Firewall Appliance
Intel N100 mini PC running pfSense
Four Intel i226 2.5 GbE interfaces provide dedicated connectivity and multi-gig routing capacity.
Physical Network Infrastructure
Planned and assembled a reliable multi-gig home-lab foundation connecting firewall, switching, wireless, storage, surveillance, management, and lab equipment.
2.5 GbEManaged switching
Wi-Fi 6TP-Link Omada OC200NAS
Dual-lens PoE surveillanceUPS + PDU
Wireless printingStructured cabling
Project Objective
The goal was to build a physical platform that could support everyday home devices, isolated cybersecurity experiments, centralized storage, IP cameras, guest access, and secure infrastructure management. The design prioritizes reliability, serviceability, wired multi-gig performance, wireless coverage, and future expansion.
Hardware Inventory
Each component was selected for a specific infrastructure role.
Core Switch
TP-Link JetStream SG3218X-M2-series managed switch
Acts as the wired distribution point for the firewall, access points, NAS, cameras, and workstations.
Wireless Access
Two TP-Link EAP650 Wi-Fi 6 access points
Separate AP placement provides broader coverage and dedicated wireless service for home and lab use.
Network Controller
TP-Link Omada OC200 hardware controller
Provides centralized, always-on management for the Omada switch and both EAP650 access points without depending on a workstation-hosted controller.
Network Storage
UGREEN DXP4800 Plus NAS
Provides centralized storage, backups, and a recording destination for the surveillance system.
Surveillance
Two Reolink Duo 3 PoE dual-lens cameras
Each camera provides a 180° panoramic view, receives power and network connectivity over Ethernet, and records video to the NAS.
Wireless Printer
HP OfficeJet Pro 8125e
Connects wirelessly through the HOME access point and provides shared printing for trusted household devices.
Power Protection
CyberPower OR1000LCDRM1U Smart App LCD UPS
Provides battery backup and power protection for critical network and storage equipment.
Power Distribution
One rack-mounted PDU
Distributes power from the protected power system to the installed infrastructure components in an organized manner.
Physical Topology
The managed switch is the central distribution point for every wired infrastructure component.
Internet / ISP
pfSense Firewall
Intel N100 • 4 × 2.5 GbE
Intel N100 • 4 × 2.5 GbE
TP-Link Managed Switch
Central wired distribution
Central wired distribution
Management connection
TP-Link Omada OC200 Hardware Controller
Manages the switch and both EAP650 access points
Manages the switch and both EAP650 access points
EAP650 AP #1
Home Wi-Fi
Home Wi-Fi
HP OfficeJet Pro 8125e
Wireless via Home Wi-Fi
Wireless via Home Wi-Fi
EAP650 AP #2
Lab Wi-Fi
Lab Wi-Fi
UGREEN NAS
Storage & recordings
Storage & recordings
2 × Reolink Duo 3 PoE
180° surveillance
180° surveillance
Admin & Lab Devices
Management and testing
Management and testing
UPS + PDU
Backup & distribution
Backup & distribution
Deployment Process
1. Requirements and Equipment Planning
Defined the wired, wireless, storage, surveillance, management, and lab requirements before selecting compatible multi-gig equipment.
2. Core Installation
Connected the ISP handoff to the pfSense appliance and installed the managed switch as the core distribution layer.
3. Infrastructure and Endpoint Connections
Connected the OC200 controller, both access points, the NAS, two PoE cameras, management workstation, and lab equipment to planned switch ports, then joined the HP OfficeJet Pro 8125e to the HOME wireless network.
4. Power and Cable Organization
Integrated the CyberPower UPS and PDU, then organized power and Ethernet cabling so devices and connections could be identified, maintained, and expanded.
5. Physical Validation
Verified power, Ethernet link status, negotiated speeds, device visibility, and access-point placement before beginning logical configuration.
Design Decisions
Centralized Switching
A single managed-switch core simplifies cabling, troubleshooting, expansion, and later network segmentation.
Two Access Points
Using two APs improves physical coverage and allows home and lab wireless workloads to be served independently.
Dedicated NAS
Central storage supports backups and continuous camera recording while remaining available to approved systems.
Results and Skills Demonstrated
- Built a working physical network foundation for multiple security zones and services.
- Integrated firewall, switching, centralized network management, wireless printing, storage, surveillance, and power-protection systems.
- Practiced hardware selection, device installation, cable planning, port mapping, and link validation.
- Created a modular platform for virtualization, monitoring, security testing, and future expansion.
Continue the series: Part 2 — Network Segmentation & Security →