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I have an existing network on the range 192.168.0.X which is mixed wired and wireless connected together using a wireless router which then connects out to the internet - this all works fine.

I also have a Tivo box which is in a different room, connected to the network using a wireless router in client mode. The router is 192.168.16.254 and also runs a DHCP server and provides the Tivo box with an IP address of 192.168.16.100. The Tivo box connects out to the internet no problem.

However, I wish to connect into the Tivo box for network remote control.

I have tested this by replacing the Tivo box with a PC.

I believe the problem may be a routing issue between the 2 networks.

I have tried setting various options in the router in client mode, but really I am just guessing. I have also tried disabling the DHCP server on the router in client mode, hoping it would connect on to the DHCP server on the 192.168.0.X network.

Could someone please point me the right direction? Do I need to set routing in both places or is something else?

Thanks

4 Answers 4

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You need to enable port forwarding on the router in front of the Tivo box (not the Internet-facing router). Whatever ports the Tivo is listening on need to be forwarded on that router. Otherwise it is likely NATing connections. You also probably want to give the Tivo's MAC address an IP reservation so it always receives the same IP.

You'll also need to port forward from your Internet-facing router to the "second" router if you want to access your Tivo online outside from Internet for some reason.

Of course, the optimum solution is to put your the router in front of the Tivo (not the Internet-facing router) into bridge mode, disable the DHCP server on the that router (not the Internet-facing router), and use the router in front of the Tivo just as a wireless bridge or "switch" - everything should use the DHCP server on your Internet-facing router and you can dispense with the second network entirely.

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  • Thanks for the reply, but I dont want to access the Tivo box from externally, just from the 192.168.0.X network. I dont think its a port forwarding issue more of a routing issue between networks Jul 9, 2012 at 19:34
  • It explains why the Tivo box can access the internet, but you can't access the Tivo box.
    – LawrenceC
    Jul 9, 2012 at 19:57
  • This answer is correct. Your response "I dont want to access the Tivo box from externally, just from the 192.168.0.X network" misses the point. He's suggesting you set up port forwarding on the router that connects the TiVo box to your own network. This has nothing whatsoever to do with anything external, which is totally managed by the other router. (You can ignore his second paragraph which only applies if you do wish to access the TiVo box from the outside.) Jul 9, 2012 at 20:56
  • I cant even ping the router, or a machine inside the 192.168.16.X network. Its not a port restriction or firewall issue, i cant see the network at all Jul 13, 2012 at 19:43
  • I tried it as a test and it didnt work Jul 13, 2012 at 19:53
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Ideally, you will end up with only one network in your house. Right now you have two (a 192.168.0.x and a 192.168.16.x) This is why you cannot connect to the Tivo through your network. Although it is possible to set the routers up to move traffic between the two networks, it may be more complicated than you want.

I assume you're using the second 'client' router because you cannot run wires to the Tivo box?

Most consumer routers don't natively have the option to run as a "Wireless Bridge", which is what you're really trying to do here. I've had success with DD-WRT as a replacement to the software that comes with a router. If you can get that up and running on both routers (check their site for compatability), you may be in luck.

A wireless bridge is functionally the same as running an ethernet cable from the LAN port on one router, to a LAN port on the other (with DHCP turned off on the second). Effectively, what you end up with is a switch connected to the router wirelessly.

This would eliminate the second network, allowing everyone to communicate freely.

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  • Thanks Josh. Ive bought a device which is specifically designed to work in client mode. Say for example I used OpenWRT or DD-WRT, how would I configure the device to work in this way? Jul 9, 2012 at 19:27
  • The primary router (the one with DHCP running) would be set up just normal. The secondary router would be set up in "wireless bridge" mode. It's one of the options in the dropdown list if I remember correctly. Without the screen in front of me, I can't remember the exact details necessary, but when I did it, I gave my second router a static address as well.
    – JoshP
    Jul 9, 2012 at 19:28
  • See my edit, its a B-Link BL-MP01 - it has a web interface which seems to be highly configurable, just I dont know which options to set Jul 9, 2012 at 19:29
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The problem is the 2nd router has its own subnet. You should work only with one as it will be a lot easier. Set the second router to an IP (fixed or receive from dhcp server) in the 1st router's network (192.168.0) and disable its DHCP server so the Tivo will receive an IP from the 1st router too and it will be in 192.168.0 network.

If you want to keep the 2 networks, you will need to define a static route in the 1st router to reach 192.168.16.0 network using the IP of the 2nd router in 192.168.0 network as gateway. This will allow connecting from 192.168.0 to Tivo. For the reverse connection (from 192.168.16 to 192.168.0), you do it in 2nd router (but if your Tivo connects to internet, this last part is already done by the router).

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  • Im trying this now. If I have to try with 2 diff networks, which router is the 1st router? The one attached to the tivo box or the one on the working existing network? Jul 9, 2012 at 19:49
  • the main one, the 192.168.0 router and dhcp (from existing network)
    – laurent
    Jul 9, 2012 at 19:51
  • The idea of putting them on the same subnet didnt work as the Tivo box (or laptop for testing) coulkdnt get an IP address from my existing router. Setting a static IP didnt seem to help either Jul 13, 2012 at 19:53
  • Does your Tivo connected router has a client bridge or repeater bridge mode? If not I think you will need to use the 2 networks and the static routes described in 2nd part of answer or the NAt and port forwarding method from ultrasawblade's answer.
    – laurent
    Jul 13, 2012 at 20:26
  • The router has client, Access point and router modes. Is the client mode the "client bridge" mode you refer to or not? Jul 14, 2012 at 15:03
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have the same router with the same problem with xbox. It seems as though it is not client mode that you need to use but AP mode which reveals WDS as an option. I have since setup in "LAZY" mode with this and my DHCP on my main router has provided me with an IP on the correct IP range. YAY.

http://www.premiertek.net/manual/PT-AP2403-QIG_V1.pdf

Is the manual I used for help. Same hardware, different brand.

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