Xbox won't connect to WiFi now I've setup another router as an extender?

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Interslice

165 posts

Master Geek
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#299072 8-Aug-2022 21:59

Hi all

So basically I have taken Internet from one area of my house where I keep my main router to a bedroom using a Powerline adapter and from that adapter I have set up an old router as an access point for WiFi. The problem I have is when I have the extender setup and powered on the Xbox will no longer connect to the internet... But if I I turn off the extender setup it connects straight away.

Any reason why this is? Ideally I would like it all to work as I have set it up

Any help would be appreciated

Thanks

Oblivian

7345 posts

Uber Geek
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#2952290 8-Aug-2022 22:05

Most likely because you have the extending router with its own DHCP enabled, And wrong gateway/WAN

It needs to be in a dumb 'switch' mode, or a true AP.

If it doesn't know the internet now comes from a 2nd device (router) downstream rather than direct from a WAN port. You fall into Double-NATing

Draw it out on paper. With each device. It's set IP and DNS/Gateway. And it will soon become apparent when they aren't all pointing the same one the primary router has.

Interslice

165 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 35

#2952293 8-Aug-2022 22:13

Thanks for the reply. So If was to disable DHCP and input all the original routers numbers into the other one so they all match that would work?

Thanks

Oblivian

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#2952294 8-Aug-2022 22:36

To an extent. But 'depends'. If both routers are in a similar internal IP + subnet range (both on 192.168.1.x) would for instance. And what the powerline units do if not just relaying.

The key thing, is DNS, gateway.

DNS = thing that can query the internet and resolve address to names.

Gateway = the thing that knows how to forward addresses NOT local, out to internet.

Your ISP router has 2 sides. External side - ISP, the Gateway of the Internet address (WAN). And Local side (LAN - DHCP hands out its address to others). Understands how to 'route' anything asking it.

All the clients local side likely point to that router local address as the DNS/GW - which it does so by asking and being told.

Adding a 2nd router, you're practically duplicating that setup without intervention. So needs to know how to talk to the ISP one. Not an invisible Internet WAN side that likely doesn't exist.

For instance in my case. Small enough that APs configured to similar internal range. And DHCP has relay - forwards queries back to the ISP router, takes care of it and then is a single point of management

Otherwise yes, gateway would be ISP router local, DNS the same. But if one is 192.168.1.26 and the other 1.1.1.25. No.

bagheera

544 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 189

#2952317 9-Aug-2022 08:40

step 1: Plug a laptop into the powerline extender and check that you got internet, this will confirm that the powerline network is working, if not working then it is like the 2 plugs are on different circuits and can not talk to each other.

step 2: When you got a working powerline network, then on the extending router, turn off dhcp and plug from the LAN (not WAN) on the router into the powerline extender, and you can either set the wifi name the same with the same password or something different so you know which AP you are connecting too and then it should just work.

Interslice

165 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 35

#2952323 9-Aug-2022 08:53

Thanks a lot for the replies. I will try what has been suggested and hopefully it works. If it doesn't might just get a dedicated AP if that makes it easier.

Thanks

shk292

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#2952348 9-Aug-2022 10:23

It would be better to give the xbox a wired connection, if that's possible having extended your LAN with the powerline adapter

Mighty Ape

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Interslice

165 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 35

#2952396 9-Aug-2022 10:42

shk292: It would be better to give the xbox a wired connection, if that's possible having extended your LAN with the powerline adapter

Yes definitely. I'm really gutted that when I ran a long Ethernet cable under the house from the ONT to the router which I moved to a different location I didn't have the foresight to run a couple of them around. Don't really want to crawl on belly under there again but might have to do to it.. haha

scuwp

3927 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2510

#2952455 9-Aug-2022 12:35

Interslice:
shk292: It would be better to give the xbox a wired connection, if that's possible having extended your LAN with the powerline adapter

Yes definitely. I'm really gutted that when I ran a long Ethernet cable under the house from the ONT to the router which I moved to a different location I didn't have the foresight to run a couple of them around. Don't really want to crawl on belly under there again but might have to do to it.. haha

Just get a mesh system. Best money I have ever spent and wouldn't go back. Some ISP's even provide these.

Lazy is such an ugly word, I prefer to call it selective participation

PJ48

302 posts

Ultimate Geek
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Lifetime subscriber

#2952457 9-Aug-2022 12:40

If your old router has more than one LAN port, then you can probably use it as an unmanaged switch as well. Turn off DHCP on the second router, plug the ethernet from powerline into a LAN (not WAN) port, then use any other LAN ports on the router to connect via ethernet to the X-box