How to set up a local network that is not connected to the internet

[sharmaajajay]

I am thinking of creating a local network(with no access to internet) for my home to connect smart devices to it(Connecting smart lights, outlets, thermostat, etc. to amazon echo 4th gen. ). Idea is to allow the devices to communicate amongst themselves without letting them communicate to the internet. My 2 questions are

 

1. Will this work? Will I be able to control other smart devices on the local network using echo if the network doesnt have access to the internet?

 

2. How do I setup such local network on a netgear AC1750 router?

 

Thanks,

Ajay Sharma

[Electronics Wizardy]

1. I think the echo and many other smart devices need internet access to work, so they probably won't work at all here. 

 

2. If its a fully isolated network don't connect it to your router at all, just get a switch and there connected. DHCP server is probably good too

 

But id just put these on your main network, devices are made to work this way.

[Vishera]

30 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

1. I think the echo and many other smart devices need internet access to work, so they probably won't work at all here. 

 

2. If its a fully isolated network don't connect it to your router at all, just get a switch and there connected. DHCP server is probably good too

 

But id just put these on your main network, devices are made to work this way.

I actually turned my PC into a router and created a network that isn't connected to the internet,but my PC is - I am enjoying both worlds and without even spending money on a router.

My PC is on 24/7 anyway so that isn't an issue.

 

I am using the Windows built-in network sharing,just that i share connection from a virtual network that isn't connected to the internet.

Network sharing turns your PC into a router.

[PineyCreek]

Any Alexa-based device requires a connection to AWS to function I believe (functions/skills homed in Lambda).  If you have a different type of smart hub where the command and control is to a local hub, perhaps you could keep it Internet-disconnected.  I'm sure it depends on what you're using.

 

Static IP addressing and a switch would work just fine for a local-only network, but there's likely smart/IoT devices that are DHCP (non-static addressing) only.  If you're not using the router to control DHCP, you'll want to setup a local DHCP server as well.  Really though it'd be easier to use a wifi router and just not connect the WAN cable to your Internet source (also assuming a no wireless uplink/meshing to another wifi router where that could provide Internet).

[Electronics Wizardy]

2 minutes ago, Vishera said:

I actually turned my PC into a router and created a network that isn't connected to the internet,but my PC is - I am enjoying both worlds and without even spending money on a router.

My PC is on 24/7 anyway so that isn't an issue.

 

I am using the Windows built-in network sharing,just that i share connection from a virtual network that isn't connected to the internet.

Network sharing turns your PC into a router.

Cool, your just made your pc into a router.

 

Just saying, all those devices probably can still access devices on your local network. Windows is probably just running basic nat here, and won't block access to the devices on its network.

[Vishera]

36 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

Cool, your just made your pc into a router.

 

Just saying, all those devices probably can still access devices on your local network. Windows is probably just running basic nat here, and won't block access to the devices on its network.

I just tested it,tried to ping one computer on the local network from a computer on the network i created,and the results are weird:

It throws lots of "Destination host unreachable" errors

Yet in the end it says: "Packets: Sent = 4 ,Received = 4, Lost = :0 , Loss = 0% <0% Loss>"

[sharmaajajay]

Thanks for all the responses guys.

 

Reason for connecting everything to alexa was just so that I can control it with my voice/without physical touch. I am not planning on using alexa for anything other than that e.g. not going to ask alexa how the weather is .

 

I think I might have a second router laying around somewhere, I can try to use that to connect my devices without the WAN connection to the router. It might not work with alexa(because alexa needing an internet connection, as mentioned above) but it will be like a POC. 

 

Any reccomendations for a hub other than alexa that will work without the internet connection?

 

Regards,

Ajay Sharma