How-to: Group Wired PoE Security Cameras in a VLAN using Unifi

In my tutorial on how to block IP cameras from accessing the Internet using a Unifi USG firewall, I used the example of wireless security cameras.

But what if you have wired IP cameras and want to achieve the same result – block PoE IP cameras from accessing the Internet? Fear not, all you need to have is a managed Unifi switch like the one I have – Unifi Switch 8.

Assuming you have already created a VLAN as described in Step 1 of this tutorial, here are the steps to group or assign wired Ethernet devices into a VLAN:

Step 1: Create a switch port profile

1. Log into your Unifi Controller dashboard and click on the settings button (gear icon)
2. From the settings menu, select ‘Profiles’, and then select the ‘Switch Ports’ tab
3. Click ‘Add New Port Profile’
4. Type in a profile name, I like to use the same name as the VLAN  created ‘IPCameras’.
5. Select the VLAN under the Tagged Networks section.
6. Click Save

Step 2: Plug in your Ethernet device into a port of your Unifi managed switch, and note the port number. Let’s assume it is a PoE device, so let’s pick port 6.

Step 3: Assign Unifi switch port to the new switch port profile

1. From your Unifi Controller dashboard and click on the Devices button from the left menu
2. Click on your Unifi Switch, this should open a slide-out menu on the right
3. Click on the Ports section
4. Click on the edit button (pencil icon) next to port 6
5. Click the dropdown called ‘Switch Port Profile’
6. Select the switch port profile you created earlier and click the apply button.

The switch will now provision the port and after a few minutes, you are in business!

Liked this tutorial? Let me know in the comments below what else you would like me to cover.