Join or sign in Register for your free TechRepublic membership or if you are already a member, sign in using your preferred method below. Use Your Email Use FacebookUse Linkedin

Networking with two router/addresses

Tags: Microsoft, Microsoft

Hello. I have a networking question/problem I haven’t found an answer to.

I have two routers. I have a Netgear Nighthawk cable modem and a Netgear Orbi mesh router. The Orbi is our primary network. I have a lot of wired devices like NAS drives and printers. I also use an unmanaged network switch for some of the devices. Because of speed issues With a NAS, I had to unwire my desktop and go wireless. I prefer to use Ethernet connections.

My address for the cable modem is 192.168.0.1. The Orbi is 192.168.1.1. Both have a subnet mask of 255.255.255.0. If I wore into the modem, I have more consistent internet speeds, but I can’t communicate or connect to my printers and NAS drives connected to the Orbi.

My long winded question: what do I do so I can see my whole network? I generally understand networking, but I’m far from a whiz. Thank you!

Topic

A subnet mask change does not fix this. Why?

In reply to Networking with two router/addresses

Because as is you have two LANs.

I think you left out details here but a cable modem would not have WiFi or router capabilities so I’m left to guess you have the usual combination modem+router+WiFi box.

Also, what is this “I wore into the modem”? Is that wire?

If you used the Orbi to get more coverage in the home, you create a single LAN. Nod to https://kb.netgear.com/31218/How-do-I-configure-my-Orbi-router-to-act-as-an-access-point

For folk that need better WiFi I usually deploy a Powerline WiFi kit.

[Author]

Replies