Wireless laptop can't find my other computers on my home net.

[Paul]

I have several computers (XP & Win98) in my home network, connected to the
internet through a DSL line, via a standard 5 port router. They communicate
fine with each other and with the internet.

I bought a laptop PC and a wireless router, which I connected to one of the
ports on the existing DSL router.

This PC can also reach the internet, but not the other computers on my home
network. This is a disaster for me, as I can't use the laptop for what I
bought it for unless I have access to the files on my server.

I suppose it has something to do with having two routers with two subnets,
but I don't have a clue how to go from there.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[Ron Lowe]

I have several computers (XP & Win98) in my home network, connected to the
internet through a DSL line, via a standard 5 port router. They communicate
fine with each other and with the internet.

I bought a laptop PC and a wireless router, which I connected to one of the
ports on the existing DSL router.

This PC can also reach the internet, but not the other computers on my home
network. This is a disaster for me, as I can't use the laptop for what I
bought it for unless I have access to the files on my server.

I suppose it has something to do with having two routers with two subnets,
but I don't have a clue how to go from there.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Paul

Your 2 routers and 2 subnets guess is correct.
You are 'double NATting' to reach the Internet.
But the wireless router sees the rest of your network
as 'the outside', and that blocks your file and print sharing
between the inside and outside.

You have bought the wrong thing.
You didn't need a wireless router, you already have a router.
You needed a Wireless Access Point.

Options I can think of:

1) See if you can exchange the wireless router for a WAP.

2) If not, see if the router can be configured to function
purely as an Access Point.

3) Loose the original 5-port router, and use only the new one.
Does it have wired ports available on it?
If not, perhaps consider adding wireless adapters onthe other machines.

There may be other possibilities, but those are the
only ones that come to me right now

 

[Rico]

I have several computers (XP & Win98) in my home network, connected to the
internet through a DSL line, via a standard 5 port router. They communicate
fine with each other and with the internet.

I bought a laptop PC and a wireless router, which I connected to one of the
ports on the existing DSL router.

This PC can also reach the internet, but not the other computers on my home
network. This is a disaster for me, as I can't use the laptop for what I
bought it for unless I have access to the files on my server.

I suppose it has something to do with having two routers with two subnets,
but I don't have a clue how to go from there.

Turn off the Router portion of your new Wireless AP. Allow only the 5 port
router to handle DCHP etc.