Windows 7: Unidentified Network issue

Hi,


I'll post my network setup, as it may make more sense when I explain the issue

Router: D-Link 270B

Desktop connected to the router by a Homeplug (ethernet) for the internet, using the following settings:

IP: 192.168.1.12
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Preferred DNS Server: 192.168.1.1

Desktop wireless card (Belkin Wireless N1 Card) for connecting to my Apple TV for syncing:

IP: 192.168.1.20
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.19
Preferred DNS Server: 192.168.1.19

Apple TV Media Centre

IP: 192.168.1.19
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
Default Gateway: 192.168.1.1
Preferred DNS Server: 192.168.1.1

This may sound like a strange setup, but iTunes doesn't detect my Apple TV, if I use my Homeplug for it, but if I use the Wireless Network Card for it, it is fine.

The issue I have is, sometimes this setup works fine, but sometimes I can turn the Desktop on and have "Unidentified Network" and a Park Bench displayed for the Homeplug connection and for the Wireless Connection, it will say "Dlink, No Network Access" (or something similar, I cannot remember the exact wording). To get the Homeplug connection to connect to the network again, I have to disable the wireless card and then turn off the homeplug and turn it back on and reconfigure the IP.

Is there anything I could of possibly set wrong? I am hoping to keep the internet connection and the apple TV syncing separate, as my downloads from iTunes on the wireless connection are too slow but on the Homeplugs I get full speed from my connection. Also having the Wireless connection syncing the Apple TV only, seems to speed up transfers.



Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Ross

Ros Hi and welcome


I have a bunch of questions.

Are you using homegroup, or workgroup for networking?

Are you manually assigning IP?

Can you type cmd in search>then>ipconfig /all and make a screenshot of the output?


Ken

Hi Ken,

Thanks for the reply.

Currently everything is running fine, but when I turn the PC off later and turn it back on, it will all go wrong again. I have attached the screenprint as per your request. The IP's are manually configured.

I have just checked in "Networking and Sharing Centre" and the Homeplug (ethernet) connection is setup as a "Work Network" and the Wireless is setup as a "Home Network" (homegroup: joined). I have attached a screenprint of this also (they were both Home Network before I screenshot the "Networking and Sharing Centre", just changed the internet to work to see if it made any difference).

Thanks,
Ross

From my point of view the wireless connections default gateway and the DNS aren't showing up as they should, when you manually inputted the gateway and DNS it wasn't done correctly I'm guessing. The IPv4 default gateway and DNS of the wireless connection needs to be 192.168.1.1 .

It also looks like you may have both a wireless connection and also a wired connection on the same machine, this configuration confuses Windows 7 so you should be using one or the other.

You might try going into the IPv4 properties of the wireless connection and manually inputting the default gateway and DNS of 192.168.1.1, you can still probably use the same IP of 192.168.1.20 . Although simply resetting the router using DHCP would probably fix this problem just as easily.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.

Yes both connections are on the one PC. I am having to use 192.168.1.19 on my wireless adapter for the gateway and the DNS because when I use my homeplugs, iTunes can't see my Apple TV. I don't want the wireless to be used for the net though (as it is unreliable for the internet). The only way I could see it not connecting to the net was by using 192.168.1.19. When they decide to work together, they work perfectly but if I switch off the PC and turn it back on, neither work

You can try doing that but it's not a normal way of doing things.

The reason it's not working correctly is because your not using the correct default gateway and DNS. Not to mention that Windows 7 doesn't like having two networks. You should be using one or the other with the same gateway and DNS if you want it to work right.

I don't mess with anything apple so I can't help you with the itunes problem, not sure what is up with that.

Your network won't work right like you have it though unfortunately.

I would set the system up as described above and then use the the iTunes software and/or the Apple TV to set up the required connections.

If the Apple TV is on the same network and connected by Ethernet then you should get the best possible throughput.

If you only have a wireless connection on the apple TV you can run a wireless connection in parallel with the power-line Ethernet, but you would probably be best running a completely different subnet

I am another one without the specific Apple knowledge to provide explicit instructions, but there should be controls within the software/hardware to link iTunes and the apple TV

Thanks for the help .

I may just get rid of the Apple TV and get a small Windows 7 box, as it is more hassle than it's worth (deleting purchases, then syncing with my PC and deleting them from there and many other issues).

I think the issue with my 2 network cards is now fixed. I set them both up as normal (using the gateway and DNS as 192.168.1.1) but it kept using the Wireless connection for the internet (which meant slow download speeds from iTunes). I changed the priority of the network cards, so that my homeplugs (ethernet) connection took priority over my Wireless connection and it all now works perfectly

Thanks for all your help

Glad to hear it Ross, I can't really see what you are doing from here but getting the DNS and gateway correct was a good call on your part. Thanks for reporting back in.