the phone system.
04 Sources
Public references
The standard or law this definition rests on, as published by its owner. Fetched and checked on the review date above.