P2P networking, mixed media configuration

[Guest]

Present config:

1 Media Center 2005 (XP pro sp2)
2 Win98se laptops
1 XP pro sp2 laptop
1 Tivo Series2

1 Cable modem
1 Belkin 4-port router
1 Netgear wireless router

Problem - single home network view and functional model; can't see
individual clients connected to the Netgear router, either wireless or wired

Network diagram:

Cable modem connected to cable-based broadband - Belkin (wired) router
connected to modem; 4 ports of router patched to Cat5/RJ45 connectors in a
wired home network to four different rooms

1 room home office with wired Gigabit network adapter running MCE 2005 -
host of workgroup for P2P MS network

1 room wireless Netgear router connected to various laptops (win98, xp pro
sp2) either wired or wireless, and a Tivo series2 via USB 100/10baseT
ethernet wired connect to router

2 other rooms active RJ45 jacks for wired connections

Can't recognize clients on the Netgear router - either wired or wireless.
Network sees the Netgear router but nothing below that; individual clients
are visible by the host when individually plugged into the RJ45 room jack,
but not when connected to the Netgear router

Netgear router supports RIP but Belkin router does not offer this form of
configuration

Have tried all config options for the Netgear router - no DHCP, no firewall,
etc. No results.... Internet connections are fine - very fast and very
clean. Have turned on the UPnP option on both routers. Am using DHCP only
on Belkin router that is connected directly to Cable Modem - all other
devices are connected to the Belkin router. Have tried turning off the
MCE2005 (XP Pro SP2) firewall, etc.

I want to be able to share files, printers, and USB devices across the
network, including the TIVO and MCE2005 content files for display or archive
(DVD authoring). Although I do some gaming (CounterStrike, SecondLife, etc.)
there is no need to share any services outside the firewall. Is there a
really simple way to get 2 routers to share the road? What am I missing?

Recommendations?

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

Is the Belkin connected by ethernet cable to the Netgear's Internet port or
a LAN port? Not clear whether or why you would want to route between these
devices.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP

 

[Guest]

Netgear wireless router is connected to an ethernet port of the Belkin
router. Don't really need two routers, but needed a wireless access point
within a home that was pre-wired with Cat5 for "instant" home networking.

I would like to use the Netgear as a wireless/wired hub or access point
within the living space (next to TV for wireless laptops & Tivo), and use the
Belkin downstairs in the basement to enable Internet access through the cable
modem using DHCP, UPnP, etc. I'd like to put another MCE2005 machine next to
the TV but can't until I see the network elements under Netgear...

How can I make wireless laptops connected to the Netgear visible to my home
network? Will Tivo be visible as well, even as an unidentified device? Are
there settings on either router which will accomplish this; for instance,
Netgear router has RIP but Belkin has no such setting? Will I need to get a
hub for the TV area and install the Netgear on another Belkin node for
wireless Internet access only?

More info - the Tivo and wired/wireless laptops are visible as clients on
the Netgear router from within setup when I am logged in. There is Internet
access from clients on the Netgear router to the Internet without running
this router as a DHCP. Plugging a laptop into the ethernet connection that
the Netgear router uses makes it visible to the home network, including file
and print sharing services for Microsoft Networks. I am running TCP/IP and
NetBUI across the home network presently. The host/main peer is the MCE2005
machine.

All firmware updates have been applied to both routers. I have backed up
router settings and hard booted the whole network but this has not resolved
the problem. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Guest]

The Belkin Lan port was connected to the WAN/Internet port of the Netgear...
I read Steve Winograd's comments in another post about connecting Lan port to
Lan port and disabling the DHCP on the wireless router. Am testing this
config now...

 

[Guest]

Seem to have fixed my own problem, with a hint from Doug Sherman:

(1) Disconnected Lan port from Belkin router to Netgear wireless router;
plugged it into a Lan port on the Netgear router

(2) Connected Lan port ethernet wire for Netgear router to the Lan port #4
(and switched to "Uplink" use) on the Belkin router

(3) Added NetBUI to MCE2005 (XP pro sp2)

(4) Disabled "Simple File Sharing" in MCE2005

(5) Sychronized user names and passwords on all Win98SE and other clients
with user accounts and passwords on the MCE2005 machine to enable visibility
of shared resources

(6) Hard boot on all network elements (including Tivo)

(7) Soft boot of MCE2005 machine

Addtional posts from Steve Winograd and Chuck were extremely useful for
isolating my specific issues. Hope this helps someone else!

 

[Doug Sherman [MVP]]

Go get 'em, Leake!

BTW - low end wireless routers are frequently cheaper than pure wireless
access point devices. As a result a lot of people buy wireless routers for
this purpose - bypass the router functions and use them as simple access
point/switches.

Doug Sherman
MCSE, MCSA, MCP+I, MVP