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Arrggh! Help me with a network problem before I tear my hair out.

Friend has a weird house, and no way of getting an ethernet cable to her study.

Last year, we set up her BT infinity Home Hub 5 with a Netgear WRN2000 that I had lying around, so that the Netgear connected to her main computer and gave it internet access without the need for a cable between the Home Hub and the Netgear.

She had her Home Hub replaced over the weekend and I've been trying to get it working again ever since, but can't figure it out :o

I've put the Home Hub and the Netgear on the same SSID. I've downgraded security to WEP, and ensured they are the same. They are on the same channel. The Netgear has DHCP turned off.

I've tried having the ethernet cable between the netgear and the computer in both a random ethernet port in the back of the netgear and the specific internet port, but it seems to make no difference.

Any ideas where I'm going wrong? Could someone walk me through it? It's driving me INSANE.

Comments

  • What's the IP address range of the HomeHub? e.g. 192.168.0.1 - 255
    Set it to 192.168.0.4 - 255

    Hardcode the IP address of the Netgear to 192.168.0.2 and turn DHCP off (as you have already done). Best to test this by connecting a computer to the HomeHub and pinging 192.168.0.2
    If you put your general location in your Profile, somebody here may be able to come and help you.
  • thescouselander
    thescouselander Posts: 5,547 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 23 February 2015 pm28 9:22PM
    I dont at all understand why you've set up the second router on the same SSID and channel - this is asking for trouble. I assume the HH and Netgear are wired together - is this correct?

    If so, first of all I'd recommend using a different channel and SSID on the Netgear. Then set the security back to WPA2.

    Secondly, disable smart setup on the Home Hub.


    If none of that works when check the IP addresses. The default IP for the home hub is 192.168.1.254 and the DHCP range is 192.168.1.64 - 192.168.1.253 therefore I'd recommend hard coding the Netgears address to something like 192.168.1.10
  • espresso
    espresso Posts: 16,448 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Combo Breaker

    I've put the Home Hub and the Netgear on the same SSID. I've downgraded security to WEP, and ensured they are the same. They are on the same channel. The Netgear has DHCP turned off.

    The SSID should be exactly the same, the channels should be different. Nobody should use WEP now, change both to WPA/WPA2 and the passkey should be the same on both with DHCP disabled on the Netgear.
    :doh: Blue text on this forum usually signifies hyperlinks, so click on them!..:wall:
  • I wouldn't recommend using the same SSID - some equipment struggles with that and it's difficult to tell which router you've connected to in areas of overlapping coverage.
  • esuhl
    esuhl Posts: 9,409 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Set a static local IP address on each router, then on the one that actually routes (i.e. the one connected to the Internet), manually reserve the IP address of the other router.

    Both routers need to be on the same subnet (with the most common default settings on consumer routers, this usually means that all devices on the network must have the same first three octets in their IP address -- e.g. 192.168.0.X or 192.168.1.X, etc.)
  • StuC75
    StuC75 Posts: 2,065 Forumite
    Bt homehubs are poor for any non standard setup - mine would often give up when using a netgear router in another room (via a wire)..

    Shouldn't the netgear be working in a bridge mode with the router to provide connection, so ssids sound like there both broadcasting?

    Although the netgear will have dhcp turned off whats its ipaddress fixed to? and has the new homehub changed what it set to? might be an ipconflict?

    Surely it would be easier to either go with homeplugs between the homehub and the study? or to add wifi to the computer in there?

    as per other suggestions - move on from WEP security...
  • Can wholeheartedly recommend powerline plugs. We use them for our router and desktop PC because we don't want to cable the house. If it's a weird house she'd just need to check the two plug sockets are on the same ringmain.
  • ... The default IP for the home hub is 192.168.1.254 and the DHCP range is 192.168.1.64 - 192.168.1.253 therefore I'd recommend hard coding the Netgears address to something like 192.168.1.10
    Or that. Any luck OP? You must test this from a computer connected to the HH. ping 192.168.1.10
    If you put your general location in your Profile, somebody here may be able to come and help you.
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