Homegroup with wired/wireless and multiple routers


  1. Posts : 29
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
       #1

    Homegroup with wired/wireless and multiple routers


    Ok so here is the issue that I ran into. In my home I originally had just a wireless belkin router connected to my comcast modem which was an access point for 4 wireless computers and one wired computer in my office, I have just recently started using windows 7 on all my computers here and I wanted to set up a homegroup so that I can share music and movies throughout the house from one computer in my office. Now the issue is that I added a second computer to my office to use as the storage for all my media but to do that I needed to add another router which is not wireless. I have the second router running off of the wireless router to add more connections in my office and not have a bunch of wires running through the house. The problem now is that when I create a homegroup from the computer connected through the second router it cannot see any of the wireless computers that connect through the first(wireless) router and vice versa. Is there a solution for this problem or am I stuck with having to run all wired and wireless connections from one router? Please help as I am stuck here and I want to move forward with my HTPC project without having all the external drives cluttering the downstairs living room as I am expecting a child in a few months and want as few things as possible in reach of those little hands.

    Thank you in advance,

    Dragonschild
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 196
    Windows 7
       #2

    Can the computer connected to the second router get to the internet? Can you describe how you have the 2 routers wired together?
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 29
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #3

    ultraplanet said:
    Can the computer connected to the second router get to the internet? Can you describe how you have the 2 routers wired together?
    Yep, the computers connected to the second router can connect to the internet, I just cannot get them to see the computers connected to the first router via wireless connections. I think I found the reason why from another post on here, it recommends disabling DHCP on the second router so that the first router(i.e. the router connected directly to the modem is the only one controlling IP address's. I am going to give that a try and see how it works.

    Just so we are clear, I have the second router(wired only) connected via a ethernet cable to the first router(wired/wireless). The second router is feeding a connection to my office so that I don't have to have multiple wires running along the walls, it really makes for an easier setup and also gives me more connections so I can conduct my work without disconnecting and reconnecting computers from the router when I need to check a customers computer on the internet.
    I work with peoples computers to get them cleaned of virus' and other pesky problems in my spare time, I also build and upgrade computers so the extra connections are essential when I need to have an active connection to the internet on the customers computer and my own personal computer.

    Thank you for the response and I hope that this method of disabling the DHCP on the second router will solve my issue otherwise I will post a response here for more options.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 196
    Windows 7
       #4

    A switch would be a much better choice in place of that second router.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 29
    Windows 7 Ultimate x64
    Thread Starter
       #5

    ultraplanet said:
    A switch would be a much better choice in place of that second router.
    It would, however I would like to get this setup without having to spend any extra cash and I already had the extra router available from my stash of parts.
      My Computer


  6. Posts : 196
    Windows 7
       #6

    You are going to need to plug the second router up to the first using its WAN port and go into one of the regular ports on the first router. Second router needs to be set for automatic configuration, have an IP address in the network of the first and have DHCP and its firewall both turned off. Here's a screen shot of my config on a linksys router...
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails Homegroup with wired/wireless and multiple routers-capture.png  
      My Computer


 

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