diff --git a/src/vde_switch/port.c b/src/vde_switch/port.c
index 00a60e6..5135db0 100644
--- a/src/vde_switch/port.c
+++ b/src/vde_switch/port.c
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ struct port {
 	int fd_data;
 	struct endpoint *ep;
 	int flag;
+	int colour;
 	/* sender is already inside ms, but it needs one more memaccess */
 	int (*sender)(int fd, int fd_ctl, void *packet, int len, void *data, int port);
 	struct mod_support *ms;
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ static int alloc_port(unsigned int portno)
 				EVENTOUT(DBGPORTNEW,i);
 
 				portv[i]=port;
+				port->colour=0;
 				port->fd_data=-1;
 				port->ep=NULL;
 				port->user=port->group=port->curuser=-1;
@@ -552,7 +554,7 @@ void handle_in_packet(int port,  struct packet *packet, int len)
 		if (pflag & HUB_TAG) { /* this is a HUB */
 			register int i;
 			for(i = 1; i < numports; i++)
-				if((i != port) && (portv[i] != NULL))
+				if((i != port) && (portv[i] != NULL) && (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[i]->colour != portv[port]->colour))
 					SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);
 		} else { /* This is a switch, not a HUB! */
 			if (packet->header.proto[0] == 0x81 && packet->header.proto[1] == 0x00) {
@@ -595,17 +597,17 @@ void handle_in_packet(int port,  struct packet *packet, int len)
 				if (tagged) {
 					register int i;
 					ba_FORALL(vlant[vlan].bctag,numports,
-							({if (i != port) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
+							({if (i != port && (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[i]->colour != portv[port]->colour)) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
 					packet=TAG2UNTAG(packet,len);
 					ba_FORALL(vlant[vlan].bcuntag,numports,
-							({if (i != port) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
+							({if (i != port && (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[i]->colour != portv[port]->colour)) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
 				} else { /* untagged */
 					register int i;
 					ba_FORALL(vlant[vlan].bcuntag,numports,
-							({if (i != port) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
+							({if (i != port && (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[i]->colour != portv[port]->colour)) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
 					packet=UNTAG2TAG(packet,vlan,len);
 					ba_FORALL(vlant[vlan].bctag,numports,
-							({if (i != port) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
+							({if (i != port && (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[i]->colour != portv[port]->colour)) SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[i],i,packet,len);}),i);
 				}
 			}
 			else {
@@ -614,15 +616,21 @@ void handle_in_packet(int port,  struct packet *packet, int len)
 				if (tarport==port)
 					return; /*do not loop!*/
 				if (tagged) {
-					if (portv[tarport]->vlanuntag==vlan) /* TAG->UNTAG */
-						SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,TAG2UNTAG(packet,len),len);
-					else                               /* TAG->TAG */
-						SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,packet,len);
+					if (portv[tarport]->vlanuntag==vlan) { /* TAG->UNTAG */
+ 						if (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[tarport]->colour != portv[port]->colour)
+							SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,TAG2UNTAG(packet,len),len);
+					} else {                               /* TAG->TAG */
+ 						if (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[tarport]->colour != portv[port]->colour)
+							SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,packet,len);
+					}
 				} else {
-					if (portv[tarport]->vlanuntag==vlan) /* UNTAG->UNTAG */
-						SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,packet,len);
-					else                               /* UNTAG->TAG */
-						SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,UNTAG2TAG(packet,vlan,len),len);
+					if (portv[tarport]->vlanuntag==vlan) { /* UNTAG->UNTAG */
+ 						if (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[tarport]->colour != portv[port]->colour)
+							SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,packet,len);
+					} else {                              /* UNTAG->TAG */
+ 						if (!(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG) || portv[tarport]->colour != portv[port]->colour)
+							SEND_PACKET_PORT(portv[tarport],tarport,UNTAG2TAG(packet,vlan,len),len);
+					}
 				}
 			} /* if(BROADCAST) */
 		} /* if(HUB) */
@@ -635,6 +643,7 @@ static int showinfo(FILE *fd)
 {
 	printoutc(fd,"Numports=%d",numports);
 	printoutc(fd,"HUB=%s",(pflag & HUB_TAG)?"true":"false");
+	printoutc(fd,"COLOURFUL=%s",(pflag & COLOURFUL_TAG)?"true":"false");
 #ifdef PORTCOUNTERS
 	printoutc(fd,"counters=true");
 #else
@@ -796,6 +805,18 @@ static int epclose(char *arg)
 		return close_ep(port,id);
 }
 
+static int portsetcolour(char *arg)
+{
+	int port,colour;
+	if (sscanf(arg,"%i %i",&port,&colour) != 2)
+		return EINVAL;
+	if (port < 0 || port >= numports)
+		return EINVAL;
+	if (portv[port] == NULL)
+		return ENXIO;
+	portv[port]->colour= colour;
+	return 0;
+}
 static char *port_getuser(uid_t uid)
 {
 	static char buf[6];
@@ -846,6 +867,7 @@ static int print_port(FILE *fd,int i,int inclinactive)
 		printoutc(fd," IN:  pkts %10lld          bytes %20lld",portv[i]->pktsin,portv[i]->bytesin);
 		printoutc(fd," OUT: pkts %10lld          bytes %20lld",portv[i]->pktsout,portv[i]->bytesout);
 #endif
+		printoutc(fd," colour:   %10d",portv[i]->colour);
 		for (ep=portv[i]->ep; ep != NULL; ep=ep->next) 
 			printoutc(fd,"  -- endpoint ID %04d module %-12s: %s",ep->fd_ctl,
 					portv[i]->ms->modname,(ep->descr)?ep->descr:"no endpoint description");
@@ -930,6 +952,15 @@ static int portsethub(int val)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int portsetcolourful(int val)
+{
+	if (val) {
+		portflag(P_SETFLAG,COLOURFUL_TAG);
+	} else
+		portflag(P_CLRFLAG,COLOURFUL_TAG);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int portsetvlan(char *arg)
 {
 	int port,vlan;
@@ -1184,12 +1215,14 @@ static struct comlist cl[]={
 	{"port/setnumports","N","set the number of ports",portsetnumports,INTARG},
 	/*{"port/setmacaddr","MAC","set the switch MAC address",setmacaddr,STRARG},*/
 	{"port/sethub","0/1","1=HUB 0=switch",portsethub,INTARG},
+	{"port/setcolourful","0/1","1=colourful 0=no colour",portsetcolourful,INTARG},
 	{"port/setvlan","N VLAN","set port VLAN (untagged)",portsetvlan,STRARG},
 	{"port/create","N","create the port N (inactive|notallocatable)",portcreate,INTARG},
 	{"port/remove","N","remove the port N",portremove,INTARG},
 	{"port/allocatable","N 0/1","Is the port allocatable as unnamed? 1=Y 0=N",portallocatable,STRARG},
 	{"port/setuser","N user","access control: set user",portsetuser,STRARG},
 	{"port/setgroup","N user","access control: set group",portsetgroup,STRARG},
+	{"port/setcolour","N COLOUR","change colour of port",portsetcolour,STRARG},
 	{"port/epclose","N ID","remove the endpoint port N/id ID",epclose,STRARG},
 #ifdef PORTCOUNTERS
 	{"port/resetcounter","[N]","reset the port (N) counters",portresetcounters,STRARG},
diff --git a/src/vde_switch/port.h b/src/vde_switch/port.h
index a65ad1d..57eeae1 100644
--- a/src/vde_switch/port.h
+++ b/src/vde_switch/port.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ int portflag(int op, int f);
 #define P_CLRFLAG 3
 
 #define HUB_TAG 0x1
+#define COLOURFUL_TAG 0x2
 
 void port_init(int numports);