Networking for idiots!

Can anyone talk me through connecting to another computer on my network.

In house is a BT INfinity Router to which is connected lappy (wirelessly 192.168.1.65) and TP-Link Powerline adapter (wired 192.168.1.73)

Connected to the other end of the Powerline adapter is an Asante router and to that another Mac which gets IP address (192.168.123.146).

2nd Mac doesn't show up by Bonjour nor can I connect to it with any of the above addresses.

Is there something 'obvious' that I am missing?

Or is it altogether more complicated?

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Try setting the other Mac's address in the same range, e.g. 192.168.1.X rather than 192.168.123.X. They may well be different networks as far as your hardware is configured.

Sounds like the Asante router is running a DHCP server handing out IP addresses as well as the HH3. You are only supposed to have one DHCP server on a network, you should disable it on the Asante router.

Yes.

I suppose it may be simplest to manually assign IP addresses to the Asante router and second Mac. E.g. 192.168.1.100 for the router and 192.168.1.101 for the second Mac.

Why two routers anyway?

Surely all that was needed was an ethernet switch instead of the Asante router?

ETA: and that is only if you wanted to connect more than one device at the other end, otherwise the PC could have been connected directly to the home plug unit.

Edited by TheHorseman (Sun 05-Feb-12 13:27:39)

I guess if you've got a spare router you can use it as a switch. But, as this thread shows, you have to be careful how you connect and configure it. With switches the price they are it hardly seems to be worth the effort.

You're not meant to use 2 routers ... however it can work.

What you need to do is turn off DHCP on the second router and set the 2nd routers LAN side IP to within the 192.168.1.0/24 range. The IP must be in the same /24 range and not one that could be given out by DHCP. (or you could let it get an IP from the home hub) Then don't use the internet port (WAN port) but instead connect the Ethernet cable from the powerline adaptor to one of the LAN ports on the 2nd router.

This type of setup works but is not what a router is designed to do.

A 'better' set-up would be to get a powerline adapter with a built in wireless access point.

Because I had it!!!

I had it when I has a separate DSL modem quite some time ago...

Exactly...

The far end of the powerline adapter is in the Garden Office and as well as having a venerable Mac Dual G4, it will also need to connect my work Lappy when working from home. I know that's only 2 machines and even a 4 port switch is overkill.

In reply to a post by nonymouse:

Because I had it!!!

I had it when I has a separate DSL modem quite some time ago...

So turn off DHCP on it.

Fair enough. But if you're going to take that route you have to configure it correctly. Disable DHCP and DNS, give it an address on the same network, and basically use it just as a switch.

Thanks 5km,

Very helpful advice... Has mostly worked...

So as advised, I turned DHCP off on the 2nd router and changed its address to 192.168.1.10 and manually set the IP of the computer to 192.168.1.20

I am now able to Share Screens between the house and office (which is important as the office has no heating and slippers are getting wet going to and fro in all this snow!!!)

BUT... I can't access the internet from the office?!?

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That's because you have configured the IP on the PC manually but without/incorrect DNS servers. DHCP will pass through the second router so just changing the PC to get an IP address and DNS automatically will fix this.

Edited by deleted (Sun 05-Feb-12 17:07:42)

Have you set the default gateway and DNS server on the office computer (to the correct values)?

Hello

Just read all this and the last bit it was not working, had a look at mine and set up computer for automatic, but in the wireless connection, status, details button the settings seem to be my bt HH3 address so was going to say that or let the DHCP sever do its thing and give the computer on automatically and then go into the advanced settings of the HH on home network tab and set the shed computer to always recieve the same address.

I run the HH3 in a cupboard as where incoming bt socket is. ok for the computer other side of the wall in spare room (wirless) if needed and use powerline plugs to another now unused ADSL router for the 4 port switch for telly, DVDfreeview thing and bluray and the better 5Ghz wireless the computer likes more (as no one else around has dual band so all to my self).

Someone on here (sorry can't think who said a strange set up and not what routers are for but works for me. £110 router I had 5 months ,was not going to write off and the dual band is needed here as to many wifi signals the old now gone back o2 supplied one neve worked when moving here.
With the right boxes ticked to turn things off like the DHCP and setting manual address in the same range and then chaning the HH to dish out addresses from the next number, does me.

Wonder if he has done it yet and all going.

Edited by deleted (Sun 05-Feb-12 17:26:44)

In reply to a post by nonymouse:

Thanks 5km,

Very helpful advice... Has mostly worked...

So as advised, I turned DHCP off on the 2nd router and changed its address to 192.168.1.10 and manually set the IP of the computer to 192.168.1.20

Why did you manually set the IP on the computer? Just use the automatic values assigned by the HH3.

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

Why did you manually set the IP on the computer? Just use the automatic values assigned by the HH3.

I thought it was fairly obvious I didn't know what I was doing!?!



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