Home Network File Sharing: Laptop--Cat5-->ISP modem / Google TV-->wireless router--Cat5-->ISP modem

06
2014-04
  • JB0x2D1

    My windows 7 PC is connected to my ISP's modem via Cat5. My wireless router is connected the same way. The wired LAN is 192.168.1.xxx and the wireless is 192.168.2.xxx. Is it possible to share files with this network configuration? I've had success with the laptop connected on wireless but sometimes I want the laptop running on the wired connection and not the wireless for other reasons. When the laptop is on the wired connection, I would still like to be able to access the shared files from the Google TV.

    On the Google TV, I'm using the app ES File Explorer File Manager. That app has an Add New Server screen where I can input Domain, IP Address, Username / Pass (or anonymous). I used that feature to add the laptop when the laptop was connected to the wireless network.

    So to recap: 1.) Is it possible? 2.) If it is possible, how do I do it?

    Edit First I tried to just put the IP of my PC (on wired) into the TV but it said it couldn't find it. Then I tried to put the the wifi router in the 1.xxx pool but it didn't work (I didn't realize I had to turn off DHCP on the wifi router). I got it working by adding an entry to the wifi router's routing table so that it could find my PC when it is on the other subnet. I'm sure @The_aLiEn's suggestion would have been easier but, at this point, its working and I don't want to mess with it any more.

  • Answers
  • The_aLiEn

    You don't need two different subnets on this configuration. You can configure your wireless router to have an IP address on the 1.xxx pool and shut DHCP down on that router. This turns your wireless router into a wireless access point. And all clients connected to that access point will be served with IP address from ISP modem's DHCP server.

    So logically all clients, both wired and wireless, will be on the same subnet and since wireless router is not a router anymore they all will be on the same subnet physically also.


  • Related Question

    Wireless router suddenly stopped working after ISP reconfigured DSL modem
  • Nikki Erwin Ramirez

    After our ISP changed something in our DSL modem, our wireless router suddenly stopped working properly.

    Before, our DSL modem was accessible via a local address (192.168.1.1). We got a wireless router (Linksys WRT54GC), and configured our home network like so:

    • DSL modem -- 192.168.2.1
    • Wireless router -- WAN: 192.168.2.2, LAN: 192.168.1.1
    • PCs and laptops -- DHCP starting from 192.168.1.100

    Then, a few months ago, our ISP called to say they're sending someone to adjust some settings in our DSL modem. After the reconfiguration, our DSL modem was no longer directly accessible. Whether it was our PC or our wireless router, whatever was directly connected to the DSL modem gets assigned a public IP address via DHCP.

    That was when our wireless router went bonkers. At first, we just experienced frequent disconnections, and we had to reboot our wireless router or let our DSL modem reconnect to our ISP. A couple of weeks later, our wireless router stopped serving us entirely.

    My brother, who's a bit more hardware-savvy than me, says that the easiest way to probably fix it was to set out wireless router to act as a bridge. He says, that way, each device connected to it would be assigned an IP address by our ISP. We checked our wireless router's control panel, but couldn't find anything to set it to bridge. We later learned that Linksys WRT54GC routers (this is the compact model), well, SUCK, in terms of configurability. It was also impossible to re-flash it with open source firmwares.

    What else should I check and try to reconfigure?

    Do I need to change our wireless router?


  • Related Answers
  • jfmessier

    My take on this is that you should always keep router and modem separate. I know others who have a combo modem installed, which includes the router, the wireless access point AND DSL modem. Although it will likely end up being more expensive, keeping components separate is a better long-term strategy.

    Usually, the DSL modem should stand by itself, providing connectivity to the DSL service, no more. Once you have an external IP connection by the modem, you should have a DSL client, such as a router that will handle the DSL on the "client" side. This router can then route multiple internal connections, as well as providing wireless access point. This way, you also have better control on every aspect of your internal network, be it the IP address range, the wireless protection and settings, etc.

    If the technology changes later on the router side, you can simply change the router, and the modem will not have to be changed.

    If your provider locks you in a specific hardware/router configuration, I would simply chane to another provider. I don't know how the market works in your area, but in Canad, the market is open, and I chose not to go with the best-known provider. instead, I use another one, which gives me all the flexibility I need. And my internal router is my own business, nobody else's.

    Have a nice day :-)

    JF