Extending BT Network with TPLink Wireless Router Issues

[bobohanlon]

Even if I dont "test" per se it never works LAN to LAN or LAN to WAN. I've tried a myriad of configuration combinations the 2 wired connections. My first issue I dont understand is connecting to the WiFi (No available IP) once I have disabled DHCP.

[licquorice]

It doesn't really matter what mode you configure it in as you are not using it as a router so try configuring it in DSL modem/router mode to see if that helps.

As I said previously, all the routing functions such as DHCP will be carried out by the hub not the TP Link.

[Les-Gibson]

Don't get too wrapped up the with the mode that the TP link is operating in, if it works then it's totally irrelevant.

Start again from scratch, i.e. factory reset the TP Link

All you need to do is to get the TP Link to join the network without it interfering with any of the functions of the main hub. In order to do this you need to make sure that you turn off the DHCP server and allocate it a unique, and preferably static, IP address. Once you've done that you can add it to your home network via a Lan - Lan connection.

That's all there is to it, I know it works because I've run out of fingers and toes on which to count the number of times I've done it 😂

[licquorice]

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@Les-Gibson wrote:

That's all there is to it, I know it works because I've run out of fingers and toes on which to count the number of times I've done it 😂

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Me too.

I've just dug out my old TP Link 9980 and just set the operating mode to xDSL modem router mode, deleted the WAN interface in the Network tab, disabled DHCP, connected it to the hub LAN to LAN and Robert is your mother's brother.

[bobohanlon]

Many many thanks for your patience and help @Les-Gibson @licquorice 

So the bit I was missing was to asign the static IP on the Hub and update this in the TPLink. I can now connect my phone to the TPLink network. The issue I have with connecting to wireless seems to be Mac specific and needs some further investigation.

FYI I ran debug on the Mac connection and get "Wi-Fi has the self-assigned IP address 169.254.186.77 and will not be able to connect to the internet", there are some discussions in the Apple forum about issues with Mac and 2.4Ghz wifi, but I'm not sure that is relevant as I use 2.4 and 5Ghz (Not synced) from my HH4 and I can connect to either without issue.

[Les-Gibson]

That sounds like a DHCP problem hence no IP address assigned.

It will probably be easier to help if you post the settings for both routers as they are now.

[licquorice]

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@bobohanlon wrote:

So the bit I was missing was to asign the static IP on the Hub and update this in the TPLink.

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You don't need to do anything in the hub, you just either leave the TP Link at its default address of 192.168.1.1 or allocate it another address outside of the DHCP range of the hub.

By using address reservation on the hub, you are  now reliant on the hub behaving itself and not allocating that IP address to another device at some point in the future.

[bobohanlon]

TpLink:
IP Version: IPv4
IP Address: 192.168.1.106
Subnet Mask: 255.255.255.0
IGMP Snooping: Enable
Snooping Mode: Allow
Second IP: Enable False
DHCP: Enable False

HH4
Hub IP Gateway Address IP Address:192.168.1.254
Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
 DHCP Server
Enable:Yes
DHCP Network Range: 192.168.1.64 - 192.168.1.253 (Default)

The TPLink has only the IP address changed and DHCP disabled.
The HH4 is pretty much out the box configuration apart from the changes noted in this thread. I have 2 separate Wireless SSIDs one for 2.4Ghz and one for 5Ghz.

Let me know if you need anything else.

[Les-Gibson]

192.168.1.106 is in the HH4 DHCP pool, you need to (preferably) set the address on the TP Link to one outside of the pool (i.e. between 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.63) or ensure that that 106 is reserved by the HH4 for the TP Link.

You don't mention the gateway address, this should be the HH4 address.

Snooping on the TP Link is irrelevant, it can be on or off as it applies to the WAN side of things.

I would change the IP address on the TP Link as above and ensure that the gateway address is set to 192.168.1.254.

I believe from what I've read there is a DHCP problem with some Apple devices but I can't help you with that as I'm a devout Android man myself.

[bobohanlon]

106 is reserved for the TPLink. I needed to do this so that the Mac can open the console by connecting to the HH4 Wireless Network. If I change it to 192.168.1.1 I would then need to connect to the TPLink wireless, which doesn't work.

Since disabling the DHCP options in the TPLink I cannot locate anywhere to update the gateway address