Network visability


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So I have a question.

I have 2 Wireless routers. 1 in my office and the other in my living room.

My office routers IP address is 192.168.1.1 and is distributing IP address's of 192.168.1.100 - 192.168.1.150 but only to the computers connected to that router.

My Livingroom router has custom firmware DD-WRT loaded on it for the sole purpose of being able to turn that router into a repeater, which is what I did so that it can distribute internet to any device that's connected to it. In order for the router to work properly as a repeater I had to set the livingroom routers IP address as 192.168.2.1. Now it is acting as a DHCP server but only to devices that are connected to it. I have 2 devices connected to it, my PS3 and my HTPC.

So, to be clear the office computers all have 192.168.1.xxx IP Address's and Livingroom computer + PS3 has 192.168.2.xxx IP Address's.

Is there anything I can setup in the routers (well 1 router and 1 repeater) that would allow the 2 networks to see each other? Something in the routing tables perhaps?

It should be noted that all the computers mentioned in this post are all Wired computers, this is on purpose. It should also be noted that I tried changing the Repeaters address to 192.168.1.2 so that way both routers are on the same subnet, but that just rendered the repeater useless and no longer able to distribute the internet the way I want. Of course as I am writing this I'm thinking it could be because I had both routers set as a DHCP server on the same subnet, even tho 1 was distributing x.x.x.100-150 and the other x.x.x.151-200. I'll have to try and turn one of the DHCP's off...Hmmmm I'll keep everyone posted.

Anyway, onto something else that is puzzeling me tho, I am in the process of buildings a server and configuring it to be an SCCM Server. This requires the Server also be a DHCP Server since I want it to be able to alow computers to PXE Boot for the purpose of deploying Windows OS's. When I turn off DHCP on my Office Router and enable the DHCP server on my windows 2008 R2 server, the Repeater in the livingroom loses internet capabilities. When I turn off DHCP on server 2008 and turn it back on in my office router, the repeater regains internet. Ideas?

Here is a diagram of what I am talking about

Office Router DHCP turned on ='s Livingroom's router has internet

Office Routers DHCP turned off and server 2008's R2 DHCP Server Turned on = living room router losing internet capabilities.

What I want is

Server 2008 as DHCP

Office Router just shares the internet with computers in office plus Livingrooms router

Livingrooms Router "Repeating" Offices Routers signal to distribute internet to PS/3 and HTPC.

Please keep in mind the living room router is actually a repeater with the help of DD-WRT's firmware (also both routers are Linksys)

I hope I didn't confuse anyone with this TL;DR post, but I really want to get this all working flawlessly

Thanks all for any help or suggestions.

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"Please keep in mind the living room router is actually a repeater with the help of DD-WRT's firmware (also both routers are Linksys)

Well it sure doesn't sound like you setup the other router as repeater to me, or they would be normally on the same network.. So your saying second router is connected to your first router via wireless?

This is what you want from what your saying http://www.dd-wrt.com/wiki/index.php/Repeater_Bridge

Repeater_Bridge.jpg

This is a repeater bridge mode - where all devices are on the same network. This is NOT what you setup.

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Alright after posting the above and then stepping away from the computer I've come up with a differant way to diagram what I have and what I want, and rather than *edit* the above post I'll diagram it here;

What I have

---------------

Office:

Cox Cable Modem -----> Linksys Router (IP Address 192.168.1.1) with DHCP Enabled distributing IP's of 192.168.1.100 - 150 -----> Basic 24 Port Switch-----> Computers + Server 2008R2

Livingroom:

Linksys Router (IP Address 192.168.2.1) with custom firmware and has been converted to a repeater with DHCP Enabled distributing IP's of 192.168.2.100 - 150 -----> HTPC and PS/3 (Both Wired)

Outcome; Everything working fine and everything has internet However Office Computers cannot see the HTPC in the livingroom

One thing I tried

---------------------

Cox Cable Modem -----> Linksys Router (IP Address 192.168.1.1) with DHCP Disabled -----> Basic 24 Port Switch-----> Computers + Server 2008R2 with DHCP Enabled distributing IP's of 192.168.1.100 - 150

Livingroom:

Linksys Router (IP Address 192.168.2.1) with custom firmware and has been converted to a repeater with DHCP Enabled distributing IP's of 192.168.2.100 - 150 -----> HTPC and PS/3 (Both Wired)

Outcome;

Office Computers have Internet and pulling IP's from Server 2008 R2, Living Room computers Lose internet connection.

What I think MIGHT work and please tell me if you all think it will;

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cox Cable Modem -----> Linksys Router (IP Address 192.168.1.1) with DHCP Disabled -----> Basic 24 Port Switch-----> Computers + Server 2008R2 with DHCP Enabled Distributing IP's 192.168.1.100 - 150

Livingroom:

Linksys Router (IP Address 192.168.1.2) with custom firmware and has been converted to a repeater with DHCP Disabled -----> HTPC and PS/3 (Both Wired)

What I think the outcome would be:

Office Computers and Livingroom devices will all pull IP's from Server 2008 R2 since they are all on the same subnet, They will all have internet, and they will all see each other.

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What instructions are you following for repeater?

Because the the instructions I linked to are what you want. Sure if you want you can have your 2k8 box be your dhcp.. Who serves dhcp has little to do with the setup.

If you don't setup the 2nd router correctly, its clients wired and or wireless are not going to pull dhcp from either your first router or your 2k8 box connected to your first routers via switch.

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Budman, I was typing my 2nd TL;DR post while you sent me that. I really appreciate your help in this matter and That is precisely what I am looking to do. My only concern is in the instructions is says the primary router needs to be DHCP. I think that so long as my Server is the DHCP Server, then the router's DHCP can be turned off safely. I can always try and if it fails, it's easy enough to correct.

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As long as there is dhcp server that points to the correct gateway, then sure your good. It does not have to actually be the 1st router no.

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OK, So, I followed the instructions in this thread. Now here is what I have

Office Router IP is 192.168.1.1, LIvingroom Router 192.168.1.2., Both have DHCP turned off because Server 2k8 R2 has DHCP turned on.

All computers no matter which router they are connected to VIA Wire (or wireless) are pulling an IP from 2k8 box. They are also geting the proper Gateway and DNS Settings from the Server as verified by doing ipconfig /all.

They can all see each other, but not the internet.

When I unplug the Livingroom Router (AKA: Repeater) , then all the computers connected to the Office Router suddenly get internet. Plug back in the repeater router, they lose internet.

Now, if I configure the computers to pull an IP from DHCP, but hardcode the Gateway and DNS entries, Then it doesn't matter if the Livingroom Router is plugged in or not, they still get internet.

Ideas??

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OK, for anyone that is watching this thread now, or looks at it in the future what I did to fix it is

1. With hard coded information I did an IPCONFIG /all

2. Took out the hard coded information and did an IPCONFIG /all to see what #'s were different.

3. It turned out the DNS server IP was differant. So I added a DNS Entry in my DNS server to match the 1st window.

Now everything is working properly. Thanks Budman for your assistance. I really appreciated it.

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