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Need a software for simulating a virtual LAN (vLAN)...


ahmadka

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Hi guys..well you see I am doing this project in my uni..the topic is virtual LANs...Now I can make the presentation and everything, but I was thinking that maybe I can simulate vLANs through some software..... I have looked through the internet a little bit, and I have found some softwares, but they all seem to be very complex... I dont need any complexity..I just need (if possible) a simple software that can demonstrate vLANs.... is there any networking guru here that can help me out ? point out some software ?

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i'm not sure what you mean by simulates or implements since you can implement something by simulation. Regardless it works very well for its purpose. Wanna play a lan-only multiplayer game with friends online? Thats exactly what its built to do. Wanna print something on a friend's printer instead of sending them a link? Go for it w/hamachi. its pretty funny what you can do with it ;)

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have a look at this image:

 

http://www.gambitcomm.com/site/products/images/ciscovlan.gif

 

it shows a vLAN simulation....some virtual computers are setup in a network, and then a vlan is defined...finally, you can send data across this virtual vLAN, and see the results of the simulation...

 

this is exactly what I am trying to do....the only thing is, I dont know how to implement this thing in a software, since i am not exactly a networking expert :P

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have a look at this image:

 

http://www.gambitcomm.com/site/products/images/ciscovlan.gif

 

...... since i am not exactly a networking expert :P

 

The University's Computer Sciences Lab you're attending should have what you're looking for.

 

I take it you've D/L'd Gambit's MIMIC Evaluation software and found it rather complex huh?

 

Trust me here when I say that if you don't comprehend what it takes to create the data in the above screenshot stop now and seriously re-consider a different avenue for material to accompany your project.

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Whats your beef with hamachi? lol

 

It would be pretty easy to demonstrate a vlan using that. Set it up on two computers on different networks and share on the machine you are not presenting with. Map that folder with the machine you are presenting with.

 

Then during your presentation show how you cannot access the folder. Turn on himachi. And then show how you can access it now. Then explain the vlan concept.

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  • 1 month later...

Setting up a VPN connection and vLANs are 2 different things

 

VPN-Virtual Private Network you could do the same thing as Hamachi does with a simple VPN Dial in and a VPN dialer on 2 PCs.

 

VLAN - Virtual LAN - is a term referring to Layer 2 or Switching in a switching environment you can have 1 or more LANs separated on a Switch or on a group of switches there are many uses for Vlans and many Implementations but basically what it does is separate traffic on a Switch into groups it does this by simply adding a Header "tag" with the Vlan number so the switch knows who should be getting this frame and who shouldn't.

 

For example:

lets say we have a 16 port switch: with 3 Vlans

you have Ports 1-5 on Vlan 2 6-10 on Vlan 3 and 10-14 on Vlan 4

in this basic setting computers connected to ports 1-5 can only see other computers connected to 1-5 ports 6-10 is unreachable on Layer 2 (way before we get to IP and TCP/IP) even ARP requests and Broadcasts cannot pass between Vlans.

we have one port left thats 16 well call it a "trunk" Trunk ports can talk to 1 or more Vlans and can even be set up to connect Vlans on 2 different Switches as long as the Vlan numbering is the same.

 

so if u have Vlan 2 and 55 on Switch A and Vlan 3 and 55 on Switch B and Switch A and B are connected with a Trunk Port all computers connected to Ports who are tagged Vlan 55 can talk as if they were on the same LAN. but are separated from computers on Vlan 2 and 3. now think that switch A and B are in 2 different Buildings computers from building A and B are on the same LAN thanks to a Vlan between 2 switches. you could print stuff from a computer in building A on a Printer in Building B on the Same IP subnet without a need for a Routed network. (Router between 2 different IP subnets).

 

Tip:

I did not use Vlan 1 as it is the Default Vlan on any switch. whenever you get a Switch capable of using Vlans all ports are set to Vlan 1.

 

The Advantages of Vlans:

Reducing unwanted broadcast traffic on switching environments being able to create LANs from computers not connect to the same Switch (not in the same physical location).

 

To demonstrate Vlans:

in a software based "demonstration" that would probably be Boson Net SIM

if you have a router and some end stations just assign 2 Vlans and IPs on the Same subnet and show how the computers can Reach only those who are on the same Vlan even though they are connected to the same Switch (LAN environment)

 

Also read about Lan Swithcing before u move on to Vlans OSI modul Subnets and Routing would also help if you are seriously studying networking.

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