---
title: Networking
---

# LB IP Pool Tab and Cluster Networking

The **LB IP Pool** tab manages the Service IP addresses your cluster uses to expose workloads to the internet. E2E Kubernetes integrates natively with [MetalLB](https://metallb.universe.tf/) to provide load-balanced external IPs for Kubernetes services of type `LoadBalancer`.

To open it, select a cluster and choose the **LB IP Pool** tab.

---

## How Cluster Networking Works

- **Private IPv4** - every master and worker node is automatically assigned a private IPv4 address from the cluster's [VPC](/docs/myaccount/kubernetes/getting-started/kubernetes-concepts#networking) for secure in-VPC communication. Private addresses are not reachable from the internet.
- **Public IPv4 / Service IP** - public connectivity for services is provided through MetalLB using reserved Service IPs. MetalLB assigns and releases individual IPs dynamically from the configured pool as `LoadBalancer` services are created and removed.

## Reserve a Service IP

1. On the **LB IP Pool** tab, select **Add LB IP** (also available as **Add LB IP** from the cluster's row actions and header).
2. Reserve a new **Service IP address**.
3. Save the configuration.

MetalLB adds the reserved IP to its address pool and assigns it when a Kubernetes service of type `LoadBalancer` requests an external IP. A reserved IP stays allocated to your account until you release it.

## Expose a Service

Create a Kubernetes service of type `LoadBalancer`. MetalLB assigns it an external IP from the reserved pool, and the IP can float across nodes if a node fails - as long as traffic reaches one of the cluster's nodes, the service stays reachable.

```yaml
apiVersion: v1
kind: Service
metadata:
  name: my-service
spec:
  selector:
    app.kubernetes.io/name: MyApp
  ports:
    - protocol: TCP
      port: 80
      targetPort: 9376
  type: LoadBalancer
```

For host-based HTTP routing and TLS in front of services, see the [Nginx Ingress Controller](/docs/myaccount/kubernetes/guides/nginx-ingress-controller) and [Cert-Manager](/docs/myaccount/kubernetes/guides/cert-manager) guides.

---

## Related Resources

| Resource                                                                               | Use it for                        |
| -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
| [Kubernetes Services guide](/docs/myaccount/kubernetes/guides/kubernetes-services)     | Service types and exposure.       |
| [Nginx Ingress Controller](/docs/myaccount/kubernetes/guides/nginx-ingress-controller) | HTTP routing and TLS termination. |
| [Security Groups](/docs/myaccount/kubernetes/manage/security-groups)                   | Control inbound/outbound traffic. |