[Jack Yan]

[SOLVED] Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Hi there:

Before I started, I did read John Will’s explanation on how this should be done (and believe I have followed as much as my limited knowledge allows), but I’m still having problems.

1. Broadband ethernet connection, static IP assigned by ISP—connected to modem

2. Modem connected to WAN on router 1, TP-Link TL-WR740N
LAN
IP Address: 192.168.1.1
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0

WAN
IP Address: Static IP as assigned by ISP
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway and DNS Server as assigned by ISP

Router 1 also has the address of router 2, 192.168.1.2, reserved

3. Router 2, D-Link DI-704UP connected to router 1 (LAN to LAN)
LAN
IP address: 192.168.1.2
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0

WAN
IP address: dynamic IP as assigned by DHCP on router 1
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway and DNS Server as assigned by ISP and identical to settings on router 1
DHCP server disabled

Computer 1 (Windows XP Pro) connected to router 1 via ethernet, DHCP on router 1 assigned it 192.168.1.100
Computer 2 (Windows Vista Home Premium) connected to router 1 via ethernet, DHCP on router 1 assigned it 192.168.1.102
Computer 3 (Windows XP Home) connected to router 2 via ethernet (it seems to dislike router 1 as the connection kept cutting out or changing between 10 and 100 Mbit/sec), static IP assigned on router 2 as 192.168.1.101
Computer 4 (Windows XP Home) not connected yet, but it will be with the wireless on router 1

All have an identical workgroup name.

All computers can see the internet, that’s not a concern. The concerns are:

1. I cannot see any other computer on the network regardless of which machine I view from. Previously through a single router I had no issue. The other computers cannot be pinged.

2. I cannot use TightVNC despite opening up ports 5800 and 5900 on router 1. Before router 2 was hooked up, I could. I guess this is related to the above issues.

I’m sure the experts on this board will spot the error immediately but being an amateur it hasn’t jumped out at me.

Any advice is very welcome.

Kind regards,

Jack

 

[Maz_-]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Hi,

Your 2nd router is connected to router 1 correct? Your modem is connected to router 1?

You need to set our default gateway and dns on router 2 to 192.168.1.1 and not the ISP's. Also change it the ip address of router 2 to static address on 192.168.1.2 as this is reserved on router 1 it shouldnt be a problem.

Now try again and see what happens.

Maz

 

[Justin79]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

• 1. Connect as local device or bridge - If connecting the second router via Ethernet cable, plug it into one of the LAN ports on the first router. If connecting the second router wirelessly, ensure the second router is set for client mode. Note that some home wireless routers do not support client mode; these must be connected by cable. Check your router documentation for details on its client mode configuration support.
  
  2. Check / change IP address - Most home network routers use a default IP address setting. Often, these default IP addresses will not work in a two router environment. Check the second router's IP address value and reset it if necessary to work within the valid address range of the first router (and to not conflict with any other device on the network).
  
  3. Disable DHCP - To avoid IP address conflicts between all of the devices on the home network, only one of your two routers should assign addresses via DHCP. All mainstream routers provide an option to disable DHCP as part of the router's configuration screens.
  

Instead of adding a second wired router to an existing network, consider adding a network switch instead. A switch accomplishes the same goal of extending the size of a network, but it does not require any IP address or DHCP configuration, greatly simplifying configuration.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Hi,

Your 2nd router is connected to router 1 correct? Your modem is connected to router 1?

Thank you, Maz. Yes, that’s correct.

You need to set our default gateway and dns on router 2 to 192.168.1.1 and not the ISP's. Also change it the ip address of router 2 to static address on 192.168.1.2 as this is reserved on router 1 it shouldnt be a problem.

Now try again and see what happens.

Maz

Maz, thank you. I have implemented these settings now but the machines all behave as though they don’t know one another.

I see them in the Network, but when I click on the icons, they don’t connect. (File sharing is on.)

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

• 1. Connect as local device or bridge - If connecting the second router via Ethernet cable, plug it into one of the LAN ports on the first router. If connecting the second router wirelessly, ensure the second router is set for client mode. Note that some home wireless routers do not support client mode; these must be connected by cable. Check your router documentation for details on its client mode configuration support.
  
  2. Check / change IP address - Most home network routers use a default IP address setting. Often, these default IP addresses will not work in a two router environment. Check the second router's IP address value and reset it if necessary to work within the valid address range of the first router (and to not conflict with any other device on the network).
  
  3. Disable DHCP - To avoid IP address conflicts between all of the devices on the home network, only one of your two routers should assign addresses via DHCP. All mainstream routers provide an option to disable DHCP as part of the router's configuration screens.

Instead of adding a second wired router to an existing network, consider adding a network switch instead. A switch accomplishes the same goal of extending the size of a network, but it does not require any IP address or DHCP configuration, greatly simplifying configuration.

Hi Justin: thank you. I had already done all three.

 

[2xg]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Hello Jack Yan,

Please ping each computer's IP Address, disable any Security Software installed if you have one.

If you are using Windows Firewall, make sure to exclude Files and Printer Sharing.

Netbios on each computer needs to be enabled.

Check out this link on how to Network your computers and share files/printers.

Please post your progress.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Hi there, 2XG:

I have made some progress turning off security software firewalls and the Windows Firewall.

I have since switched McAfee Firewall back on but allowed certain exceptions for Netbios, file sharing and a couple of other options.

Computer 2 can now see 1 and 3 and all their shared folders and files. However, no computer can ping any other (which is strange, since 2 is accessing everything).

Computers 1 and 3 cannot see anything else. Right now I’m using 2 to transfer things between 1 and 3: not ideal, but at least that’s miles ahead of where I was.

TightVNC is still dead despite ports 5800 and 5900 being opened up to it on router 1.

I assume there still must be some setting in McAfee preventing 1 and 3 from doing what they need to?

Best,

Jack

 

[2xg]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Disable McAfee Sevices running for now. Click on Start, type msconfig press enter, locate Services Tab, in here untick any McAfee Services that are running.
Test the connections again.

If you're still having an issue, next thing to do is either disable the firewall feature or uninstall McAfee completely and replace it with MSE.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Here’s an odd one. Computer 1 can now access computer 3 only if I type in its name into Windows Explorer (\\Name) though it is not visible in My Network Places or as a computer in the workgroup. I have made no changes to the settings since I wrote the above.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Disable McAfee Sevices running for now. Click on Start, type msconfig press enter, locate Services Tab, in here untick any McAfee Services that are running.
Test the connections again.

If you're still having an issue, next thing to do is either disable the firewall feature or uninstall McAfee completely and replace it with MSE.

Thank you, 2xg. I’m going to try this in about an hour (I’ve one of my team working on computer 3).

 

[Justin79]

All computers are in the same workgroup
The second thing that needs to happen in order for another computer on the network to show up in your My Network Places list is that all the computers have to be in the same workgroup or domain.

You can check this by right-clicking on My Computer, choosing Properties, and clicking on the Computer Name tab.



Next to Workgroup, you will see the workgroup name. Each computer on the network has to have exactly the same workgroup name in order to be able to see each other. You can click Change to change the name of the workgroup.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Hey Justin: thank you again. They’ve all been on the same workgroup as well. That’s one reason why the error was so confusing.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Disable McAfee Sevices running for now. Click on Start, type msconfig press enter, locate Services Tab, in here untick any McAfee Services that are running.
Test the connections again.

If you're still having an issue, next thing to do is either disable the firewall feature or uninstall McAfee completely and replace it with MSE.

Thank you, 2XG. That really helped.

After discovering that the network needed me to manually type in \\Network Name on Computers 1 and 3, they began talking to one another again. I now have shortcuts to the main folders I need on both machines, so that part is solved.

Your suggestion worked in terms of troubleshooting TightVNC. Once I disabled all McAfee services, I could access TightVNC again. Interestingly, after re-enabling all of them, I still could. So there must be something among one of those services that is being uncooperative. I’m going to reboot now to see how everything fares afterwards.

 

[2xg]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Huge progress it is..... Again, you may just disable the Firewall feature of McAfee if you'd like to keep it. Windows built-in firewall will also do an excellent job protecting your computers.

I think that we just found the culprit, you just have to make a decision what to do with McAfee.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

Thank you! I can’t believe it’s 26 hours since I started this but I am glad you all were there with your advice!

2XG, do you have much faith in the firewalls that come built-in with routers or is a software one generally better? (Obviously, having both would be best.)

 

[2xg]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

The Security option from your Router is the one that will protect your network, make sure that you are using WPA2. Windows built-in Firewall would also help.

If it's for small business you might want to invest buying a Hardware Firewall. You don't have to get an expensive one. Pls check this out. It's a VPN/Switch/Firewall. A lot more selections here.

 

[Maz_-]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

2xg to the rescue!! A step ahead of me as always hahaha.

Maz

 

[2xg]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

A pleasure to help Maz, don't forget we're all in the same Team. :grin:

2xg to the rescue!! A step ahead of me as always hahaha.

Maz

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

The Security option from your Router is the one that will protect your network, make sure that you are using WPA2. Windows built-in Firewall would also help.

If it's for small business you might want to invest buying a Hardware Firewall. You don't have to get an expensive one. Pls check this out. It's a VPN/Switch/Firewall. A lot more selections here.

Thank you, 2XG—exactly the advice I needed.

Interestingly, I didn’t get a notification of a reply via email (unlike the earlier entries), hence my delay in thanking you.

 

[Jack Yan]

Re: Two routers, one network—and cannot see other computers

2xg to the rescue!! A step ahead of me as always hahaha.

Maz

She’s one amazing lady, Maz!