[SOLVED] Due to Corona Virus, company is going Work from Home. Privacy Issues?

[ForestDingo]

I'm a bit leery of having a company PC hooked up to my network. What is the best options to maintain privacy? Please keep in mind, I'm a complete noob to all of this.

Looking into it, could I get another router and set that up as a guest that wouldn't access my main network?

Or would getting a decent VPN work on my personal PC, and unplug my PC from the internet when using my work PC and vice versa? Clearning cache, cookies, etc?

Thanks in advance

 

[velocityg4]

The most basic for your concerns would be to check if your router supports a guest Network. If it does, enable it and set a unique password. Then connect only your work computer to the guest Network. As long as you don't connect any of your devices to the guest network. You should be pretty well protected. Then connect a cheap B&W all in one Laser printer via USB to your work computer.

Also your computer should have its own password. If you don't need file sharing for your personal network. Then disable it. If you do. Then don't give the credentials to your work computer. So it can't view the files. Which shouldn't matter as the work computer will be on the guest Network. Yours will be on the regular network.

The next step up would be a second router. Connect it via WAN to your current LAN ports. Use that new router for your network. Not the work computer. As you'll be protected by a firewall. Although I think this would be unnecessary. I can't imagine some IT person at your job remoting in to the work computer and trying to break the security of your guest Network. The double NAT of the second router can cause some headaches with some software too.

There is also VLANs and subnets you can setup depending on your network hardware. But that all seems needlessly complicated. A guest Network should be sufficient.

 

[ForestDingo]

The most basic for your concerns would be to check if your router supports a guest Network. If it does, enable it and set a unique password. Then connect only your work computer to the guest Network. As long as you don't connect any of your devices to the guest network. You should be pretty well protected. Then connect a cheap B&W all in one Laser printer via USB to your work computer.

Also your computer should have its own password. If you don't need file sharing for your personal network. Then disable it. If you do. Then don't give the credentials to your work computer. So it can't view the files. Which shouldn't matter as the work computer will be on the guest Network. Yours will be on the regular network.

The next step up would be a second router. Connect it via WAN to your current LAN ports. Use that new router for your network. Not the work computer. As you'll be protected by a firewall. Although I think this would be unnecessary. I can't imagine some IT person at your job remoting in to the work computer and trying to break the security of your guest Network. The double NAT of the second router can cause some headaches with some software too.

There is also VLANs and subnets you can setup depending on your network hardware. But that all seems needlessly complicated. A guest Network should be sufficient.

Well the problem is is that the work PC won't have Wi-Fi capabilities so it has to be plugged in. Guest network is only for wireless right?

Would simply plugging it into the modem work, and not the router?

 

[USAFRet]

Well the problem is is that the work PC won't have Wi-Fi capabilities so it has to be plugged in. Guest network is only for wireless right?

Would simply plugging it into the modem work, and not the router?

If you plug it into the modem, then that is the only thing that will have a connection.
If that modem is truly a modem.

 

[ForestDingo]

If you plug it into the modem, then that is the only thing that will have a connection.
If that modem is truly a modem.

Sorry I'm a complete noob to all of this. So would that basically serve as a make-shift "guest network" if the work PC is the only thing connected?

 

[USAFRet]

Sorry I'm a complete noob to all of this. So would that basically serve as a make-shift "guest network" if the work PC is the only thing connected?

No, that's just having all your other devices completely offline. Nothing to do with "guest".
You could do the same simply by turning all the other things off.

When you're working from home, how are you connecting to work?

 

[ForestDingo]

No, that's just having all your other devices completely offline. Nothing to do with "guest".
You could do the same simply by turning all the other things off.

When you're working from home, how are you connecting to work?

Haven't started just yet. But either router or modem, and just a VPN on their side that will tunnel their info, using my internet as a conduit.

 

[digitalgriffin]

I'm a bit leery of having a company PC hooked up to my network. What is the best options to maintain privacy? Please keep in mind, I'm a complete noob to all of this.

Looking into it, could I get another router and set that up as a guest that wouldn't access my main network?

Or would getting a decent VPN work on my personal PC, and unplug my PC from the internet when using my work PC and vice versa? Clearning cache, cookies, etc?

Thanks in advance

First if the spy on your other devices on your network thats grounds for a lawsuit. (Seriously). Its your network not theirs.

Second most middle to high end routers have a wireless guest net that gives you a unique ssid you can connect to that will isolate your work pc from your home network.

Your user manual will tell you how to set it up. If you get stuck please provide your make and model router.