connecting a Win 11 computer to a Linux computer

[Smoot Carl-Mitchell]

On Tue, 2025-08-19 at 10:28 -0400, Robert Heller wrote:
> At Tue, 19 Aug 2025 09:59:35 -0400 "Ubuntu user technical support,?
> not for general discussions" <ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > HI,
> > 
> > I have a Windows 11 computer that I use mostly for gaming and 
> > occasionally for other Windows apps which do not need an internet 
> > connection. I just do not trust Microsoft so I have disconnected
> > the 
> > LAN line to the router and all my internet stuff is through the
> > Linux 
> > computer.
> > 
> > How can I connect the Windows computer to my Linux computer. At the
> > moment, there is an "air gap" to the windows 11 computer. Can I 
> > reconfigure my router so that the windows machine can't access the 
> > internet but can do 2 way connections only with the Linux computer
> > via 
> > the router. By the way, the router is owned by my ISP as part of
> > their 
> > services.
> 
> It will depend on what sort of firewall the router has and what sort
> of 
> configuration options it provides.  Normally most consumer grade
> routers are 
> not likely to have that fine grain of configuration.  One possiblity
> is that 
> some routers have a configuration intended to protect "children" from
> full 
> Internet access.  Maybe you can tell the router that the MS-Windows
> machine is 
> being operated by an underage child and deny Internet access to that 
> machine... 
> 
> One other thought:  It is possible to run virtual machines under
> Linux and run 
> those machines on a "private" virtual LAN.  Installing MS-Windows in
> such a VM 
> might be an option, although I don't know how much of a performance
> hit that 
> will entail.  I know that sometimes "gaming" machines are built to
> have higher 
> performance than a "normal" workstation, so maybe going the VM route
> might not 
> not work well...

You could buy a cheap VLAN capable switch and then create a separate
VLAN between the Linux host and the Windows host. Essentially, you
would be creating a separate private network. If your router has an
integrated switch, check to see if it supports VLANs and avoid buying a
separate switch.

Linux kernels either have VLAN support or may require the 8021q module
to be installed. Here is one link which describes the process:

https://tom-henderson.github.io/2019/04/12/ubuntu-vlan-config.html
-- 
Smoot Carl-Mitchell
System/Network Architect
voice: +1 480 922-7313
cell: +1 602 421-9005
smoot at tic.com