[SOLVED] Home networking question

[ssterling1912]

Hi everyone!!

I am trying to set up my home network the best way possible. I have two routers, one Xfinity Router than came from my ISP, and my own NETGEAR Nighthawk Router. Currently, I have the xfinity router in bridge mode, and my router acting as the main router. So my bridged xfinity router has the internet coming in from a cable wire. Then I have an Ethernet connection to my Netgear router. I also have a wireless tv box in my bedroom, so I have VLAN/IPTV enabled on my Netgear router. It is enable by Bridge Group by Wired Port 1. It seems to disable my port 1 ethernet on my Netgear router, but it allowed me to connect my tv box to the network to access cable. I am not using the port 1 on my Netgear so it was fine. With that said, everything seems to work fine. My Netgear handles all my wireless functionality and the wifi on my xfinity router is disabled. All is good.. So I thought.

So today, I wanted to connect my LG Smart tv in the living room to the network over wired connection instead of wifi. My tv is right beside my bridged xifinity router, so I figured I would just plug an ethernet into my tv from that, but it won't connect for some reason. When accessing my router from the browser, neither one of them picks it up as connected.

When bridge mode is off, it seems to work fine.

So when I had bridge mode off on the xfinity router, and my wireless tv box in the bedroom connected to it, I would get a horrible connection. My tv would drop out constantly and had to be reset. Ever since I switched to the current setup, it works flawlessly!

So really my question, how can I get the LG tv in the living room connected over wired connection by plugging it into the xfinty router in bridge mode. Is that possible? Or does bridge mode disable that completely as well. I thought that it would basically work like a switch.

If there is a much easier solution to this, I am open to changing the setup.

I can provide more info if needed.

Thanks for any feedback!!

 

[kanewolf]

So really my question, how can I get the LG tv in the living room connected over wired connection by plugging it into the xfinty router in bridge mode. Is that possible? Or does bridge mode disable that completely as well. I thought that it would basically work like a switch.

You can't. When in "bridge mode", the Xfiniti device acts like a modem and only one device can connect. You need the TV on the LAN side of the Netgear router. If you don't have enough ports, then buy a switch. Connect that switch to the Netgear and multiple devices to the switch.

 

[ssterling1912]

Thanks for the quick response. I was afraid of that. I have a switch, just not near the TV. I wonder if it would be better to put my Netgear router in AP mode. I wonder if I could connect my wireless TV box to it.

 

[SamirD]

If you don't need wifi as badly where the netgear is currently, put it near the tv, run wired to the tv, and then put a switch where the netgear was to have all those devices still wired.

The other thing you can do since most access points cost as much as a switch is to get an access point (or even a cheap router to use as an ap), and connect that where your netgear was to provide both a switch and wireless access.