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Problems with T3200M and additional Router vs Access Point

rajanjohal
Organizer

I've been stumbling through converting a router to act as an access point, with no success.

 

My setup:

I have a T3200M that has a couple of wired devices attached - a desktop, a printer and a NAS.  The T3200M LAN IP is 192.168.1.254, Subnet 255.255.255.0 and DNS 1.1.1.1 / 1.0.0.1

 

The T3200M sends additional signals via a single coaxial cable that is split into two outside the house, with each of the two coaxials coming back into the house in different rooms.  Each coaxial is then connected to a Moca and subsequently a 5-port switch.  From each switch I Ethernet to an Optik Box and a number of other devices (TV, Desktop, PS4).

 

Because the T3200M is in one dark corner of the basement, from one of the switches I've connect an Asus AC68 Router to provide strong wireless.  The WAN IP of the Router is 192.168.1.253 and the LAN IP is 192.168.2.1.  Subnet is 255.255.255.0 and DNS is 1.1.1.1/1.0.0.1

 

Here's the problem:  When the AC68 is in "Router" mode everything works fine.  I've always had a problem keeping a consistent connection from my Denon Receiver to the NAS using an ethernet cable to switch, but it works fine when I connect the Receiver to the Asus Router with an ethernet.  All my wireless devices (laptops, tablets, phones) connect reliably to the Asus Router, and sporadically to the T3200M.

 

There have been a few nagging issues that require workarounds - e.g. when a laptop is on the Asus Router SSID, I can't print to the printer connected to the T3200M.  I need to jump on to the T3200M SSID and then it prints fine (other than it being a sketchy weak connection).  The Denon Receiver sees the NAS (despite being wired to the Asus) and plays music, except every so often, my phone will be connected to the T3200M SSID and won't see the Reciever.

 

To fix that last few nagging issues I have tried converting my Asus Router over to be an Access Point.  It has this mode built into it and turns off the DHCP, NAT and Firewall.  I've plugged the ethernet from the switch over to a LAN Port (i.e. not the WAN Port) and the IP remains at 192.168.1.253.

 

As soon as I convert to this new setup, all wireless devices have either a very hard time connecting to both the T3200M SSID or the Asus SSID.  The phones will sporadically connect and the laptops will not connect to either SSID at all.  I've checked and rechecked SSIS passwords, security, etc.

 

At first I though that having so many handoffs, i.e. T3200M to coaxial to splitter to Moca to Switch was the problem, but that would also affect the network when using the Asus as a Router.

 

Any suggestions as to what I'm doing wrong?

1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION

rc
Rockstar

Looks like anti virus, firewall and windows network properties can be ruled out as the cause of not being  able to print across subnets.

 

How is the printer define in Windows, by a symbolic name or an iP address.  Windows printer discovery on works on the local subnet, not across subnets.  To print across subnets you will have to assign the printer a static ip and set it up in Windows via ip address.

View solution in original post

17 REPLIES 17

rc
Rockstar

Assuming you are running Windows on your laptop your problem  could be related to security settings. Some anti virus firewall programs block printing and file sharing across subnets.  Also, Windows should recognise both subnets as private or home, not public.

I thought that this might be a cause as well.  I turned off the Firewall and Anti-Virus on the Laptops - no luck.

 

When I try to connect to either SSID, I receive the notification "Can't connect to this network".

The splitter is in the Telus box outside, and supplied and installed by Telus.

rc
Rockstar

I don't think you need to move the cable from the Asus WAN port when you convert the router to a AP.

 

https://www.asus.com/ca-en/support/FAQ/1015009/

Yup, cable has been moved to a LAN port from the WAN port.

On my ASUS router, which I disposed of because of a hardware failure, I did not have to move the cable.  Just followed the procedure that asus recommended in https://www.asus.com/ca-en/support/FAQ/1015009/

"Not moving the cable from WAN to LAN" - that's interesting. I'll have to follow up with trying that because that's different than just about every other source on the internet about how to set up an AP.


@rajanjohal wrote:

"Not moving the cable from WAN to LAN" - that's interesting. I'll have to follow up with trying that because that's different than just about every other source on the internet about how to set up an AP.


The method to set up a router as an AP is manufacture dependant. Some use the lan port to connect to the upstream router and others us the wan port. Using the wan port means that you still have 4 lan ports available.

rc
Rockstar

How is the denon receiver connected to your network?

Disregard my above post about how the denon was connect to the network.

rc
Rockstar

When you have the ASUS set up as a router,  from the desktop connected to the T3200, can you ping a device connected to the ASUS router? The actiontec routing functions are rather limited.  That could explain why your phone cannot see the receiver when connected to the T3200.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Connected to the T3200M and I cannot ping anything connected to the Asus Router.  Connected to the Asus and I can ping everything connected to the T3200M (although I can ping the printer on the T3200M, nothing will print because the printer is shown as being "offline").


@rajanjohal wrote:

Connected to the T3200M and I cannot ping anything connected to the Asus Router.  Connected to the Asus and I can ping everything connected to the T3200M (although I can ping the printer on the T3200M, nothing will print because the printer is shown as being "offline").


The inability to ping devices on the Asus from the t3200 is normal. Since the t3200 does not support static routes or route discovery there is no work around.

 

Does windows network properties indicate that the network is private or public? 


@rc wrote:

@rajanjohal wrote:

Connected to the T3200M and I cannot ping anything connected to the Asus Router.  Connected to the Asus and I can ping everything connected to the T3200M (although I can ping the printer on the T3200M, nothing will print because the printer is shown as being "offline").


The inability to ping devices on the Asus from the t3200 is normal. Since the t3200 does not support static routes or route discovery there is no work around.

 

Does windows network properties indicate that the network is private or public? 


The T3200M network shows up as being private.

rc
Rockstar

Looks like anti virus, firewall and windows network properties can be ruled out as the cause of not being  able to print across subnets.

 

How is the printer define in Windows, by a symbolic name or an iP address.  Windows printer discovery on works on the local subnet, not across subnets.  To print across subnets you will have to assign the printer a static ip and set it up in Windows via ip address.


@rc wrote:

Looks like anti virus, firewall and windows network properties can be ruled out as the cause of not being  able to print across subnets.

 

How is the printer define in Windows, by a symbolic name or an iP address.  Windows printer discovery on works on the local subnet, not across subnets.  To print across subnets you will have to assign the printer a static ip and set it up in Windows via ip address.


Well, that fixes the printer issue!  I've set it up with the TCP/IP and it works from both SSIDs.