Using subnet router wireless to connect to RT-N66U Lan

[testing123]

I have added another subnet router to my network and set it up. It works as expected and has internet access. I also set up the wireless, which also works fine..

I hope to use this this subnet router's wireless network to allow my smartphones to wirelessly access the PC on the gateway router (The Asus RT). Well, actually, to pass files back and forth between the PC and the smartphone. The idea is that I can simply power the subnet router off when not in use for the smartphone transfers.

I'm not having much luck, and cannot even ping the subnet router.

So, before I go any further, can I do what I want using the RT-N66U (Smartphone connected to subnet wireless, accessing the Lan on the gateway router (Asus RT) to share files.? And, assuming I can, how to configure?



Thanks!

 

[kfp]

Turn off firewall on your subnet router.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Knowing the make and model of the subnet router would help.

 

[testing123]

Subnet router: TP-Link TL-WR940N.

 

[testing123]

I'll be in the field today, but can provide any other information necessary. I assume, since no one has stated contrarily, that accessing the Asus LAN (192.168.1.1) from the wireless network of the TL-WR940N subnet router (192.168.2.1) (and vice-versa) is doable. I've reviewed information regarding static routing, but can seem to make it work.

I doubt it makes any difference, but I do have the Wireless on the router isolated from the LAN (Wireless\Professional\Set AP Isolated=Yes)

Thanks for any help.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Making connections from the subnet router's (TP-Link) LAN to the Asus' LAN (and the internet beyond it) should not be a problem. It should work without any changes required.

Making connections the other way from the Asus' LAN to the TP-Link's subnet will require,

a) a static route (which you have),
b) the firewall turned off for the TP-Link as @kfp said,
c) TPLink set to respond to pings from the WAN if that's what you want (Advanced Security), and
d) NAT disabled on the TP-Link. If you can't/don't disable NAT you will probably have to manually port forward every possible connection from the Asus' subnet to the TP-Link's subnet

EDIT: Disabling NAT might not be an option for you.

 

[testing123]

Making connections from the subnet router's (TP-Link) LAN to the Asus' LAN (and the internet beyond it) should not be a problem. It should work without any changes required.

Making connections the other way from the Asus' LAN to the TP-Link's subnet will require,

a) a static route (which you have),
b) the firewall turned off for the TP-Link as @kfp said,
c) TPLink set to respond to pings from the WAN if that's what you want (Advanced Security), and
d) NAT disabled on the TP-Link. If you can't/don't disable NAT you will have to manually port forward every possible connection from the Asus' subnet to the TP-Link's subnet

EDIT: Disabling NAT might not be an option for you.

Hi - thanks for your response. I'm about to leave the office, but will give proper attention to your comments this evening or tomorrow.

To clarify my goals, I wish only to connect to my PC which is part of the Asus (192.168.1.1) LAN. No need to connect to the internet. I just need to be able to wirelessly transfer files back and forth between PC (192.168.1.xxx) and smartphone/tablet (192.168.2.xxx) on the TP-Link subnet (192.168.2.1). This is all the subnet router will be used for.

 

[ColinTaylor]

To clarify my goals, I wish only to connect to my PC which is part of the Asus (192.168.1.1) LAN. No need to connect to the internet. I just need to be able to wirelessly transfer files back and forth between PC (192.168.1.xxx) and smartphone/tablet (192.168.2.xxx) on the TP-Link subnet (192.168.2.1). This is all the subnet router will be used for.

In which case, if the connection is always initiated from 192.168.2.x, then you shouldn't need to make any changes to either router, not even static routes. Depending on how exactly you are connecting to your PC you might encounter problems related to the devices being on different subnets, but that's a client issue not a router issue.

 

[testing123]

In which case, if the connection is always initiated from 192.168.2.x, then you shouldn't need to make any changes to either router, not even static routes. Depending on how exactly you are connecting to your PC you might encounter problems related to the devices being on different subnets, but that's a client issue not a router issue.

Thanks for your help. I was able to connect from the android (though tp link wireless) to the folder share I have on the PC (gateway router).

Having done so, I find that's not exactly the experience I had hoped. I now see that what I want to do is drag and drop the files from phone to PC, probably using windows file explorer, which I think will require initiating the connection from the Asus LAN to the PC subnet.

In your previous post, you provide a list of requirements, which, since disabling NAT is not an option for the TP-Link, would dictate that I "will have to manually port forward every possible connection from the Asus' subnet to the TP-Link's subnet". How many possibilities exist in that kind of scenario? Can I assign a given port?

Also, in step c: "TPLink set to respond to pings from the WAN if that's what you want (Advanced Security)". I'm unsure of why I would want it?
I know this is elementary stuff for y'all, and I appreciate your patience.

 

[ColinTaylor]

Having done so, I find that's not exactly the experience I had hoped. I now see that what I want to do is drag and drop the files from phone to PC, probably using windows file explorer, which I think will require initiating the connection from the Asus LAN to the PC subnet.

Before going any further I think you need to define exactly how you plan on copying the files. There are probably multiple ways it might be done, but there's no point spending time setting up one system only to discover it's not supported by your phone or doesn't do what you want. So firstly, connect your phone to the Asus' wireless network and get that working. Then tell us what you've done and we'll try to replicate it with the TP-Link.

That does raise a question though. Why are you bothering with the TP-Link at all? Why not just connect the phone to the Asus?

 

[testing123]

Before going any further I think you need to define exactly how you plan on copying the files. There are probably multiple ways it might be done, but there's no point spending time setting up one system only to discover it's not supported by your phone or doesn't do what you want. So firstly, connect your phone to the Asus' wireless network and get that working. Then tell us what you've done and we'll try to replicate it with the TP-Link.

Yes. Apologies for that. I'm in the midst of my busy season and don't know whether I'm coming or going these days. What I've been doing is connecting via USB to the PC connected to the Asus. Unfortunately, the (phone) case I use makes it difficult, and I've pulled the end off of several cables.

I suppose I assumed that the wireless connection would be similar to the USB connection - i.e., two side by side Windows File Explorers, allowing me to drag and drop job photos from the phone to specified folders on the hard disk (and technical documents to the phone from time to time). But perhaps I'm approaching this from the wrong end. I may do better starting in the xda developers forum to see if there is an app for wifi connection that emulates the USB connection (or just a windows network resource, for that matter).

That does raise a question though. Why are you bothering with the TP-Link at all? Why not just connect the phone to the Asus?

For security purposes, I isolate the Asus wireless from the Asus LAN. The purpose of the TP-Link (subnet) router was to allow me to power it up only when needed, then shut it down. I have 8 other subnets here for various purposes, but the main event for all is to isolate my "mission critical" business machines from the other devices/PCs.

Apologies for dragging you into the process before my understanding of what I need was fully baked.

 

[testing123]

New question: Now that I know that subnets can connect to the gateway without any real changes to the router config, is there a way to configure the subnet to prevent connection, yet still allow internet access to the subnet? The routers of interest are the TP-Link TL-WR940N and Linksys WRT54GL.

 

[ColinTaylor]

New question: Now that I know that subnets can connect to the gateway without any real changes to the router config, is there a way to configure the subnet to prevent connection, yet still allow internet access to the subnet? The routers of interest are the TP-Link TL-WR940N and Linksys WRT54GL.

That's really a question for a TP-Link forum. In Merlin's Asus firmware there is something called "Network Services Filter". What this does is block outgoing connections to certain IP addresses or subnets. So this can be used to block access to the 192.168.1.x subnet while leaving all other upstream traffic (i.e. the internet) untouched.

I doubt the TP-Link has the same thing, you'll have to look.

 

[testing123]

Thanks - much appreciated!